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.

Blanche DuBois played by Alicia Kelly (Photo by Tom Thayer)

Stanley and Stella in their kitchen (Photo by Tom Thayer)

The subtly lit multi-level set was a vision of the working class side of New Orleans. Stella’s home was austere to say the least. Patches of bare bricks poked through the walls. An unshielded bulb hangs in the master bedroom. The Roxy Regional Theatre has always exceeded expectations with their sets.

Adding to the enjoyment of the performance was the soft musical score. While I could not name any specific tunes they felt right in place with the action on stage. In some shows the volume of the background track can overwhelm the performance, with this show it was just about perfect.

You still have time to catch this powerful theatrical experience, indeed I highly recommend it.  The show runs until November 21st.

Harold "Mitch" Mitchell and Blanche DuBois (Photo by Tom Thayer)

This production stars Justin Barnum as Stanley Kowalski and Alicia Kelly as Blanche DuBois, with Chase Kamata (Stella), Brendan Cataldo (Mitch), Linda Speir (Eunice), Phil Perry (Steve), Jay Doolittle (Doctor) and Judi Sinks (Nurse). Webb Booth, Hugh Poland and Jacob Ritchart play newsboys.

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE runs through November 21, playing Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7pm and Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, with a 2pm matinee on Saturday, November 14.  Regular priced tickets are $15 (adults) and $10 (ages 13 and under), and may be purchased online at www.roxyregionaltheatre.org, by phone at (931) 645-7699 during regular box office hours (9am-2pm, weekdays), or at the theatre.

Due to strong language and sexual content, this production is rated “M” for mature audiences.

CLARKSVILLE, TN – Feel the air sizzle with tension as sparks fly. A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE opens at the Roxy Regional Theatre Friday, November 6^th.

Blanche DuBois arrives by streetcar at the home of her sister Stella. Claiming to have taken time off from her job as a teacher, Blanche settles in, oblivious to the strain her presence will cause Stella and her husband, Stanley. Stanley Kowalski, an alpha-male in every way, is a force to be reckoned with.  As Blanche’s stories of her genteel Southern lifestyle begin to dissolve beneath Stanley’s brutal scrutiny, she attempts to elevate herself through greater self-deception.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning classic by Tennessee Williams skillfully pits Stanley’s raw aggression against Blanche’s pretentious, delicate demeanor. The play candidly exposes the dynamic conflict that was growing between new and old America in the mid-1940s.

Opening weekend features two very special evenings: opening night is “Pay What You Can” night, where each audience member decides their own ticket price. Saturday’s performance features a themed dinner at Lovin’ Spoonful Café at 6:30pm, and then a performance at the Roxy. The Louisiana-inspired menu will feature andouille sausage gumbo, mixed green salad with orange-honey dressing, creole corn bread, and pineapple-apple bread pudding with bourbon sauce.

Performances of A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE are November 6^th-21^st, Wednesdays – Thursdays at 7pm, Fridays – Saturdays at 8pm. A special Saturday Matinee will be at 2pm on November 14^th. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for kids 13 and younger. Purchase online at www.roxyregionaltheatre.org, or call (931) 645-7699 during regular box office hours (9am-2pm, weekdays).

A cornerstone of entertainment in historic downtown Clarksville, the Roxy Regional Theatre delivers live professional productions with skilled and experienced actors from across the United States. Roxy Regional Theatre is located at 100 Franklin Street.

Opening at the Downtown Artist Co-op is Cliff Whitakers new show “Visions of My World”. The show opens Thursday, November 5 with a reception from 5-8 p.m. It will be on exhibit in the gallery until 28 November. Cliff Whittaker is a photographic artist who specializes in mid-19th century-style impressionist images. He has studied and been influenced by the French Impressionist works of artists such as Manet, Pissaro, Monet, Renoir, Degas, Van Gogh and others of that period. His work is often mistaken initially as oil on canvas painting.

December Rain by Cliff Whittaker

His work involves every day activities along Franklin Street and inside businesses such as Hodgepodge, Blondie’s, Front Page Deli and Blackhorse Pub. Cliff says that his art is more like that of a contemporary historian in that his candid images show people and places as they are in that instant. And, maybe some time in the future people will look back at those images and remember their own impression of “the good ol’ days.”

