Internships Available!

Recently, NCT posted information about its 2014 Summer Internship opportunities on the website, nashvillechildrenstheatre.org. Internship with NCT offers college students the opportunity to learn and work in the theatre, which can prove valuable on a resume. 

We thought we'd check in on a former intern for her perspective. Here's what she had to say:

"When I was a Dragonkeeper my senior year of high school, I dreamed that maybe one day I would be lucky enough to intern at Nashville Children's Theatre. Actually working as a college intern at NCT was a total dream come true and it was an experience that I will definitely never forget.

The theme of last summer’s camp was “Unlock Imagination”. Every day during my internship, I witnessed the confidence, skills, and imagination of children growing and developing right before my very eyes. What I didn’t expect was that my imagination would also be unlocked! Like the campers in class, I gained confidence that keeps me strong to this day.  

This amazing opportunity provided a chance to work with talented teaching artists and a wonderful group of fellow interns who share my passion for the arts, as well as the most incredible education staff ever! Our group of interns felt like a family by the end of the summer and we still keep in touch.

I am so grateful for the wonderful opportunity and all that I learned through this internship. I will always look back on my time as an intern at NCT and know that it was one of the best summers of my life and such a worthwhile way to spend my time. I can never thank NCT enough for everything they have done for me and the impact they’ve had on my life and the lives of everyone who steps through their doors."

- Ginger Levinson, Summer 2013 College Intern

Ginger graduated from MTSU in 2013 with a Bachelor’s in Sociology and Psychology. She’s currently finishing a Communications/PR internship at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and will return to her blogging duties at The Pink Bride this month. Ginger continues to volunteer at NCT – she is a great asset to our community and we are lucky to have her!

Visit our website for more information on our internship opportunities.

A Quiet Day...

Today was quiet at Nashville Children’s Theatre.

It’s hard to believe, but it happens sometimes. You see, the theatre is ‘dark’ today, which means that there are no performances scheduled. This means there are no children in the building, which makes it a very strange day indeed!

Performance weekdays are always noisy and fun. There are busloads of children in and out for the shows at 10:00 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. It is amazing how quickly those buses move in and out of our lot. For each performance, one of the workers from the office volunteers to call the buses, and each will tell you it is the most fun part of the day.

And in a show like Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, we can hear the laughter all the way upstairs, especially when Julius flies across the sky in a rocket (if you haven’t seen the show, you wouldn’t understand). It really is contagious, and those of us working in the office upstairs find it hard to concentrate! Yesterday we were moved to share some really silly knock-knock jokes…

Weekday performances are different than weekend performances, because there are fewer parents here. If you don’t believe your children act differently when you aren’t around, you have another think coming! The excitement generated by a field trip from school is unbelievable – and we’ve found that when children travel in herds like that, they tend to laugh more easily.

When you visit us for our Preview Performance on the 16^th, or one of our weekend performances through Feb. 2nd, you’ll find there are plenty of jokes for you to enjoy as well, and they’re likely to go right over your children’s heads. For example, when Grammy comes to visit, Papa Mouse says ‘Oh, you’re awake,’ with the most sarcastic tone. This is a joke that NEVER gets a laugh from the schoolchildren, but we do hear some cackles from teachers who visit.

Yes, today was definitely quiet at NCT. And we can’t wait for it to get noisy once again.

Join us for a show this week, and share with us what part of Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse made you laugh the most.

**Need tickets? Visit our site: nashvillect.org.

Finding Comfort in the Good Things We Share

For many around the country, December 14^th brings thoughts of tragedy and loss. For Nashville Children’s Theatre (NCT), December 14^th brings bittersweet memories.

Four days a week, sometimes twice a day, a caravan of school buses brings thousands of children through our doors to view our productions. Prior to their arrival, their teachers spend time on the phone and email with our Registrar, who helps to plan their trip.

For 32 years, that Registrar was a woman named Lorna Turner. Lorna was committed to working with teachers all over Middle Tennessee and beyond to ensure the children’s field trips were a success.  This started by talking to the teachers to share each program’s curriculum guide and prepare for the show. It continued with leading some teachers through our financial assistance program to get them the right ticket price to make the trip happen. And when the day came, Lorna was often the person who greeted the children and their teachers at the door.

Last year, Lorna retired from her position at NCT. It provided an opportunity for us to celebrate her years of work here, and the millions of lives she affected over the years. Even Mayor Karl Dean got involved, issuing a proclamation recognizing December 14^th as Lorna Turner Day.

Lorna’s position at NCT has since been filled by a team of equally committed individuals who continue her work.  Through this team, Lorna’s legacy of service to the children of Middle Tennessee goes on.

Like Lorna Turner, there are countless others across the country who work so hard to give our children the opportunities they need to flourish and grow as they learn. This weekend, while we recognize the anniversary of this tragedy, let’s also find some comfort in the good things and good people our children will encounter in the coming year. 

Go, Dog. Go! is the most fun-packed, side-splittingly funny

hour of entertainment in all of Nashville!

Get Tickets or Schedule information.

Josh Bernaski in NCT's Go, Dog. Go!

