Categories
Astrology Fun Stuff

Free Will Astrology: Week of 07/25/24

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries singer-songwriter Lady Gaga has written many songs, both for herself and other artists. She has famously declared that some of her most successful songs took her just 10 minutes to compose. They include “Just Dance,” “Poker Face,” and “Born This Way.” According to my interpretation of the astrological omens, you could be rising to Lady Gaga levels of creativity in your own sphere during the coming weeks. And I won’t be surprised if your imaginative innovations flow with expeditious clarity, like Gaga at her most efficient.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): During the winter, some animals hibernate. They enter a state of dormancy, slowing their metabolism, breathing, and heart rate. Other animals enter a similar state during the summer, conserving energy when the weather is hot and dry. It’s called estivation. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, many of you Tauruses would benefit from a modified version of estivation in the next couple of weeks. You’re in prime time to recharge your energy through deep relaxation and rest.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The English word “amphibian” is derived from the Greek term amphibios, which means “living a double life.” The original meaning of the English word was “combining two qualities; having two modes of life,” though eventually it came to be used primarily to describe animals that function well on both land and in water. You Geminis are of course the most amphibious of all the astrological tribes. You can feel at home in a variety of situations. This may sometimes stir up confusion, but I see it as one of your greatest potential strengths. In the coming weeks, I hope you enjoy it to the maximum. It should serve you well. Wield it to take advantage of the sweet perks of versatility.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): I dreamed that a young elephant appeared on the back deck of my house and stuck its trunk through the open sliding glass door. I got up from my chair and gently pushed the animal away, then closed the door. But after I woke up, I was sorry I had done that in my dream. What was I afraid of? The elephant posed no danger — and may have been a good omen. In some cultures, elephants in dreams and visions are symbols of good luck, vitality, long life, and the removal of obstacles. So here’s what I did. I dropped into a deep meditative state and reimagined the dream. This time, I welcomed the creature into my home. I gave her the name Beatrice. We wrestled playfully and had fun playing with a red rubber ball. Amazingly, later that day, a certain obstacle in my actual waking life magically disappeared. The moral of the story, my fellow Cancerian: Welcome the elephant.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Some bamboo species grow very quickly — as much as 36 inches per day. I suspect your capacity to burgeon and blossom will display a similar vigor in the coming weeks. You may be surprised at how dramatic your development is. I’m hoping, of course, that you will be acutely focused on channeling your fertility in positive ways. Don’t feed an urge to recklessly gamble, for instance. Don’t pursue connections with influences that are no damn good for you. Instead, decide right now what areas of your life you want to be the beneficiaries of your growth spurt. Choose the beauty and power you will encourage to ripen.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): For months, we heard and saw crows pecking on the roof of our rental house. Why? Were they grubbing for food? It was mildly annoying, but seemingly no big deal. Then one night, their small, regular acts of mayhem climaxed in an unexpected event. Rain began to fall around 8 p.m. It was constant, though not heavy. At 9, the ceilings in five rooms began to leak. By 10:30, our house was flooded. We managed to rescue most of our precious items, but the house was damaged. We had to find a new place to live. I don’t expect anything nearly this drastic to befall you, dear Virgo. But I do encourage you to check to see if any small problem is gradually growing bigger. Now is a favorable time to intervene and forestall an unfavorable development.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Two Scottish veterinarians researched the health of rhesus monkeys that are compelled by human handlers to dance on the streets of Islamabad, Pakistan. When I first learned about this, my response was, “Wow! Don’t those doctors have anything better to do? That is the most obscure research I have ever heard of.” But later, I decided I admired the doctors because they were motivated primarily by compassion. They found the monkeys were under severe stress, and they publicized the fact as a public service. Their work will ultimately lead to better treatment of the monkeys. In accordance with astrological omens, Libra, I advise you to seek out comparable ways to express altruism in the coming weeks. By engaging in noble and idealistic acts, you will attract good fortune into your sphere both for yourself and others.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Do you place any limits on how deep and expansive you allow your yearnings to be? Are you ever worried that maybe you desire too much and are at risk of asking for too much? If you answered yes to those questions, Scorpio, I will give you a temporary license to rebel against your wariness. In accordance with astrological rhythms, I authorize you to experiment with feeling the biggest, strongest, wildest longings you have ever felt. Please note that I am not advising you to immediately go out and actually express those longings to the hilt. For now, I’d like you to simply have the experience of entertaining their full intensity. This will be a healing experience.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You will never guess the identity of the strongest animal on the planet. It’s not the gorilla, tiger, or elephant. It’s the dung beetle, which can lug loads that weigh 1,141 times as much as it does. The equivalent for you would be to pull six double-decker buses crammed with people. I’m happy to inform you that although you won’t be able to accomplish that feat in the coming weeks, your emotional and spiritual strength will be formidable. You may be surprised at how robust and mighty you are. What do you plan to do with all that power?