ARTifacts will feature the booths of Ashley Richardson, John Glass & Ginger Murvey-Beirus.

Ashley is a photographer, who is expanding her knowledge through self taught exploration. The favorite subject in her work is of landscapes and textures that she finds as she wanders all over on her photographic expeditions. Ashley also enjoys taking candid photos, posed photos themed and event photos. Recently taking holiday photos for children at the City of Clarksville’s Fright on Franklin event, the photos gave a unique look and style in contrast with photos taken at most local photo studios. Come see Ashley’s unique photographic style, you will not be disappointed.

Also featured at ARTifacts is John Glass. After the adventure and challenge of building our house, I made some furniture for it, bookcases and tables. Then I made some nest boxes for our neighors, the bluebirds. Then a friend asked me to make some display cases for him. Along the way, I rescued some beautiful old paneling from a church remodeling project I worked on and ended up incorporating that into some boxes I made. I found that I enjoyed making boxes, using various kinds of wood and experimenting with different finishes. A couple of years ago I added the challenge of designing secret compartments in the boxes. I enjoy the process of making these objects and I hope people take pleasure in the results.” Ginger Murvey-Beirius is owner of the antique booth FiLo (first in, last out). Featuring a collection of unique items that she has collected over the years ranging from unique collections of unique items to silver serving pieces and wonderful vintage furniture.

Hodgepodge will be featuring Steven M. Walker. Steven is a fourth generation Texan who attended Southwest Texas State University where he studied fine arts. His use of digital photography to capture and share his view of the world around us is both distinct and refreshing. Joins us for a glimpse of Steven’s work—which is also available for purchase—refreshments and a sneak peak at our holiday décor.

Ingredients will be featuring two artists November 5 for the First Thursday Art Walk:

Heather Bowker, pastry specialist will be their “food artist”. Heather is a graduate from Johnson & Wales University in 2007, with an Associate in Baking and Pastry arts and a Bachelors in Food Service Management. She currently works at Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort, as a pastry chef. She has also worked in many fine dining restaurants and hotels in the Charleston SC and Charlotte, NC areas. Heather will be conducting beginning cake decorating classes at “ingredients” after the new year.

Gabriele Wardeiner, artist, will also be featured. Gabriele is mostly a self taught artist, dabbling in various art mediums. Her favorite subjects are bare “winter” trees. She truly sees living beings in trees, each with a unique personality, each beautiful, mystical and sacred. Feathers also intrigue Gabriele and occasionally she draws dragons, flowers or an abstract. For the “ingredients” show she did mostly “kitchen art” and fun food greeting cards. If you miss First Thursday Artwalk, Gabriele’s permanent booth at Artifacts, above Hodgepodge, is #6B.

Rogate’s Boutique on Franklin Street will feature Lyn Jellison. With Lyn Jellison no surface is safe – she works with collage and decoupage on canvas and wood. While playing blocks with her toddler, she was struck by the idea of retooling her love of collage by making art blocks for adults to play with in home decor or for whimsy. Unable to find pre-made materials she began to make the wood forms herself and decoupages them with fine art papers, old maps, vintage fabric patterns, and pages from books. The making of the blocks has branched out into making desk and vanity accessories, holiday ornaments, and small art dioramas.

The Roxy Regional Theatre’s Peg Harvill Gallery features the work of Charles Bennett, whose current pieces are inspired by the tales of Edgar Allan Poe. While at the theatre, purchase your tickets for the Tennessee Williams classic, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, opening this Friday, November 6, at 8pm.

Featured at Visions Metaphysical are Amanda Harrison, who works with acrylics–modern/abstract; Afton Chandler, acrylics–modern; & Cathy (I don’t remember her last name), oils. I also have two new pieces of jewelry made. We will also do the “Street Art” again (we’ll move it inside if it rains or is too windy). They will all be up for auction in Dec.

Descend into the macabre madness of murderers, merry-makers, and haunted souls described in grotesque detail by a master of language. Jay Doolittle and three accomplices will bring to life poetic favorites such as “The Cask of Amantillado”, “The Masque of The Red Death”, “The Tell-Tale Heart”, and “The Raven”.