The first time NCT did this show I played MC Dog in all but four performances, where Patrick Waller heroically stepped in for me while I attended the birth of my first son. I could not be more pleased and giddily excited to now be directing this tremendously funny show just at the time that my son is old enough to get all of the jokes.

Rarely have I had as much fun as I've had in working on this show. The staff and crew at NCT are always tremendous and this cast is absolutely phenomenal! To top it off, the playwrights have succeeded in creating the most clever and imaginative adaptation of a book for the theatre I have ever seen.

P.D. Eastman’s original book is a favorite in my house. The humor in the book comes from seeing the action and interaction of some highly mobile dogs doing very human things, all the while inviting the reader to notice the deeper significance of small thing.

The playwrights have honored the elements of the book to the point that they chose to stick to the few words that appear in the book. The result is an astounding homage to circus, to delight, and to surprise right through the very end.

Peter Vann, director

The magic of this play is that it successfully makes an audience, (I'm seriously talking ages 4-104), literally bust a gut laughing within the first 45 seconds of the show, and then has the relentless ability to sustain that feeling of breathless awe and uncontrollable laughter until the very last second of the show. It is truly astounding.

This is the perfect play for introducing the young people in your life to the fun of the theatre, and for the young person in the rest of us to come out and play.

Patrick vs Schroeder

Patrick Waller compares himself to Schroeder

What attributes or traits do you share with your character?

Schroeder and I both are huge Beethoven fans. Schroeder is an exceptional piano player, but me not so much.

What is the most exciting part about bringing this character to life on stage?

I think for the simple fact that Schroeder, and all these characters for that matter, are so universally known and loved. I have been reading and watching these guys since I was a kid. The image of Schroeder at his piano and Lucy perched atop is one that is forever etched in my memory and to now be in that image is an amazing thing.

What work have you done/will you do to prepare to play this character?

I've got a lot of work to do at the piano!

Schroeder has dedicated his life to piano performance, you have dedicated yours to theatre. What made you choose that path?

I got into theatre on a whim. They were having auditions for Annie at the local community theatre in my hometown and driving by one day I thought, “Hey, that sounds fun!” I went in, auditioned, and was cast as Rooster Hannigan and there was no stopping after that. When it got to the point I was doing so much community theatre that it was like a second job, I decided to try and turn it into a profession. Now, thankfully, I've been working as a professional actor for the last nine years and I can't imagine doing anything else. 

Visit NCT's website for fun Behind the Curtain videos about You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown as well as a schedule of performances.

Jeff vs Snoopy

Jeff Boyet answers questions about how he compares to Snoopy

What attributes or traits do you share with your character? 

Snoopy and I share a love for adventure, food, and we both have extraordinary imaginations. 

What is the most exciting part about bringing this character to life on stage? 

Snoopy is a dream character, probably the most famous dog in the world. Being allowed to interpret his personality and inner thoughts is very exciting. 

What work have you done/will you do to prepare to play this character? 

I'll watch some of the Charlie Brown television shows and read some of the comics. I'm really going to try and perfect his joyful, nose-in-the-air dance. 

Snoopy has lots of alter egos from a World War I Flying Ace to a secret agent. Do you have an alter ego?

As an actor, I joyfully get to create an alter ego with every show that I do. As a father, I also get to create a lot of alter egos. My favorites are the ones that bring laughter to my girls.

Visit NCT's website for fun Behind the Curtain videos about You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown as well as a schedule of performances.

Bobby vs Linus

Bobby Wyckoff compares himself to Linus

What attributes or traits do you share with your character? What attributes or traits of your character do you not share? 

Linus is a loyal, encouraging, helpful friend to Charlie Brown (and, I think, loves his sister, Lucy). I try my hardest to be that kind of friend and relative. Linus looks past other people’s flaws: Charlie Brown’s ineptitude, Lucy’s aggressiveness. We ALL struggle with that. And we still love people because of who they are and, sometimes, despite how they behave.

Do you have a special connection with your character?

I have a special connection with ALL these characters. The Charlie Brown television holiday specials were always a favorite growing up! (And back then you could only watch them when they aired, around the time of the appropriate holiday: Christmas, Halloween, etc.)

What is the most exciting part about bringing this character to life on stage? 

As always, the most exciting part about doing a character at NCT is two-fold: working with the incredible creative staff/actors and then experiencing the audience reaction. It’s truly my favorite place to work.

What work have you done/will you do to prepare to play this character? 

Going into rehearsals, I’m only slightly familiar with the script and musical score, but I’m afraid I might have to dance. If so, that will take A LOT of work. I look silly when I try to dance!

Linus has his blanket that he is very attached to. Do you have an object that you are quite attached to or has special meaning for you? 

I have many objects I enjoy. I even have several collections: bottles of sand from far-away beaches I’ve walked on, salt and pepper shakers I inherited from my grandmother, and many, many more. I treasure them, but I could let them go. I nearly lost them all in the flood a few years back. I think your real “security blanket” are those people (and pets) you hold close. 

You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown will run at NCT until Sunday, Dec 23. Check out the schedule and view some fun Behind the Curtain videos about the production.