It’s been nearly 19 months since theaters across the country were forced to close their doors due to the pandemic. On the heels of citywide lockdowns, our local performing arts companies were quick to show their ingenuity and creativity by pivoting to virtual performances and online educatio…
On Feb. 28, 1952, hundreds of excited Nashvillians donned their finest and headed to the corner of Sixth Avenue and Church Street for the gala opening of the new Tennessee Theatre. A brightly lit sign standing nine stories tall beckoned them into the spacious lobby of the art deco movie pala…
What’s the biggest challenge currently facing TPAC? Since we closed our theaters almost 20 months ago, our focus has remained on reopening to the public while protecting our artists, patrons, staff and volunteers. Navigating the changing COVID-19 situation so we can continue to engage our co…
What’s the biggest challenge currently facing the Nashville Symphony? Our biggest challenge at the moment has been preparing to welcome our musicians back to the stage and audiences back into our concert hall while contending with the current surge in COVID-19 cases due to the Delta variant.
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What’s the biggest challenge currently facing Nashville Rep? Returning to full production after an 18-month hiatus is like returning to the gym after a year off. The muscles are sore; the processes are rusty. Plus, there is a whole new set of muscles and processes we need to add to produce t…
What’s the biggest challenge currently facing the Nashville Ballet? Our biggest challenge this year is re-engaging. We’ve had to navigate not only how to figuratively re-engage, but also how to literally reconnect with our audience in a way that is safe but still true to the art form.
What’s the biggest challenge currently facing the Nashville Opera? Nashville Opera is currently on a strong forward trajectory, but how we manage that growth and plan for the future is one of our biggest challenges, as well as one of our biggest opportunities. We’ve just embarked on a major …
What’s the biggest challenge currently facing the Nashville Children’s Theatre? Our primary audience can’t be vaccinated yet, so there are extra precautions that we need to take. A normal day for us saw over 1,000 elementary school students in the building. With students behind in school and…
The Franklin Theatre took center stage in early August, as guests dressed in their finest cocktail attire and gathered for a red carpet reception under the glowing neon marquee to celebrate the beloved theater’s 10th anniversary. With a little help from the Franklin Fire Department to close …
There is nothing quite like live performance, be it music, theater or dance, and in a city as artistically and culturally rich as Nashville, the absence of it these past 18 months has been felt widely. Fortunately, live performance is making a comeback, and nearly 300 guests packed into the …
A former classical musician and self-proclaimed “arts enthusiast,” Dionne Lucas was first drawn to the Nashville Ballet when her daughter danced with the organization. For the past four years, she has served in a variety of capacities on the board of directors, including as a member of the A…
The inaugural Broadway Brunch Patrons Party brought out more than 70 generous supporters of Nashville Rep on a surprisingly pleasant August night. Co-chair Julie and John Schneider opened the doors to their lovely Laurelbrooke home for the affair. While guests enjoyed refreshing cocktails an…
The Nashville Jazz Workshop (NJW) hosted an official ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of its new location at 1012 Buchanan Street. Excited music lovers and interested neighbors gathered in the heart of North Nashville’s historic Buchanan Arts District to check out the facilit…
If our inbox is any indication, the fall social season promises to be jam-packed with exciting events, galas and celebrations supporting the city's wide array of charitable causes. Kicking things off on August 22 is the return of the Broadway Brunch, Nashville Rep's signature fundraising eve…
Cheekwood is introducing a new celebration to its calendar this year. In August, the gardens will host the inaugural African American Cultural Family Celebration.
When the Nashville Opera returned to the stage for the first time in 17 months, it was an event for the entire family. In its first live performance since January 2020, the Nashville Opera brought Cinderella to life — and turned the beloved fairy tale on its head — at Ascend Amphitheater. Tr…
Music is making a comeback. As more and more people get vaccinated, dozens of local venues have started filling out their summer calendars. Wynonna Judd is performing at City Winery in June, and Sheila E. and The E-Train will be there in July. Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Foreigner and A…
On a rainy Thursday in late April, patrons of PENCIL gathered at the Grand Ole Opry for the 17th annual A Little Night of Music — a much-needed night of fun and music after more than a year without in-person events or live concerts.