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): By age 35, you have already shed over 50 pounds of skin. The flesh that covers you is in a constant state of renewal. In the coming weeks, I expect your rate of regeneration to be even higher than usual — not only in regard to your skin, but everything else in your life, as well. Here’s a proviso: Renewal and regeneration are always preceded by withering or dwindling. To enjoy the thrill of revitalization, you must allow the loss of what was once vital but is no longer.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Among people who go hiking a lot, “death march” is a term that refers to a long trudge through boring scenery in bad weather. Let’s use this as a metaphor for your life. I believe you have recently finished your own metaphorical version of a “death march.” Any minute now, you will begin a far more enjoyable series of experiences. Get ready for an entertaining meander through interesting terrains in fine weather. Be alert for unpredictable encounters with inspiration and education.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Alex Larenty gives massages to lions at the Lion Park near Johannesburg, South Africa. They especially love foot rubs. Even Jamu, king of the local beasts, rolls onto his back so Larenty can get a good angle while caressing and kneading his paws. I bring this to your attention, Pisces, because it’s a good metaphor for the unique power you will have in the coming days: a knack for dealing successfully with wild influences and elemental powers through the magic of kindness, affection, and service. 

Categories
We Recommend We Saw You

WE SAW YOU: Wax & Wine

Mary Helen Randall waxed enthusiastically about “Wax & Wine,” a fundraiser held June 28th at Stax Museum of American Soul Music.

“It was one of our bigger events,” says Randall, Stax director of communications. “It was insane how quickly the tickets went.”

Smith Ann Drummond, William Drummond, and Maura Chiles
Norbert Mede and Lashanna Span
Justin and Aleisha Hunter

A total of 240 people attended. “It was our second year to do it, and was an absolute success. It was sort of a new crowd for Stax — people who had never experienced the music before or didn’t have a reason to come. There’s a really passionate group of DJs and vinyl collectors and vinyl lovers out there who were instantly drawn to this event.”

The “wax” in the title was the vinyl sets from DJs, including celebrity DJs Sean Brock from Nashville, Tennessee, and DJ Paola Puente, aka Double Peas, from Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Bryant and Heather Bain
FreeSol

The “wine” was the more than 15 wines selected by Rootstock Wine Merchants.

The “wefreshments” (sorry, can’t lose the alliteration) included fare from celebrity chef Sean Brock, who, in addition to being a DJ, is also the two-time award-winning James Beard chef/owner of Bar Continental in Nashville. 

Categories
Film Features Film/TV

Twisters

Legend has it that when James Cameron, fresh off of the success of The Terminator, made his pitch to 20th Century Fox executives that his next film should be a sequel to Ridley Scott’s Alien, he simply wrote the name of the film on a whiteboard and added an “s.” Then he put a line through the “s,” so that it read Alien$. The execs immediately greenlit Aliens, which went on to earn the 2024 equivalent of half a billion dollars at the box office. 

One wonders if that story was on the mind of Joseph Kosinski when he went to Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment to pitch his idea for a sequel to the 1996 disaster film Twister. Simply adding the “s” did get the film greelit, but Kosinski himself didn’t get the directing gig. That went to Lee Isaac Chung, whose last film, Minari, was an Oscar-nominated story about Korean immigrants trying to make it as farmers in Arkansas. (Don’t feel bad for Kosinski. He directed Top Gun: Maverick instead.) 

Unfortunately, I’m here to tell you that Twisters is no Aliens. Cameron expanded the original idea of “haunted house movie in space” into a knock-down, drag-out sci-fi action picture. Twisters just does the same thing as Twister, only with more tornadoes. 

But more tornadoes are better, right? Not if you’re from Oklahoma, like Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones), the wunderkind meteorologist turned storm-chaser. She’s seen twisters devastate Tornado Alley too many times. Now, with her friend Javi Rivera (Anthony Ramos) and a group of like-minded grad schoolers in tow, she’s trying out a radical, new theory. Kate doesn’t just want to chase tornadoes; she wants to destroy tornadoes. Her plan is to launch barrels full of sodium polyacrylate — the moisture absorbing chemical used in diapers — directly into a tornado. The chemical onslaught will absorb the swirling water vapor which fuels the tornado, causing the funnel cloud to fall apart, and allowing the storm-chasers to live happily ever after. Unfortunately for both her dissertation and the continued health of her fellow storm-chasers, the tornado she chooses for a test turns out to be an F5 monster, but she only brought enough diaper goo to tame an F1. 

Five years later, Kate’s got a steady job as an NOAA weather forecaster, based in New York City. Javi shows up at her office with a proposition. He’s working for Storm Par, a company that’s using military-grade antimissile radar to scan active tornadoes, which they hope will greatly improve forecasts for their private clients. After initially refusing the call to adventure like any good Hero’s Journey protagonist, she agrees to get back in the storm-chasing game. Back in Oklahoma for the kind of “once in a generation” tornado outbreak which happens every year nowadays, she meets Tyler Owens (Glen Powell, Hangman from Top Gun: Maverick), a storm-chaser with a thriving YouTube channel, a tricked-out truck, and a gang of plucky misfits. Since Kate is on the Heroine’s Journey, she’s got two guys to choose from. Will it be her nerdy old friend Javi or the hunky “cowboy meteorologist”? And how many more will have to die before both teams realize Kate’s anti-tornado tech was on the right track? 

