Jan. 16 - Mar. 25 - Cumberland County Playhouse

Dear Friends,
We are excited to announce our 2016 Season and enthusiastic to begin shaping the next 50 years of
the Cumberland County Playhouse. Our 50th Anniversary season was a wonderful celebration of our
past and we were humbled to rejoice in the history and heritage of this amazing institution and the
founding families that fed the flame that Paul and Mary Crabtree lit in 1963.
We as a staff looked for a theme for our 2016 season, and what kept coming up was our desire for
the Playhouse to be a destination for people of all ages, a vessel to bring joy, laughter, music and
storytelling to all generations. We decided to make our 2016 theme ESCAPE WITH US TODAY! We
want the Playhouse to be your vacation from daily life. We have designed this season with “escape
packages”. Give into your sweet tooth with our INDULGENT ESCAPE, walk down the aisle with our
MARITAL BLISS ESCAPE, go under the sea with our AQUATIC ESCAPE, and take a trip back to the
1940’s with our NOSTALGIC ESCAPE and many others.
Join us in 2016 for a trip in laughter, song and dance from places around the globe and some in our
own backyard. No matter what type of escape your heart’s set on, our 2016 season has something for
you!
Thank you for your patronage,
Bryce McDonald
Associate Producing Director
Escape to Cumberland County Playhouse in 2016!
Whatever type of entertainment escape audiences are looking for, Cumberland County Playhouse’s
2016 Season offers something for everyone. From a magical chocolate factory to an underwater
kingdom, to a romantic Greek island – and a dozen other locales – the Playhouse’s new season
promises to be its most exciting yet. “We’re thrilled to announce next year’s lineup,” said Associate
Producing Director Bryce McDonald. “It’s filled with some of the biggest titles to have appeared on
Broadway in recent years. We’ve also secured the rights to new titles by the authors of some of the
Playhouse’s biggest hits, along with bringing back the perennial favorites, Smoke on the Mountain
and A Sanders Family Christmas.”
To learn more about these shows, or order a season brochure or season tickets, along with tickets for
all shows and concerts, call (931) 484-5000, or visit www.ccplayhouse.com. Tickets and information
are also available for Southern Stars Symphonic Brass and other events. All CCP productions are
made possible through sponsor support, with additional support provided by the Tennessee Arts
Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Currently at the Playhouse: The Foreigner, through November 6, rated G, co-sponsored by Dr.
Anthony Wilson and Stanley Bise, M.D. and Inlaws, Outlaws, and Other People (That Should Be Shot),
through December 12, rated G, sponsored by Uplands Village. Upcoming: Scrooge, November
13 through December 19, rated G, sponsored by M. Stewart Galloway, M.D., Janis L. Holt, M.D.,
Cumberland Eye Care, and A Sanders Family Christmas, November 20 through December 22, rated G,
sponsored by Stonehaus Winery.
THE MIDWESTERN ESCAPE
Escape to beautiful rural Minnesota with this
celebration of the church basement kitchen and
the women who work there! Laugh along with
these four unforgettable women as they organize
the food and solve the problems of a rural church
win 1965. They stave off potential disasters, share
and debate recipes, instruct the young, and keep
the Pastor on course while thoroughly enjoying
(or at least tolerating) each other as the true “steel
magnolias” of the church. Witness the church year
unfold from below the house of God with this
funny, down-to-earth musical comedy!
Rated G. Adventure Theater.
$25 Adult
$23 Senior
$20 Group & Military
$12 Child & Student*
THE INDULGENT ESCAPE
Escape to a magical world of sheer deliciousness
as this timeless story of the world-famous
candy man and his quest to find an heir comes
to chocolate-covered life! Our kids, teens
and volunteers will light up the stage in this
captivating adaptation of Roald Dahl’s fantastical
tale. Featuring the enchanting songs from the
1971 film starring Gene Wilder and new songs by
Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, Roald Dahl’s
Willy Wonka is a scrumpdiddlyumptious musical
guaranteed to delight everyone’s sweet tooth!
Rated G. Mainstage.