The Nashville Symphony has been quiet for more than 18 months. Like so many other arts and music venues, the Schermerhorn had to close its doors at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Good news dropped last week, though, when the Nashville Symphony’s president and CEO, Alan Valentine, an…
It seems like eons since we enjoyed watching live productions in a seat and not on a screen, and now, they are slowly and safely coming back! Local performing arts organizations have come up with innovative and safe ways to delight audiences this month with in-person events. All shows have l…
After more than a year of canceled performances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the curtain is finally rising again at Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC)! TPAC announced today a return to live performances with an impressive new season of Broadway shows. The 2021-22 HCA Healthcare/TriStar…
TPAC is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and although theaters around the world are dark, that didn’t keep the performing arts center from throwing a (virtual) bash to remember. To plan the festivities, they tapped the talents of Matt Logan, a local theater celebrity with a long history at …
To celebrate its 40th year, the Nashville Opera presented an outstanding online La Bella Notte featuring stunning new recordings filmed in the Noah Liff Opera Center and clips from past beloved performances. Opera Creative Director and Mistress of Ceremonies Cara Schneider presented each seg…
One positive byproduct of the new and necessary trend of virtual events is that bad weather won’t keep you from supporting your favorite causes. As winter finally arrives in full force this week, you can still “attend” several worthwhile fundraisers in the coming days, thanks to the power of…
A true multihyphenate, Matt Logan’s astounding career has included turns as an actor, director, designer, costumer and illustrator. A Nashville native, it’s only fitting that his professional directorial debut was made on the TPAC stage when he was just 19 years old. His career eventually le…
It could be said that Jun Iwasaki has music in his blood. The Nashville Symphony concertmaster is the son of two professional musicians — his father is a cellist, his mother a classical pianist — who grew up witnessing firsthand the commitment of his parents to their craft. Following in thei…
Megan Murphy Chambers is a familiar face and voice to local theatergoers, having performed iconic roles in nearly 100 comedies, dramas, musicals and even operas. She captured hearts with her portrayals of beloved characters, like Glinda in The Wizard of Oz, Mother in A Christmas Story and Ma…
When Jamie Kopit first stepped onstage for a dance recital at age 3, it began a passion for ballet and launched a professional career that has taken her around the world before bringing her to Nashville. The California native began training at Southland Ballet Academy. At 15, Jamie was award…
Multi-talented composer, vocalist, pianist and conductor Dave Ragland has a wildly impressive list of accomplishments. Among them, he garnered his first of two Emmy nominations for composition and music direction for Frist Art Museum’s Nick Cave Feat. Nashville. He is artistic director of In…
OZ Arts Nashville expands our minds by bringing innovative contemporary art experiences to our area, and once a year, they give us more to think about at Conversations at OZ. The unique fundraiser brings people together for an evening that offers a range of exciting, insightful and interesti…
After seeing how successful televised events can be, Nashville Ballet has announced a new two-part virtual performance of the beloved recurring series, Attitude. The virtual performances replace the previously planned live productions of Attitude: New Works by Women and will feature new reco…
This year marks two major milestones for the Nashville Opera. The nonprofit is commemorating its 40th year, and CEO and Artistic Director John Hoomes is celebrating his 25th anniversary there. While these achievements can’t be honored in person at La Bella Notte this year, they will be recog…
In September 1980, the Tennessee Performing Arts Center opened its doors and presented 119 performances to a total attendance of 84,000 people in the first year. Fast forward 40 years, and TPAC was selling nearly 400,000 tickets for more than 600 performances, attracting blockbuster Broadway…
For more than 30 years, the Nashville Ballet has celebrated its dancers and live musical performance at the Ballet Ball. When Sylvia Bradbury and Vicki Horne agreed to chair the black-tie gala for 2021, no one had heard of COVID-19, much less envisioned a global pandemic. Fortunately, the tw…
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus and a way to spread cheer without spreading germs! We may all be celebrating differently this year, but we found ways to safely ring in the holidays, thanks to timed entries, virtual alternatives and more.