The answers to Twisters pressing questions are: 1. It doesn’t matter, and 2. Lots of people who also don’t matter. Sure, Powell’s jawline is so strong Tom Cruise could land an F-18 on it, but when it comes to romantic tension, Twisters is totally flaccid. Even though the tornado outbreak flattens farms houses, rodeos, and, in a nod to The Blob, a sold-out movie theater, this disaster movie is bloodless. Chung is a good director of actors, and Edgar-Jones, Powell, and Ramos give it their best shot, but they can’t seem to elevate the action into something I cared about, even when the bad guys are revealed to be disaster capitalist chuds of the We Buy Houses variety. Part of the problem is that Twisters is so repetitive. The opening scene with Kate and company fleeing from an F5 crackles, but it soon becomes evident that the intro emptied Chung’s trick bag. Twisters isn’t a bad film, per se; the Marvel era has produced much worse pablum than this. But it does commit the summer blockbuster’s worst possible sin: It’s just plain dull. 

Twisters
Now playing
Multiple locations

Categories
Politics Politics Feature

August 1st Races of Note

The historic congressional district of Memphis, currently and for many years designated as Tennessee’s 9th, has generally been one of long incumbencies.

The seat’s current inhabitant Steve Cohen, a Democrat and a longtime member of the state Senate, won it in 2006, after Harold Ford Jr., who had succeeded his father in the seat, had let go of it to seek an open U.S. Senate seat. 

The two Fords, both Democrats, had served the 9th for a total of 32 years, beginning in 1974 when Ford Sr. pried it loose in what was then regarded as an upset, from Dan Kuykendall, the only Republican ever to hold the seat, at least in modern times.

Kuykendall had won the seat in 1966, defeating liberal Democrat George Grider, who in 1964 had won a Democratic primary race against Cliff Davis, a longtime member of the old Crump political machine who had held the Memphis seat for a full quarter century.

From an historical perspective, the relatively brief Grider/Kuykendall period, during which Republicans had, both locally and statewide, enjoyed a resurgence, was the only real time of rapid flux in the district’s — which is to say, the city’s — voting habits.

Before then, Memphis and the 9th had voted the traditional Southern Democratic party line. And, after that, with the Fords’ advent, that line bore the imprimatur of the growing political dominance of African Americans.

Cohen, white and Jewish, won the seat in 2006, taking advantage of a split among a dozen-odd Black primary opponents, and he has held it ever since — successfully taking on a series of name Black primary opponents and defeating them all, one-on-one, usually with ease.

He would seem clearly on that record to have represented his majority-Black district faithfully.

Cohen’s main current primary challenger is no slouch. Lawyer Corey Strong is a former Democratic Party chair with a background in education and military affairs (U.S. Naval Academy, two tours of Afghanistan).

Faced with Cohen’s enduring popularity and his million-dollar war chest, Strong has done the best he can, chiding Cohen for his often antic behavior and claiming the incumbent has not helped to keep the city’s infrastructure current (despite an impressive record of securing grants and Cohen’s recent announcement of $400 million for a new I-55 bridge).


Senate candidate Gloria Johnson (Photo: Jackson Baker)

Other races of note on the August 1st ballot:

• A free-for-all in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate, with Knoxville state Rep. Gloria Johnson (she of the “Tennessee Three”) vying with Memphian Marquita Bradshaw and others for the right to take on Republican incumbent Marsha Blackburn in November

• Another brisk competition in the Democratic 8th District congressional primary, with Sarah Freeman, Leonard Perkins, Lawrence A. Pivnick, Lynnette P. Williams, and Brenda Woods, competing for a November shot against GOP incumbent David Kustoff

• A Democratic primary challenge to District 30 state Senator Sara Kyle from Erika Stotts Pearson

• A primary challenge to District 84 Democratic state Rep. Joe Towns from Vernell Williams

• A primary challenge to District 86 state Rep. Justin J. Pearson (he of the “Tennessee Three”) by David Page

• A Democratic primary challenge to District 93 state Rep. G.A. Hardaway from Lashanta Rudd

• A hot race in the Democratic primary for the open District 96 state House seat involving contestants Eric Dunn, Telisa Franklin, Gabby Salinas, Orrden Williams, and David Winston

• A Republican Party challenge to District 97 state Rep. John Gillespie from Christina Oppenhuizen

• A general election race for General Sessions Court clerk between Democrat Tami Sawyer and Republican Lisa Arnold

Shelby County Republican chairman Cary Vaughn with General Sessions clerk candidate Lisa Arnold (Photo: Jackson Baker)

Along with other offices to be decided this year, five of the nine seats on the Memphis-Shelby County School Board are on the August ballot. Candidates are:

• District 2: Ernest Gillespie III, Althea Greene (incumbent), and Natalie McKinney

• District 3: Jesse Jeff, Stephanie Love (incumbent), Ozell Pace Jr., and Angela Rogers

• District 4: James Q. Bacchus, Alvin Crook, Eric Harris, Tamarques Porter, and Anecia Washington

• District 5: Mauricio Calvo (incumbent), Audrey Elion, and Sable Otey

• District 7: Chavez G. Donelson, Danielle Huggins, Frank William Johnson (incumbent), Towanna C. Murphy, and Jason Sharif


Saturday of this week will see the end of early voting for the August 1st Shelby County general election and the state and federal primary elections. 

As a reminder, Monday through Friday, early voting locations are open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the exception of the Shelby County Election Commission site which is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Weekend times for all sites are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 27th.