$18 Adult
$9 Child & Student*
THE LAUGH-TILL-YOUR-SIDES-HURT
ESCAPE
Escape all your cares with this side-splitting
comedy! A young architect is visited by a man he’s
never met but who saved his life in Vietnam—
the visitor turns out to be an incredibly inept,
hopelessly bumbling “nerd” who outstays his
welcome with a vengeance. From Larry Shue, the
author of the smash hit The Foreigner, this show
is sure to tickle your funny bone and surprise you
with a “twist” that you’ll never see coming!
Rated PG. Mainstage.
$25 Adult
$23 Senior
$20 Group & Military
$12 Child & Student*
THE CUMBERLAND RIVER ESCAPE
Escape to quaint, quiet Ashland City, TN with this
hilarious new musical! Daughter Junie inherits the
job of taking over the family dry cleaning business,
tending to Dad (who’s having a hard time
remembering things) and keeping an eye on her
younger sister. Junie’s dream of being a country
singer is put on hold until the town Pastor asks
the sisters to write and perform personal send-offs
for the dearly departed. Playwright Lori Fischer
(Barbara’s Blue Kitchen) brings us the Southern
premiere of this brand new heart-felt, laughterfilled musical comedy.
Rated PG. Adventure Theater.
$25 Adult
$23 Senior
$20 Group & Military
$12 Child & Student*
THE MARITAL BLISS ESCAPE
Escape to New Edinburgh, Mississippi once again,
because the only thing funnier than a Southern
funeral is a Southern wedding! The Frye family is
back and this time one of them is getting married.
Or maybe not! The engagement of Atticus Van
Leer and Harlene Frye has been on again, off again
more times than they can count. Now half the
town has been invited, the dress has been fitted,
the flowers have been ordered and the gifts are
piling up in the living room. Will they or won’t
they? Find out in this hysterical hit comedy from
the authors of Southern Fried Funeral.
Rated PG. Mainstage.
$25 Adult
$23 Senior
$20 Group & Military
$12 Child & Student*
THE PRIMORDIAL ESCAPE
Escape to the realm of the elemental forces of
nature! Whether wind, earth, fire, or water we have
a very real fascination with the elements. Join the
talented students and teachers from our Triple
Threat Performance Education Program for their
magnificent interpretations of the four elements
of the cosmos!
Rated G. Mainstage.
$18 Adult
$14 Senior, Military, & Groups
$9 Child & Student*
THE DOWN-HOME COUNTRY ESCAPE
Escape to Mt. Pleasant, North Carolina for the
23rd year! The enthusiastic new minister of Mt.
Pleasant Baptist has enlisted the Sanders Family
for the church’s first-ever Saturday Night Gospel
Sing. Between singing and playing two dozen
bluegrass songs, the family shares their witness.
As one thing after another goes awry, they reveal
their true - and hilariously imperfect - natures. A
true audience favorite! “Totally beguiling... footstomping soul food.” - New York Post.
Rated G. Adventure Theater.
$25 Adult
$23 Senior
$20 Group & Military
$12 Child & Student*
THE 1925 ESCAPE
Escape to Dayton, Tennessee and relive one of most
electrifying legal battles of all time, the famous
Scopes “Monkey” Trial! Presented in the actual
courtroom where Clarence Darrow and William
Jennings Bryan clashed in 1925, this historically
accurate play with music premiered at the Scopes
Trial Festival in 2013. Based on a script by Deborah
Harbin, this exciting musical theater experience
was created by Playhouse Producing Director Jim
Crabtree and Grammy Award nominee Bobby
Taylor. Don’t miss this fascinating celebration of
faith, freedom and tolerance.
Rated G.
THE AQUATIC ESCAPE
Escape to a magical kingdom beneath the sea,
where the beautiful young mermaid Ariel longs
to leave her ocean home to live in the world
above. Based on one of Hans Christian Andersen’s
most beloved stories and the classic animated
film, Disney’s The Little Mermaid is a hauntingly
beautiful love story for the ages. With music by
eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken,
lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, and a
compelling book by Doug Wright, this fishy fable
will capture your heart with its irresistible songs
including “Under the Sea,” “Kiss the Girl,” and “Part
of Your World.”
Rated G. Mainstage.