This special performance will be open to the public only on October 31^st at 2pm and 8pm. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for kids 13 and younger. Purchase online at www.roxyregionaltheatre.org, or call (931) 645-7699 during regular box office hours (9am-2pm, weekdays).

A cornerstone of entertainment in historic downtown Clarksville, the Roxy Regional Theatre delivers live professional productions with skilled and experienced actors from across the United States. Roxy Regional Theatre is located at 100 Franklin Street.

Get tickets while you still can! The two-time Tony Award-winning musical has left audiences across America breathless with laughter.

Six youthful over-achievers aspire to become the next Spelling Bee Champion, all the while comically lamenting the woes of adolescence. Four volunteers from the audience participate as spelling bee contestants, and get pulled into various scenes and musical numbers. Volunteers to participate onstage are recruited as the audience arrives for the show.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has gained national fame with its hallmark improvisation and audience participation, which makes every night a unique experience! Evening productions are rated PG for moderate language and sexual humor. Risqué material will be omitted from daytime productions.

A cornerstone of entertainment in historic downtown Clarksville, the Roxy Regional Theatre delivers live professional productions with skilled and experienced actors from across the United States. Roxy Regional Theatre is located at 100 Franklin Street.

Performances are 7pm Wednesday & Thursday, 8pm Friday & Saturday. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for kids 13 and younger. Purchase online at www.roxyregionaltheatre.org, or call (931) 645-7699 during regular box office hours (9am-2pm, weekdays).

This has to be one of the funnest events to watch during the entire festival. The shoreline was packed with people all on hand to cheer on their favorite teams.

Here’s how it went down. The teams were called out and their boats carried down to the courtesy boat dock. Once all boats were in place they were gingerly placed into the water and team members carefully boarded their vessels. Once all three boats were situated at the starting line the horn sounded and the teams feverishly paddled their boats down river towards the McGregor park Boat ramp. The first boat to reach an orange flag placed on the shoreline near the boat ramp was the winner of that heat.

The boats  are raced in individual heats of three boats per run. The following Prizes are awarded

• The Ship Shape Award for the most creative boat design
• The “Cardboard Queen” Award which goes to the prettiest boat in the Regatta
• The Team unity Award for most spirited and most organized team (Looks don’t matter here!)
• The Team Attire Award for the team with the most creative costumes
• The Titanic Award which is awarded on the basis of the most spectacular sinking of the day.

This was in addition to the first, second, and third place awards for each heat. Regatta results are at the bottom of the article below the photo gallery.

The City Council Boat

A can of Whoop Ass

The City council boat featured a catamaran hull, and they brought along a secret weapon a case of whoop ass. Council Members David Allen (Ward 8), Joel Wallace (Ward 9), Bill Summers (Ward 10), and James Lewis (Ward 3) crewed the boat, seeing them off were Councilmembers Geno Grubbs (Ward 7), Candy Johnson (Ward 5), and Deanna McLaughlin (Ward 2).

For the last few years the Parks and Rec Department and the City Council have been swapping out the cardboard City of Clarksville Regatta Trophy. This trophy is exclusively for City Department participants as they are ineligible for the other awards offered in the Regatta. This year, Parks and Rec Department took the Titanic award because as Kevin said during the awards, “We get the award because we had the only boat that sank, and the plaque is dated so he had to get rid of it.” Better luck next year!

Missy Graham looks on as the Parks and Rec crew is fished out of the water

The Clarksville PD boat

The Police Department’s boat was crafted into the form of a giant beaver and was named Leave it to Beaver. The crew members including Chief of Police Al Ansley all wore beaver 100.3FM t-shirts.

Other organizations that raced included Clarksville High School, The Riverview Inn, Clarksville Highs Junior Civitan Club, The Kennedy law firm and their boat the Legal Eagle, the Hilldale Kiwanis Club, the Clarksville Fire Department Explorer Troop, the energetic Paco’s Taco, The Actus team represented Fort Campbell which took home several awards. There were too many teams to recognize them all here but they all did a great job on their boats, showed great sportsmanship during the races, and hopefully everyone had a really great time!

The Kennedy Law firm boat Legal Eagle

Following the Regatta the rest of the days’ entertainment beckoned.