Early voting sites (in Memphis except where otherwise indicated) are:

• Abundant Grace Fellowship Church, 1574 E. Shelby Drive

• Anointed Temple of Praise, 3939 Riverdale Road

• Arlington Safe Room, 11842 Otto Lane, Arlington

• Baker Community Center, 7942 Church Road, Millington

• Briarwood Community Church, 1900 N. Germantown Parkway

• Collierville Church of Christ, 575 Shelton Drive, Collierville

• Compassion Church, 3505 S. Houston Levee Road

• Dave Wells Community Center, 915 Chelsea Avenue

• Ed Rice Community Center, 2935 N. Watkins Street

• Gaisman Community Center, 4223 Macon Road 

• Glenview Community Center, 1141 S. Barksdale Street

• Greater Lewis St. Baptist Church, 152 E. Parkway N.

• Greater Middle Baptist Church, 4982 Knight Arnold Road

• Harmony Church, 6740 St. Elmo Road, Bartlett

• I.H. Clubhouse, 4523 Canada Road, Lakeland

• Mississippi Boulevard Church Family Life Center, 70 N. Bellevue Boulevard 

• Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, 1234 Pisgah Road

• Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 60 S. Parkway E.

• New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, 7786 Poplar Pike, Germantown

• Raleigh United Methodist Church, 3295 Powers Road

• Riverside Missionary Baptist Church, 3560 S. Third Street

• Second Baptist Church, 4680 Walnut Grove Road 

• Shelby County Election Commission, James Meredith Building, 157 Poplar Avenue

• Solomon Temple MB Church, 1460 Winchester Road

• TN Shakespeare Company, 7950 Trinity Road, Cordova 

• White Station Church of Christ, 1106 Colonial Road 

Categories
News News Blog News Feature

Tennessee Tourism Sets New Record

Tourism in Tennessee hit a record $30.6 billion in direct visitor spending last year, according to new data from Tourism Economics and the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development (TDTD). 

The figure is up 6.2 percent since 2022. The new record follows two consecutive years of double-digit growth. Overall, tourism in Tennessee has grown 125 percent over 2019 pre-pandemic levels. 

“Tennessee tourism is soaring, leading to benefits to Tennesseans,” said Mark Ezell, commissioner of the TDTD. “Thanks to our destination marketing organizations across the state, in addition to our leisure and hospitality businesses in this amazing accomplishment.”

Total visitors to Tennessee topped 144 million last year. That is up 3 million people since 2022. This was pushed by growth in more day visits to the state.

Here are some other highlights from the new data: 

• Tennessee tourism generated $30.6 billion in direct visitor spending last year, a 25 percent increase over two years.

• Tennessee visitors spent $84 million each day in 2023.

• Tourist spending generated $3.2 billion in direct state and local tax revenues in 2023. 

• Without tourism, each Tennessee household would have to pay an additional $1,160 in taxes each year.

• The state of Tennessee collected $1.9 billion in tax revenues.

• City and county governments collected $1.25 billion in tax revenues.

• Visitor spending sustained 191,522 direct jobs, one of every 24 jobs in the state.

• Employment supported by visitor activity increased 3 percent in 2023, rebounding to 98 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

• Domestic visitor spending is 127 percent recovered to pre-pandemic (2019) levels.

• International visitor spending is 81.6 percent recovered to pre-pandemic (2019) levels.

“When tourism grows, Tennessee reaps the benefit with increased sales tax revenue,” said Gov. Bill Lee. “Tourism boosts local economies, supports businesses and jobs, funds public services, and creates a better quality of life for all Tennesseans. We welcome visitors from around the world to experience Tennessee’s music, scenic outdoor beauty, culture, and food from Mountain City to Memphis.”

More data — including county-level data — will be released next month, the TDT said. 

Categories
News News Blog News Feature

Questions Surround Musk’s xAI Plans

(This story was originally published by The Institute for Public Service Reporting Memphis.)

Is Memphis moving too fast in its negotiations with Elon Musk?

The question troubles environmentalists like Sarah Houston as Musk fast-tracks plans to open an energy-intensive xAI supercomputer here later this summer.

“Data centers like this come with a lot of questions,’’ said Houston, executive director of the nonprofit group Protect Our Aquifer. Houston and others are concerned about xAI’s impact on Memphis’ resources.

The artificial intelligence plant already under development in southwest Memphis will require enough electricity to power 100,000 homes and consume up to 1.5 million gallons of water a day to cool equipment.

Negotiations between Musk, the Greater Memphis Chamber, and city-owned Memphis Light, Gas & Water have moved swiftly and behind closed doors since the tech billionaire and his team first approached local officials in March.

Supporters view xAI as a catalyst for Memphis to become a technology hub that could infuse hundreds of new jobs and millions of investment dollars into the local economy. That includes the potential for other Musk-owned businesses to set up shop here.

But a litany of questions has unfolded about xAI’s energy use and environmental impact since negotiations became public last month. In response, Musk’s swiftly evolving plans have incorporated measures to allay those concerns.

Among them is a plan to build a 150-megawatt substation to reduce the chance of any future power brownouts or blackouts. Talks also are underway to build a gray water facility that would use treated wastewater rather than precious drinking water to cool xAI’s equipment.

Still, critics say the discussions spearheaded by the chamber and MLGW are proceeding with too little public input.

