The Witch enchants in the Roxy Regional Theatre’s production of Hansel and Gretel

The Roxy Regional Theatre is currently running their version of the enchanting Engelbert Humperdinck opera Hansel and Gretel. Lost siblings come across a sumptuous candy house, occupied by an old woman who has her own reasons for fattening up little children. The show playing December 4 through 19.

The musical play was adapted and is directed by John McDonald. It stars Drew Torkelson as Hansel; Alicia Kelly as Gretel; Brendan Cataldo as the Father; Reischa Feuerbacher as the Mother; and Dr. Thomas King as Rosina Dainty-mouth, the Witch; area children fill the role of the children taken by the Witch to make her gingerbread.

I attended the show on Friday evening, and the house was packed. Continue reading for my review of that performance. [Read more]

Immerse yourself into “A Streetcar Named Desire” at the Roxy Regional Theatre

Set in the romantic past of New Orleans Blanche DuBois’s neurotic and genteel pretensions are no match for the brutish realities of her brother-in-law, Stanley Kowalski.

The Roxy Regional Theatre is currently staging the Tennessee Williams play “A Streetcar Named Desire.”

To fully understand the intricacies of this masterpiece play, in this writers opinion you just have to come from the south. Otherwise it is all too easy to miss the subtle interplay of these delicious personalities as they intertwine in a tapestry that is as old as, well the south.

You have Blanche DuBois the socialite (Alicia Kelly); the submissive wife Stella (Chase Kamata); Stanley the abuser (Justin Barnum); the dotting son Harold (Brenden Cataldo); among others. The acting was tight, performers seamlessly melding into their roles as if they had been born to them.

[Read more]

RENT Rocks the Stage of the Roxy Regional Theatre

The Pulitzer Prize-winning musical RENT will rock the stage of the Roxy Regional Theatre, Clarksville’s Center for Arts and Education, beginning Friday, July 10, at 8pm.

Jonathan Larson’s rock musical is the joyous, breathtaking and inspiring story of a group of New York City East Village artists struggling to find their voices and find love in today’s tough times, broaching controversial themes like homelessness, AIDS and drug addiction with compassion.

Based on Puccini’s La Boheme, RENT stars Justin Barnum as Roger, Chase Kamata as Mimi, Matthew Burns as Mark, De’Lon Grant as Tom Collins, Taylor Hilt Mitchell as Angel, Alicia Kelly as Maureen, Kami Smith as Joanne and Brendan Cataldo as Benny.  Amanda Bailey, Chad Parsons, Humberto Figueroa, Skye Mangrum, John Moser, Anesha Ross and Hannah Carmona round out the cast.

Although the national tour has played Nashville, the Roxy Regional Theatre is proud to be one of only two regional theatres in Tennessee granted the rights to this award-winning musical.

RENT runs July 10 thru August 21, playing Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7pm and Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, with a 2pm matinee on Saturday, July 18.  Tickets are $20 and may be purchased online at www.roxyregionaltheatre.org or by phone at (931)645-7699 during regular box office hours (9am-2pm, weekdays).  This production is strongly recommended for mature audiences.