The inflatables

As you walked from the Regatta towards the performance stages you passed through the kids area with its multitude of inflatables. Early in the day there was almost no lines, but by evening time you had to spend a bit of time waiting in line at each of them. There were tables and bleachers provided to allow the worn out parents to relax, as their children enjoyed the activities.

Around inflatables’ area you found other things for the kids to enjoy. A booth offering caricatures, another Airbrush tattoos. Booths offered many free games some with prizes for the kids. Then of course always a crowd favorite is the petting zoo, and pony rides.

Katherine Kolodzie and the Roxy Theatre booth

The Roxy Regional Theatre was on hand in the children’s area and ably represented by its new Director of Public Relations & Development Katherine Kolodzie, who told Parents about the Theatre, the shows suitable for young people, and their “School of the Arts”, and in the process she raised awareness about this fount of culture in our community. Some of the great Children’s shows that the Roxy has put on include “A year with Frog and Toad”, “Seussical the Musical”, “Cats”, “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”, and they will soon be showing the hilarious “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” starting on September 18th. The show features six young people competing in a spelling bee, with parents who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, in the process the children learn that winning isn’t everything, and that losing doesn’t necessarily make you a loser.

Now we move on to the River of Culture!

Clarksville Family Magazine sat on the border of Toddler town and the River of Culture, and this was quite fitting. They introduced and sponsor the Toddler Town area which provides age appropriate activities for the younger children. Clarksville Family Magazine has left their mark on the yearly Riverfest Festival, and that deserves special recognition! Their high quality magazine is aimed at parents and families, and the businesses which want to reach them. Clarksville Family Magazine is published by Carla & and Cliff Lavergne. They started publication in April of 2007, and currently publish and distribute 10,000 issues a month, which are available free of charge at various locations around Clarksville. If you are interested in advertising with them you can contact Rachel Phillips at (931) 216-5102.

Riverfest is fast becoming the place to highlight the diverse mix of cultures that make up our community, and to allow the attendees to discover first hand the benefits that our city gains from them. This amazing diversity brings new ideas, new talents, new visions, and perhaps best of all new foods to try into our city. Toreros Fine Mexican Foods gave Riverfest visitors free samples of Churros, a tasty pastry item that originated in Spain. This dish is popular in Mexico, and is becoming popular in the United States. The pastry is fried into long ribbons and frequently topped with a light dusting of sugar and cinnamon.

The colorful Ballet Folklorico Viva Panama dancers

Clarksville Online has frequently identified the colorful Ballet Folklorico Viva Panama dancers as area favorites, and they didn’t disappoint at Riverfest. Joining them in that very selective favorites list are the Jezzebellies with their lithe and exotic dances, and the Hui Hawaii O Tenesi Hawaiian Civic Club with their graceful hulas.

Chris Monhollen

After a bit of midday break, We returned to the Festival in time to catch the Beaver’s Country Idol competition. Featuring 17 very talented local singers, the competition had the crowd singing along to the tunes, dancing in the aisles, and all in all having a great time. Chris Monhollen ended up taking home the $1000 dollar prize for the 2009 Beaver Country Idol contest.

The Beaver broadcasts with 100,000 watts at 100.3 on the FM dial, and features some of the best in country music. They are part of the 5 Star Radio Group which also operates Q108 107.9FM, The Eagle 94.3FM, Everything that Rocks Z97.5 FM, & The Fan 540 AM.

After the Beaver Country Idol Contest was over, it seemed as if time began moving twice as fast.

Clarksville Online was fortunate to attend a meet and greet for the headlining performers for the evening, The Trailer Choir , and Jack Ingram. Both of whom graciously allowed us to take the photos used in this story.

The Trailer Choir

Clarksville Mayor Johnny Piper with Country Singer Jack Ingram

Following that we made our way back through the River of Culture catching the start of the Hui Hawaii O Tenesi Hawaiian Civic Club’s last performance of the evening. As time was growing short we could not stay long, but grabbed a couple of quick shots. We were also lucky to run into some of the Ballet Folklorico Viva Panama dancers, and got a great picture of them as well.

The Pistols

We made it back to the Budweiser stage just before the end of the Pistols performance so we were able to catch a couple minutes of their show before heading on up to the Gateway stage to catch a bit of the Atmoic Blonde performance. They were tearing that stage up, and had the audience all the way up to the front edge of the stage, forming what was to all extents a mosh pit. It was nice to see an audience so engaged in the performance.