$27 Adult
$25 Senior
$22 Group & Military
$14 Child & Student*
THE AEGEAN ESCAPE
Escape to a stunning Greek island paradise with
the ultimate feel-good show! Straight from
Broadway, over 54 million people all around the
world have fallen in love with MAMMA MIA! On the
eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover
the identity of her father brings 3 men from her
mother’s past back to the island they last visited
20 years ago. The magic of ABBA’s timeless songs
propels this enchanting tale of love, laughter and
friendship, and everyone’s having the time of their
lives!
Rated PG13. Mainstage.
$27 Adult
$25 Senior
$22 Group & Military
$14 Child & Student*
THE FRIVOLOUS ESCAPE
Escape to a luxurious 1930’s hotel in this madcap
screwball comedy! World-famous opera star Tito
Merelli, arrives in Cleveland, Ohio and passes
out. Mistaking him for dead, the opera manager
taps his hapless assistant to suit up and replace
the divo. Meanwhile, the tenor’s jealous wife, his
female co-star, Max’s girlfriend and the head of the
opera guild are all on the scene fighting for the
star’s attention.
Rated PG13. Adventure Theater.
$25 Adult
$23 Senior
$20 Group & Military
$12 Child & Student*
THE HEIRLOOM ESCAPE
Escape to the windswept English moors with
this enchanting musical! Based on the novel by
Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden is the
magical tale of a young orphan who discovers an
enchanted garden, softens the heart of a lonely
recluse and rekindles a family’s love. With music by
Sharon Burgett, lyrics by Diana Matterson & Sue
Beckwith-Smith, and book and additional lyrics
by Jim Crabtree, this beautiful show is one for the
whole family!!
Rated G. Mainstage.
$25 Adult
$23 Senior
$20 Group & Military
$12 Child & Student*
THE SPOOKY ESCAPE
Escape the mundane in this magnificently
macabre new musical comedy! In this original
story, the Addams family is put to the test when
outsiders come to dinner, hurling Gomez, Morticia,
Wednesday, Pugsley, Uncle Fester, Grandmama
and Lurch headlong into a night that will change
the family forever. This musical extravaganza has
all the fun you would expect from America’s first
family of fright.
Rated PG. Adventure Theater.
$25 Adult
$23 Senior
$20 Group & Military
$12 Child & Student*
THE NOSTALGIC ESCAPE
Escape to a bygone era with the Broadway
musical comedy gift you’ll cherish all holiday long!
In 1940’s Indiana, a bespectacled boy named
Ralphie has a big imagination and one wish for
Christmas--a Red Ryder BB Gun. A kooky leg
lamp, outrageous pink bunny pajamas, a cranky
department store Santa and a triple-dog-dare
to lick a freezing flagpole are just a few of the
obstacles that stand between Ralphie and his
Christmas dream. Based on the classic 1983 movie,
A CHRISTMAS STORY, The Musical captures holiday
wonder with funny and heartfelt songs, show
stopping dancing, delicious wit and a heart of
gold.
Rated PG. Mainstage.
$27 Adult
$25 Senior
$22 Group & Military
$14 Child & Student*
THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN CHRISTMAS
ESCAPE
Escape to the snow-capped Smokies with the
heartwarming sequel to Connie Ray and Alan
Bailey’s wildly successful bluegrass gospel musical
Smoke on the Mountain! It’s December 24, 1941,
and America is going to war. So is Dennis Sanders
of the Sanders Family Singers. Join Pastor Mervin
Oglethorpe and the rest of the Sanders Family as
they send Dennis off with hilarious and touching
stories and twenty-five Southern Gospel Christmas
favorites.
Rated G. Adventure Theater.
$25 Adult
$23 Senior
$20 Group & Military
$12 Child & Student*
“Through the voices of stars like Bob Gunton, Mandy Barnett, Julie
Ann Emery, the Crabtree family, through the remembrances of locals
who recall the theater as just a dream, with family memorabilia,
production photos and with legacy footage from a variety of sources
we share the history of a creative grand gamble that is still paying off
for the actors, the audience and the entire Upper Cumberland Region.