“This is a terrible idea for Memphis. MLGW’s CEO is not elected, and neither is anybody in the Chamber of Commerce last time I checked,” said state Rep. Justin J. Pearson, D-Memphis, whose district includes the industrial swath of land where xAI is located. “It’d be really wonderful if people who are unelected did start to talk to people who are elected to represent the communities that they’re seeking to do business in, because they would have heard from our community that we don’t want this.”

Environmentalists urge caution. They point to Texas, where two Musk-founded companies received wide criticism in 2022 for proposing to dump treated wastewater into Texas’ Colorado River.

“It’s just like, they need to be forced to do the right thing,’’ said Chap Ambrose, a Texas computer programmer and environmental activist who lives next door to two Musk-owned companies, SpaceX and Boring.

Knoxville-based activist Stephen Smith, who is no fan of Musk, says he sees a huge opportunity for Memphis if it takes the time to carefully structure this deal. That includes holding Musk, best known for development of Tesla electric vehicles and rocket manufacturer SpaceX, accountable to the public.

“The negatives could very well turn into positives,’’ said Smith, executive director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.

Water concerns

Water falling at Sheahan Water Pumping Station in December 2023.   (Karen Pulfer Focht)
Water falling at Sheahan Water Pumping Station in December 2023.  (Karen Pulfer Focht)

The announcement of xAi immediately triggered concerns about Memphis’ drinking water — sourced directly from the Memphis Sand Aquifer, which contains some 57 trillion gallons of millennia old, pristine water, a point of civic pride and the envy of many other cities.

There’s little chance of depleting that.

Even if xAI requires 1.5 million gallons of water a day — MLGW’s highest estimate —that would add only 1% to the city’s total daily draw on the aquifer.

“I’m not concerned with the quantity, I’m concerned with the quality,’’ said Daniel Larson, director of the University of Memphis’ Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering Research or CAESER. 

Larson and others say a more realistic concern is that xAI’s demand for water could accelerate contamination of the Memphis Sand Aquifer.

The proposed xAI center would draw water from the Davis Wellfield in southwest Memphis, an industrial area that includes TVA’s Allen power plant and the city’s wastewater treatment plant.

CAESER studies have found large quantities of arsenic in the shallow aquifer above the Davis Wellfield. Studies also have identified cracks or breaches in the thick layer of clay separating the shallow and larger Memphis Sand aquifers.

“With an increased demand of one million or 1.3 million gallons of draw down, the question becomes what happens to the known contaminates just above our drinking water, like arsenic?’’ said Protect Our Aquifer’s Houston.

The greater risk of contamination could be alleviated by development of a gray water system that would use treated wastewater, rather than water from the aquifer, to cool xAI’s equipment.

MLGW is developing plans to build a gray water treatment facility to serve xAI and other industrial customers. Musk and his team are considering building their own gray water system, possibly by January, according to The Daily Memphian.

Amanda Garcia, a lead attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, remains skeptical. “I’m concerned about a lack of commitment on the part of xAI in their use of reclaimed water,” she said. “We’ve seen other industrial users come in and say, ‘Oh, we’re going to use reclaimed water,’ and then back out of that commitment.”

Deficient Community Outreach

The former Electrolux plant at 3231 Paul R. Lowry Road where Musk is developing his xAI “gigafactory of compute”.   (Karen Pulfer Focht)
The former Electrolux plant at 3231 Paul R. Lowry Road where Musk is developing his xAI “gigafactory of compute”.  (Karen Pulfer Focht)

Garcia’s concerns highlight a disconnect between xAI and the larger Memphis public. Companies that move to Memphis often forgo direct communication with neighborhoods surrounding their operations, and xAI is no exception.

To date, representatives with xAI have not held any townhall-style meetings with their neighboring communities. Media also cannot reach xAI directly. The company told the Memphis Chamber of Commerce that reporters can post their questions on X.

No representative responded to the Institute for Public Service’s questions posted on the public social media platform.

The lack of direct access means Memphians must learn about xAI through MLGW updates or an anonymous source that works exclusively with The Daily Memphian, which posts many of their xAI updates behind a paywall.

Houston said it would be up to organizations like Protect Our Aquifer to sustain pressure on xAI and Memphis officials to “keep the community informed and engaged on how we can truly ensure that this company follows through on a lot of really great things they said in the media. Because that’s not the track record the ownership (of xAI) has shown in the past.”

State Rep. Justin J. Pearson in southwest Memphis in March 2023.  (Karen Pulfer Focht)
State Rep. Justin J. Pearson in southwest Memphis in March 2023. (Karen Pulfer Focht)

State representative Pearson says Musk can’t be trusted. He’s equally skeptical of local decision-makers securing the xAI deal, saying they haven’t given residents of Southwest Memphis — an area already disproportionately burdened by industrial pollutants — much thought. 

“Our resources are continuously extracted for the benefit of companies. And our community is not feeling any of those benefits,” Pearson said.

Checkered record

Critics’ concerns include the checkered environmental history of Musk companies in other parts of the country.

Business Insider reported earlier this year that Tesla’s “gigafactory” in Austin took advantage of a new Texas law that allowed the company to exempt itself from the city’s environmental regulations. While Musk promised an “ecological paradise” when Tesla first moved to town, the company appears to be free to skirt regulations meant to ensure one.