Everyone’s favorite holiday tradition is back! Holiday LIGHTS at Cheekwood opens on Friday, Nov. 20, allowing visitors to enjoy more than one million twinkling lights in a safe, socially distanced environment. Open seven days a week, Holiday LIGHTS once again includes two live reindeer on di…
It was an evening of world-class jazz heard by a worldwide audience when Nashville Jazz Workshop broadcast its 20th annual fundraiser, Jazzmania, as a virtual event. The 90-minute program was hosted by renowned Memphis saxophonist Kirk Whalum. People tuned in from all over the U.S. and from …
The loss of coming together to hear live music has put a hole in our soul. Long before the Bridgestone Arena and Nissan Stadium hosted live acts, people flocked to Centennial Park to hear performances ranging from military bands to symphonies and from opera to country to rock. Music in the P…
OZ Arts Nashville has announced an exciting new lineup for the last weeks of 2020. Even though the events will all be livestreamed, OZ Executive and Artistic Director Mark Murphy says they “remain committed to reimagining our programming so that we can continue to deliver innovative arts exp…
The pandemic rages on, but area nonprofits are coming up with innovative — and safe! — ways to welcome supporters and raise much-needed funds. Be sure to check each organization’s website for their COVID-19 procedures, and in the case of “gratis” activities, please consider making a donation…
Last Tuesday evening, more than 200 people attended the Tennessee Performing Arts Center’s (TPAC) first event of this year’s free virtual Salon Series. Titled “Whiskey Is a Science, Bourbon Is an Art,” TPAC President and CEO Jennifer Turner moderated the fascinating discussion and tasting wi…
In just four years, Nashville Repertory Theatre’s Broadway Brunch became a highly anticipated part of the spring social season. Like so many other events, the lively May fundraiser was canceled due to the pandemic. But as they say, “The show must go on,” so Broadway Brunch at Night will stre…
While it's still not deemed safe to go to the theater or a museum just yet, Nashville's performing and visual arts companies are bringing the shows to you. Here's a look at some of the virtual performances and exhibits you can check out from the safety of your home.
While it's still not deemed safe to go to the theater or a museum just yet, Nashville's performing and visual arts companies are bringing the shows to you. Here's a look at some of the virtual performances and exhibits you can check out from the safety of your home.
Generous supporters of the Ballet Ball got an inkling of what to expect at the Versailles-inspired gala when they were fêted at an elegant French supper. And there was no more appropriate place to hold the Patrons Party than at the European-style manor of perennial hostess Sylvia Roberts.
This year, the Nashville Ballet turned Leap Day into a grand jeté at the 31st annual Ballet Ball. Inspired by the Palace of Versailles, the black-tie gala was a night of opulent glamour celebrating the esteemed Nashville Ballet, its collaborative spirit and its commitment to education and co…
Thank you to everyone who joined us at the 2020 Ballet Ball in the Nfocus Portrait Studio, presented by The Pointe on 30A. All photos are available for purchase by clicking below. Furniture provided by Music City Tents and Events.
TPAC’s Humanities Outreach Tennessee first exposed a young Matt Logan to the possibilities of a career in theater, but it wasn’t until he stepped onto the stage as Gaston in his high school’s production of Beauty and the Beast that his extracurricular pastime became a full-time pursuit. Not …
La Bella Notte’s move to the JW Marriott Downtown Nashville last year was so well received that co-chairs Tracey Pearson and Don Holmes did not think twice about returning in 2020. Attendees obviously approved because they flocked to the hotel to celebrate the Nashville Opera’s extraordinary…
No one seemed to mind that it was a cold, rainy night when Ballet Ball co-chairs Allison Cotton and Emily Humphreys welcomed members of the Ladies and Gentlemen’s Committee to a special evening held in their honor. Perhaps it was the sight of two Nashville Ballet dancers greeting them from t…
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