We returned to the Budweiser Stage and caught the introduction of The Trailer Choir by Fletch and Bailey from the Beaver 100.3 FM. On the Trailer Choir let me say this, you have to see that big man strut his stuff on the stage. The group mixed humor along with down home country jams. One of their songs facetiously invited the audience to head on down to the Waffle House with them after the performance.

The Trailer Choir performing

After listening to their couple of songs, we headed down to the Gateway stage and caught the first act in the Step Exhibition. Step is a form of dance where teams of dancers directly compete with each other each group trying to out perform the other.

As flash photography and video were not permitted of the headlining acts after 8:00pm we headed back to the Budweiser stage and was able to catch the lighted boat parade before heading out for the evening.

Many of the groups that performed during the 2009 Riverfest have music that is available online or on services such as Amazon’s Mp3 Store or iTunes, You can personally say thank you for coming to Clarksville and performing at Riverfest, by buying some of their songs. We have already purchased Off the Hillbilly Hook by the Trailer Choir on iTunes, and are looking forward to purchasing a couple of Jack Ingram albums in the next day or so as well!

Photo Gallery

The pictures from Saturday start on Page 2 of the gallery

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Regatta Results

A cornerstone of entertainment in historic downtown Clarksville, the Roxy Regional Theatre delivers live professional productions with skilled and experienced actors from across the United States. Be prepared to fall out of your chair laughing at the antics of Twain’s cast of characters.

Ashton Crosby, Jonathan Hopkins, and Brandon Scott will portray a variety of characters from Twain’s extensive anthology. During the show, select audience members will be brought on stage to join in the fun.

Performances are 8pm Friday and 2pm Saturday afternoon, there is no Saturday evening performance. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for kids 13 and younger. Purchase online at www.roxyregionaltheatre.org, or call (931) 645-7699 during regular box office hours (9am-2pm, weekdays).  This production is appropriate for all ages. Roxy Regional Theatre is located at 100 Franklin Street.

Saturday, August 15th at 6pm, come see selected scenes and songs by Jonathan Larson for only $5.

The 2009-2010 season is just around the corner! Get your season tickets and save $5 on every musical. Call 931-645-7699.

This September, enjoy the timeless wit and charm of Mark Twain during MARK TWAIN: 100 YEARS OF COMEDY, a special performance only showing September 11th & 12th.

The hilarious musical comedy, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE takes to the Roxy Stage Friday, September 18th at 8pm. Visit our website at www.roxyregionaltheatre.org for more information about our upcoming season.

Opening nights for regular productions are Pay What You Can Night, where you name the ticket price. Call 931-645-7699 to find out about upcoming Pay What You Can Nights.

As people talked about Dunbar Cave in its heydays their eyes would light up.  I could feel their excitement as they described the place that put life into their worlds.

Dunbar Cave bought the latest entertainers and the latest sounds to Clarksville; it brought celebrities and made celebrities out of the locals.   Zoot Parker, a local known for his great dancing, said that Hollywood didn’t have a thing over Dunbar Cave.  For kids and young adults the Cave brought the world here to Clarksville and they weren’t afraid of it.

“…brought the world to Clarksville”

I thought of this again as I left the Roxy Theatre after a performance of Rent. 

The acting was so good that I felt like I was in New York City watching a Broadway show.  It is obvious that the actors really love doing the show; they give it 120%.  The singing is so awesome it is unreal.  The stage is always alive and the play reminds me of New York, there is always someone on stage watching, standing around, while the main actors have their conversations.  You’re never alone in the city; physically at least.  The glamour of NYC is pushed off in this play.  It’s a difficult place to live.

As they explore and show the dynamics of several relationships, the struggling artists exude with life and love that is communicated in song.

And Rent brings the world to Clarksville.  In Clarksville we are capable of missing the outside world.  Our values and our visions are influenced by the limits in our town.  A taste of the outside is refreshing and invigorating.  The Roxy has brought the world to us and it is brilliant; it is full.