Two other Musk-founded companies received an outpouring of criticism last year for attempting to dump treated wastewater into Texas’ Colorado River, which flows southeast through the state, into the Gulf of Mexico, and is separate from the Colorado River that drains the southwestern United States.

When Chap Ambrose, a computer programmer, watched The Boring Company slowly come to life in the cow pasture across the way from his house in the rural countryside east of Austin, he was initially excited. 

He was a fan of Musk. He signed up for the yet-to-be released Cyber Truck and subscribed to the Musk-founded Starlink internet service. That was in 2021.  

Today, Ambrose serves as an informal watchdog over The Boring Company. The company specializes in building underground tunnel infrastructure meant to alleviate surface-level traffic, among other functions. 

Ambrose and some of his neighbors took issue with The Boring Company and another nearby, Musk-founded company, Space Exploration Technologies Corp., attempting to dump treated wastewater in the Texas Colorado River.

The Boring Company had applied for a permit to treat wastewater and release it onto its land or into the river, the Washington Post reported. The firm planned to build its own wastewater treatment plant without connecting to a treatment system run by the nearby city of Bastrop, The Post reported. Under public pressure it reportedly later dropped the plan and agreed to connect to the city system.

Monitoring the two companies is tedious, Ambrose said. “(It) continues to be an exercise of documenting and learning how these things work and how the regulations are split up across half a dozen different agencies. [You learn] who you have to talk to, where and what they care about, and what other people care about,” he said.

Following a series of complaints, the company received its first fine earlier this year from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, just under $12,000 for ineffective erosion control at construction sites and illegal dumping of storm water. 

Ambrose’s advice for Memphians concerned about xAI’s potential impacts in Southwest Memphis is simple. 

“Learn what will be cheap and easy for xAI, and what regulations stand in the way,” said Ambrose. “That will give you a start.”

Megapacks

Doug McGowen, president and CEO of MLGW, told members of the Memphis City Council on July 9 that xAI plans to build a 150 megawatt substation.

McGowen’s update included another way that xAI would impact Memphis’ occasionally strained power grid: Megapacks — a proprietary development by Tesla. Megapacks are shipping container-sized battery packs.

The Tesla dealership on Germantown Parkway near Wolfchase Galleria  (Marc Perrusquia)
The Tesla dealership on Germantown Parkway near Wolfchase Galleria (Marc Perrusquia)

The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy’s Smith said the use of Megapacks would ease concerns about the need for brownouts.

“With the battery packs, they have developed this software that seamlessly integrates into the electric grid. You can charge those battery packs up at night or off-peak times, and then you can deploy them over an extended period of time during peak,” Smith said.

Megapacks  could significantly reduce the strain on MLGW’s  system during times of peak demand. And, from Smith’s view, a commitment from xAI to enhance the power grid’s capabilities could ultimately help MLGW break up with the Tennessee Valley Authority, which would be the biggest benefit possible with xAI, he said.

For myriad reasons, Smith has long advocated for MLGW to leave TVA. TVA produces the electricity that MLGW buys and distributes. Smith says  TVA is the biggest obstacle to investing in renewable sources of energy in the southeast region.

“xAI has the potential to breakthrough a lot of antiquated thinking,’’ Smith said.

“If the mayor, if Doug McGowen, if city council say, ‘Welcome to our community. Yes, we want you to figure out a way for it to work for both on the water and the energy side and be a sustainable leader. But we also want to partner with you to think bigger about what is possible in Memphis.’” 

On July 22, Musk posted on X the xAI supercomputer powered up, and training with supporting employees had begun.

Categories
Music Music Blog

Remembering Guitarist Sturgis Nikides

On Sunday, July 14th, the Premiere Palace hosted a memorial service for the late Sturgis Nikides, best known locally as the virtuoso blues guitarist in the Low Society, who passed away last April. Gone far too young, he managed to pack several lifetimes of experience into his 66 years, growing up in Brooklyn, New Jersey, and Staten Island, then ultimately falling in with Manhattan’s alternative music scene. Those familiar with the film Who Killed Nancy?, about Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen, may recall Nikides’ on-camera recollections of his days living in the Chelsea Hotel on the same floor as Vicious in 1978, including the night of Spungen’s murder.

During that era, by the time he was only 19, Nikides distinguished himself as a guitarist for John Cale, who’d long moved on to a solo career after his time with the Velvet Underground. At last Sunday’s memorial, that era of Nikides’ life was well-represented by the singer-songwriter deerfrance, who played a short set with a band that included her bassist Kai Eric (erstwhile member of Tav Falco’s Panther Burns) and two local players (Lynn Greer on drums and myself on guitar and keyboards).

During the set, deerfrance spoke wistfully of getting to know Nikides when they both played in Cale’s band from 1979-1981. Indeed, the guitarist was nicknamed “Hellcat” in the credits to Cale’s 1981 album, Honi Soit. That album was Cale’s greatest commercial success, making it into the Billboard 200 that year.