Just as importantly, by turning a lens on the skills of props, painters,
stage managers, ‘fly’ operators, and the musicians secreted away
beneath the stage, this film explores the blood-and-bone as well as
the mechanical anatomy of a modern, successful theater through
the unseen, talented few who bring the magic to so many. With the
aid and interest of a community, they found a worthy, inspiring and
lasting legacy. This is their story.”
-Todd Jarrell
On Tuesday, April 7th, 2015 the staff of CCP and community leaders attended a presentation at the Palace
Theatre which was hosted by Crossville Marketing Director Billy Loggins, CEO/GM of WCTE Becky Magura,
and Emmy winning director Todd Jarrell. Mr. Jarrell proposed a public television documentary titled: BRIGHT
LIGHTS; LITTLE CITY: 50 YEARS OF THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY PLAYHOUSE. This documentary would serve
as a celebration of one rural Appalachian community which embraced creativity without reservation, ensured
success in self-determination, and through five decades has pursued the joy of self-discovery through the
Arts. This documentary would be filmed over the course of the summer highlighting CCP 50th Anniversary
special events, current running productions, and interviews with staff, with options to travel to destinations
outside of Tennessee to film Alumni and other important members of the Playhouse Legacy.
WE SAID YES!
The initial budget for the Project is $125,000, of which 100% is to be raised by CCP. This Project budget
will cover everything, from film rights, closed captioning, cameras, crews, possible trips to NYC or LA for
interviews, and a website dedicated to the film and funding. The film is predicted to come in under budget.
As of September 17th, we have $87,000 in pledged donations, including a very generous contribution
from the City of Crossville.
WCTE will serve as the fiscal agent for the project. All checks should be made payable to WCTE and will be
held in a restricted fund designated for BLLC. Or please visit the BLLC website to donate with a credit card.
Bright Lights; Little City: www.brightlightslittlecity.org
Cumberland County Playhouse: www.ccplayhouse.com
WCTE: www.wcte.org
A sampling of Todd Jarrell’s previous films:
Tree Safari http://www.treesafari.org
Tuba U: Basso Profundo http://www.tubau.org/
Bluegrass Underground www.bluegrassunderground.com
The Director: In nearly 20 years as writer/director, Todd Jarrell
has published/produced television & radio and print features
from over 40 countries, on seven continents, and four oceans.
Jarrell’s stories run a spectrum of art, culture, and social
issues, building well-researched concepts into ratings-worthy
programming. The majority of Jarrell’s nationally released
work in television has focused on the cultural and artistic
lives of the people of Tennessee’s Upper Cumberland region:
the TREE SAFARI series (PBS), DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF
TOWN ( APT), TUBA U: Basso Profundo (PBS), and the awardwinning Americans/Roots live concert series BLUEGRASS
UNDERGROUND (PBS), now in it’s fifth season. Through these stories, millions of vi·ewers in the USA
and Canada have seen the true cultural diversity that is the Upper Cumberland. Recognition for Jarrell’s
work includes nine EMMYS earned in multiple categories, CINE Golden Eagles, TELLYS, PRNDls, the
Edward R. Murrow Award, the PASS award, the Nancy Dickerson Whitehead Award and many more.
The Presenter: Piloted by CEO/GM Becky Magura, a standing
board member of the Public Broadcast Service (PBS), WCTE-DTV’s
geographic base is in Cookeville, TN, one of America’s Top 50 “micropolitan” cities. Serving the entirety of the Upper Cumberland area and
the majority of Middle Tennessee, WCTE’s independent productions
and collaborative works with independent producers present national
public television audiences with awardwinning live performances,
social issues, and productions committed to the regions collective
artistic endeavor. A critical, two-way, local/global connection, WCTE
presents the unique culture of Middle Tennessee to the world,
providing not only Vision, but a Voice.
For questions, please contact:
Nicole Hackmann,
Cumberland County Playhouse
Director of Development
(931)484-4324 ext. 117
[email protected]
Bryce McDonald,
Cumberland County Playhouse
Associate Producing Director
(931)484-4324 ext. 120
[email protected]
ESCAPE WITH US TODAY
Cumberland County Playhouse 2016