The show runs Tuesdays through Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m.  Fridays and Saturdays it from 8 to 10 p.m. through August 21.  Get right out of town at the theatre! http://www.roxyregionaltheatre.org/nowplaying/index.html

Check out this actor! He appears to be as good as the professionals in the Broadway version of the show. And he’s a local kid doing Roxy Regional theatre school. Humberto Figueroa; Wow!

Visions Metaphysical Boutique will host Deborah Raleigh-Chandler, oils–impressionistic, still life; Afton Chandler, acrylics–modern, impressionistic; Amanda Harrison, acrylics–modern, impressionistic (some new pieces); Linda Cain, handcrafted sterling silver & gemstone jewelry (some new pieces).

Art created by last month's Art Walkers

Hodgepodge will host their first father/daughter show. Tommy Adams and his daughter, Laura, share a love art and creative expression, but have chosen different media for the work. Tommy Adams will show a variety of work in a mixture of mediums, such as oils, watercolor, pen & ink, and charcoal. He prefers landscapes, but has been known to produce an occasional still life or portrait. Laura’s chosen media is photography. Her work is very diverse—from flowers to structural elements of a building or bridges. She works in both color and black & white. She is rarely without her camera and is always ready to capture her view of the world. Both enjoy the study of older buildings and architecture.

Rogate Hadley, owner of Rogate’s Boutique, states she will host Clare Coyle Taylor. Clare, like many artists, works in a variety of media, bringing her own perspective to each work. She has several pieces to show and sell.

Visions Metaphysical Boutique will have an opportunity for public art expression during art walk. They will have two canvases (one for kids, one for adults) available for art walk patrons to compose a collective work of art. While there, you can also have a reading done by a new card reader who does “Spirit Sketches.” Stop in and check-out these unique concepts!

ARTifacts will feature Erin Slauson, a ceramic artist and student at Austin Peay State University. Her work is a unique blend of decorative Raku pieces and functional stoneware bowls. She combines patterns, textures, and geometric-like shapes with organic forms to acheive the design of each carefully constructed handbuilt piece. Her thrown stoneware bowls are completely food-safe and finctional, while all of her Raku work is not. “I intend for them to be sculpture, pieces of art to be viewed and admired. This process renders the bowls unusable for food or liquid, solidifying my intent for them to be sculptures first and a bowl second.”

Downtown Artists Co-op and Dr.William H. Wall, III,D.D.S. present “This Sky, This Gesture”, an exhibit of new photographs by DAC member artist Susan Bryant.

The new work consists of images of skies and hand gestures, exploring the expressive qualities of each, and utilizing several photographic process including tintypes, images from a plastic Holga camera and digital prints.

The opening reception is Thursday, August 6th from 5-8pm at DAC, 96 Franklin St. as part of First Thursday Art Walk. The show will remain up through August 22. DAC is open Wednesdays-Saturdays noon-6pm. and, for this exhibit, by appointment by contacting Susan Bryant at or 647-6171.

The Roxy will continue to host a show by Beverly Parker in their Peg Harvill Gallery. Patrons are also invited to catch the 7 PM performance of RENT. Tom and John have assembled an unparalleled cast of actors who bring this amazing work to life—Vie la Vive Boehm!

Collector’s Pride Antique Mall and Ingredients, both located on Strawberry Alley will be open in support of the Art Walk, as will JuJu’s on Franklin Street.

Images from the July Art Walk, and DAC events

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On Thursday, July 16 Summer Playhouse students will put on their summer performance ‘Hansel and Gretel’ for everyone to enjoy.  The play begins at 1p.m. at the Roxy Regional Theatre.  Come early as seating is on a first come/first serve basis.

A young man colors while participating in the City of Clarksville's Summer youth program

On Friday night, Summer Youth Program kids and their families are invited to attend “Family Night Out” at the Burt-Cobb Community Center (101 Franklin Street). The night will be full of fun games and activities for the entire family to enjoy.   Activities begin at 6p.m.

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.

NASHVILLE – Senator Tim Barnes has released the list of grant award recipients from the Tennessee Arts Commission for Fiscal Year 2010 (July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010) in the 22nd district, which includes Cheatham, Houston and Montgomery Counties.