Yet the bulk of those in attendance were Nikides’ Memphis fans and friends, who were most familiar with Low Society, the dynamic band he and his wife Mandy Lemons formed in 2009. Jeff Janovetz, DJ for the online Radio Memphis, gave a heartfelt remembrance of his encounters with Nikides, followed by Brad Dunn, who recalled the power of hearing Low Society for the first time and his efforts to book the band at American Recording Studio. This ultimately led to the band’s second album, released by Icehouse Records/Select-O-Hits in 2014, You Can’t Keep a Good Woman Down.

Mandy Lemons and Sturgis Nikides perform as Low Society at the 2018 Western Maryland Blues Festival. (Photo: Alan Grossman)

That made it all the more powerful when Lemons joined deerfrance’s band for a passionate rendition of Tom Waits’ “Way Down in the Hole.” In what was clearly a cathartic moment for the singer, she had the audience spellbound. Afterwards, I caught up with Lemons to learn more of her and her husband’s story.

Memphis Flyer: How did you and Sturgis meet?

Mandy Lemons: It was in October of 2008, in New York. A good friend of mine had known Sturgis for thirty years or so, and he was already trying to hook us up musically. Like, ‘Oh, you need to meet this guitar player!’ and telling him, ‘You need to meet this singer!’ So he had a party at his house and we met and I was just like, swept away immediately. But I had to play it cool for a while. You know what I mean? He had no idea that I was that in love with him! Then, after playing music for a year, we got to know each other and became friends. And then we dated for a year, and then we got married.

How did you two wind up in Memphis?

We had our first European tour at the end of 2012. And after that, I wanted to go down south and roll around a little bit, you know, and take him down there and get into Texas blues. Everyone’s a badass down there, you know, and I’m originally from Houston. So we went down to Texas and kicked around for like four months, but we just couldn’t find a place to live, we couldn’t find a good drummer or bass player. And then we played the Juke Joint Festival [in Clarksdale, Mississippi], as a duo.

My friend, who was kind of like our patron at the time, said, ‘You know, Memphis is right around the corner. You guys should go check it out.’ And we were like, ‘Oh, we didn’t think about that. Really?’ So he put us up for a week here, in an AirBnB, and everything just went right. So we got our stuff in Texas and came back here and have been in the same apartment ever since.

And you connected with the scene here rather quickly, it seems.

On our first night here, we saw Earl the Pearl play at Huey’s. And we were just like, ‘What?’ Like, ‘We’re home. We’re in the right place.’ And the next night, there was an open blues jam at Kudzu’s. So we went over there, and of course they made us wait till the very last, because we looked like a couple of New York freaks, which is what we are! They were like, ‘These people are either gonna really suck or they’re going to be great.’ So we did our best, and everyone loved it. People came up to shake Sturgis’ hand immediately. Me and Dr. Herman Green connected, and we played on Beale Street the next night, which had been a dream of mine since I was 12. And I just was blown away.

Low Society was so well regarded after that point, and many fondly recall your residency at the fabled Buccaneer Lounge back in the day. You made your second album at American Recording, and released a third album as well. Are there any unreleased tracks by Low Society that you were working on while Sturgis’ health was failing?

Well, you know, he started having health issues when Covid started, and had open heart surgery last summer, and that’s when it started getting scary serious. Then he got this crazy, aggressive, super fast cancer that killed him in two months.

So that was on and off for the last four years. He would get better and then something else would happen. But in the good times, when he was feeling good, he definitely was playing guitar. I mean, it’s like being an athlete. You have to give back, because if you don’t consistently use it, you lose it. So he was practicing, and we had our fourth album in the works. He was producing that and mixing it and putting in his magic sauce and overdubs and all that stuff. And he finally finished it just a few months ago, and he said, ‘That’s it! It’s finished.’

All I’ve got to do is lay some vocals down and get it mastered and distributed and all that stuff.

Was it also cut at American Recording?

No, actually, we recorded all of it in Belgium. Our drummer and bass player live there. But it’s been like five years, since 2019, since Sturgis and I played a show. So thank you guys so much for having me up there [at the memorial] and allowing me to sing with y’all. That was really cool and very much needed. It’s been a long time. But…there’s more where that came from.

Categories
Film Features Film/TV

Music Video Monday: “Bury My Problems” by Juicy J

Memphis hip hop godfather and secret engine of American popular culture Juicy J has a new album called Memphis Zoo. It’s not about the place in Overton Park where they keep the lions. It’s about the eclectic cast of characters who populate our fair, but often troubled, city.

The single “Bury My Problems” sees the rapper/producer/mogul in an unusually reflective mood. He’s talking about the stress of living in a neighborhood that feels under constant assault from both within and without. He’s also saying that money and success don’t solve your problems like you think they will. As one YouTube commenter put it, “Juicy J making bangers off of mental health problems.”

The music video, directed by Juicy with an assist from Jack Rotier and visual effects by blindcapvision, is kind of a masterpiece. For the first part of the song, Juicy’s in a 3D animated world of cars, money, and jookin’, straight out of the classic Rick James playbook. Then, he deliberately undercuts the glossy gangster life glow-up by revealing the green screen studio and returning the Mercedes to the rental house. The visual is taking you behind the scenes, at the same time the lyrics are revealing vulnerability. It’s a masterclass of form following function. Take a look.

If you would like to see your music video featured on Music Video Monday, email cmccoy@memphisflyer.com.

