Live theater is alive and well in the Chattanooga metro region
It’s no surprise that The Pulse has long been a champion for the local theater scene, covering productions at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre, The Ensemble Theater of Chattanooga, Back Alley Productions, The Colonnade Center, Covenant College, and UTC’s many fine productions.
But just down the road in Ringgold is the home of The Ringgold Playhouse, hosting a regular series of plays at the Historic Ringgold Depot. This talented group has been providing a creative outlet for storytelling in the community that challenges, entertains, and inspires both the artist and audiences.
This Thursday, they kick off their 2018 season with John Cariani’s charming romantic comedy “Almost, Maine”.
The play features a series of nine intertwined vignettes that ultimately tell a heartwarming story about the people in the mythical town of “Almost, Maine”.While the show is perfect for the Valentine’s Day season, director Renee Lierow says the production includes wonderfully entertaining character studies from more than dozen area actors.
“I love the simplicity of this show,” Lierow said. “There is not a need to make it over dramatic or have some grand gestures, but instead, this is a fully character-driven show. They are real people in real relationships with a surprising little twist that makes us think about our own lives.
Overall, Lierow says she hopes the stories resonate with audiences as much as they have with the cast and crew. “My hope is that the audience will walk away recognizing a piece of themselves in the people of Almost,” Lierow said. “Because really, isn’t that what theater is all about?”
The show’s cast features 15 actors; TRP regulars Ronald King, David Dunn, Joanna Lewis, Sherri Brown, Lisa Parsons, Kylene Booher, David Howard, and Chuck Nalley, as well as Jodi Upton, Chris M. Cooper, Jolie Focht, T.J. Rogers, Maria Chattin, Josh Adler, and Christopher Cooper who are all making their TRP debuts.
In addition to her uber talented cast, Lierow says the experience and the storytelling process have been a real treat during this production.
“This whole process has left me feeling so lucky to be able to work at TRP,” Lierow said. “Each time I have left rehearsal with the cast, I have left uplifted and encouraged. They have surpassed my expectations over and over again. I have often told them that this show gets better every time I see it, so I am excited to share them and their hard work with our audience.”
The show will run for the next two weekends at the historic Ringgold Depot. Tickets are available in person Monday through Friday at Ringgold City Hall, over the phone at (706) 935-3061, or online at cityofringgoldga.gov.
So if you’re looking for true community theater with strong acting, intriguing staging, and a challenging selection of productions, make sure to keep your calendar open throughout the year for all of The Ringgold Playhouse’s performances. You won’t be disappointed.
“Almost, Maine”
Opens Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
The Ringgold Playhouse
155 Depot St.
(706) 935-3061
cityofringgoldga.gov