• The Clarksville Arts and Heritage Development Council received  $7,400.
• City of Clarksville Department of Parks and Recreation received $4,600.
• Roxy Productions, Inc. received $25,000
• The Houston County Arts Council received $6,650

“The arts are important; they improve education when integrated into curriculum, contribute to our economy, and make our communities exciting,” stated Sen. Barnes. “The organizations that will benefit from these grants this year will be able to continue to provide Montgomery County with invaluable services that enhance our daily lives.”

“This state is indeed fortunate to have elected leaders who support the work of the Tennessee Arts Commission in building better communities through the arts,” said Kim McClamroch, incoming chair of the Tennessee Arts Commission.

According to McClamroch, the Commission will award over 850 grants during Fiscal Year 2010, totaling more than $7.6 million dollars. These funds have a direct impact on communities across Tennessee, in both urban and rural areas. Grant categories include: Arts Build Communities, Arts Access, Arts Education, Arts Project Support, Funds For At-Risk Youth, General Operating Support, Individual Artist Fellowship, Major Cultural Institution, Rural Arts Project Support, Student Ticket Subsidy, Technical Assistance, Touring, Special Opportunities, and Professional Development Support.

The Commission’s allocation process involves a review by citizen advisory panels made up of Tennesseans with expertise in appropriate arts disciplines and a review and final approval by the full 15-member Tennessee Arts Commission.

The Tennessee Arts Commission’s matching grants are made possible through an appropriation of state funds by the General Assembly, Federal dollars from the National Endowment for the Arts, and by Tennesseans who purchased specialty and collegiate license plates. The sale of specialty and collegiate license plates, which are voluntarily purchased by Tennesseans each year, make up $5.5 million of the Commission’s grant funding.

The Tennessee Arts Commission is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences that add value to the lives of every citizen, and enhances the quality of life in Tennessee communities.

Additional information on grant programs offered by the Tennessee Arts Commission is available at: www.arts.state.tn.us

About Senator Tim Barnes

Sen. Tim Barnes represents Cheatham, Houston, and Montgomery Counties. You can contact his office at sen.tim..gov or 1-800-449-8366, extension 1-2374 or 305 War Memorial Building, Nashville, TN 37243-0222.

Visions Metaphysical Boutique will host Deborah Raleigh-Chandler, oils–impressionistic, still life; Afton Chandler, acrylics–modern, impressionistic; Amanda Harrison, acrylics–modern, impressionistic (some new pieces); Linda Cain, handcrafted sterling silver & gemstone jewelry (some new pieces).

The Roxy Regional Theatre–Clarksville’s Center for Arts and Education, will host the work of Beverly Parker Riggins in the Peg Harvill Gallery. The subject matter includes architecture from historic downtown Clarksville. They are large digital prints from manipulated polaroid transfer images. For the performing arts, enjoy Disney’s Mulan, Jr. playing at 6pm and tickets for the hit musical RENT will be on sale in the lobby.

John Glass, a wood craftsman, is this month’s featured artist at ARTifacts. John has an gift for working with wood and has used his gift to focus on building boxes from paneling he salvaged from his construction job 10 years ago working on the United Methodist Church on Madison Street. John was able to salvage most of the paneling from the church during the reconstruction of the building after the tornado. Now he has many beautiful boxes made from these materials. He has also created planters, boxes with secret compartments and display boxes for flags and other items.

Hodgepodge is featuring Adam Yarbrough. An APSU student and ROTC cadet, Adam explores art in a variety of media. His show at Hodgepodge will feature several figure drawings in pen, ink and charcoal, as well as many other works. Stop by Hodgepodge to meet the artist and enjoy some refreshments.

The Downtown Artist Co-op will host DAC Member artists, Peggy Bonnington’s solo exhibition titled : “Part and Parcel” July 2-Aug. 1 with the Opening Reception, Thursday, July 2, 5-8 pm as part of First Thursday Art Walk. Peggy states, I cannot remember a time I was not drawing or being encouraged to draw and paint. I always loved beautiful images, rich color, lush and interesting texture; and I tried even in early childhood to capture likenesses or create interesting patterns that felt exciting to me.”

Strawberry Alley will have two new businesses to visit: Ingredients and Collector’s Pride Antique Mall. They both plan to participate in future Art Walks, so stop by and give them your encouragement!