Categories
Intermission Impossible Theater

Ostrander Nominees Announced

Nominees for the 40th Memphis Ostrander Awards were announced Sunday setting the stage for the annual gala honoring excellence in local theatrical productions. The event will happen Monday, August 26th, at the Orpheum.

In making the announcement, Ostranders executive director Elizabeth Perkins said, “The goal of the Ostrander Awards is to create an unforgettable evening that both applauds this vibrant cornerstone of our arts community and allows theater lovers and newcomers alike equitable access to the best of the best of local theater at all levels.”

Awards are given in a range of categories including acting, directing, and backstage contributions in the college, community, and professional divisions. The awards ceremony includes live performances of musical numbers from eight nominees for Outstanding Overall Production. 

It was previously announced that Michael Detroit, executive producer of Playhouse on the Square, would receive the Eugart Yerian Lifetime Achievement Award. Read the Memphis Flyer story here.

Tickets go on sale August 1st and are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. The show begins at 6:30 p.m. For more information or ticket info, go here.

Ruby O’Gray, recipient of the Eugart Yerian Award at the 2023 Ostranders (Photo: Jon W. Sparks)

2024 OSTRANDER AWARD NOMINEES

Props Design, Div II

  • Clare Kelly, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
  • Jane Parks, Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s
  • Mary Thomas Hattier, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
  • Molly O’Connor, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
  • Til Death, Three Diamonds Productions

Props Design, Div I Play          

  • Iza Bateman, The Hot Wing King, Circuit Playhouse
  • Iza Bateman, The Lehman Trilogy, Circuit Playhouse
  • Iza Bateman, Fat Ham, Circuit Playhouse
  • Jack Netzel-Yates, Blithe Spirit, Theatre Memphis
  • Jack Netzel-Yates, Steel Magnolias, Theatre Memphis

Props Design, Div I Musical                    

  • Iza Bateman, Catch Me If You Can, Playhouse on the Square
  • Jack Netzel-Yates, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
  • Jack Netzel-Yates, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
  • Jack Netzel-Yates, Sister Act, Theatre Memphis
  • The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre

Scenic Design, Div II                   

  • Abbie Seale, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
  • Chris Luter & Richard Logston, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
  • Clare Kelly, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
  • Sandy Kozik, Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s
  • The Wasp, Quark Theatre

Scenic Design, Div I Play         

  • Andrew Mannion, The Hot Wing King, Circuit Playhouse
  • J. David Galloway, The Lehman Trilogy, Circuit Playhouse
  • Jack Netzel-Yates, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
  • Jack Netzel-Yates, Steel Magnolias, Theatre Memphis
  • Jack Netzel-Yates, The Crucible, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Scenic Design, Div I Musical                   

  • Jack Netzel-Yates, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
  • Jack Netzel-Yates, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
  • Jack Netzel-Yates, Sister Act, Theatre Memphis
  • Melanie Mulder, The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre
  • Tim McMath, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square

Lighting Design, Div II              

  • Becky Caspersen, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
  • Chris Hanian, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
  • Joshua Williams, Silent Sky, University of Memphis
  • Melissa Andrews, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
  • Olivia Johnson, Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s

Lighting Design, Div I Play    

  • Jeremy Fisher, A Monster Calls, New Moon
  • Megan Christoferson, The Hot Wing King, Circuit Playhouse
  • Nicole Northington, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
  • Nicole Northington, The Crucible, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
  • Rachel Lauren, The Lehman Trilogy, Circuit Playhouse

Lighting Design, Div I Musical              

  • Fallon Williams, The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre
  • Nicole Northington, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
  • Nicole Northington, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
  • Nicole Northington, Sister Act, Theatre Memphis
  • Terry Eikleberry, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square

Sound Design, Div II                   

  • Rowan Sullivan, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
  • Ty Phillips, Drag Boat, Friends of George’s
  • Ty Phillips, Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s
  • Walker Higgins, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
  • The Wasp, Quark Theatre

Sound Design, Div I Play         

  • Jason Eschhofen, The Crucible, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
  • Jason Eschhofen and Jenny Giering, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
  • Joe Johnson, A Monster Calls, New Moon Theatre
  • Josh Crawford, The Lehman Trilogy, Circuit Playhouse
  • Marques W. Brown, Matthew “MB” Russell & Dylan Wheeler, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Germantown Community Theatre

Sound Design, Div I Musical                   

  • Cydnie Trice, The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre
  • Gene Elliott, Reefer Madness, New Moon Theatre
  • Jason Eschhofen, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
  • Joshua Crawford, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square
  • Reyn Lehman, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis

Hair/Wig/Makeup Design, Div II      

  • Blake Galtelli-Meek, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
  • Eula Ashbee, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
  • Friends of George’s, Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s
  • Friends of George’s, Drag Boat, Friends of George’s
  • The Wasp, Quark Theatre

Hair, Wig, & Makeup Design, Div I Play         

  • Barbara Sanders, Blithe Spirit, Theatre Memphis
  • Buddy Hart, Steel Magnolias, Theatre Memphis
  • Kaylyn Nichols, Dracula: The Bloody Truth, Germantown Community Theatre
  • Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
  • The Crucible, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Hair, Wig, & Makeup Design, Div I Musical                   

  • Buddy Hart, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
  • Ellen Ring & Rence Phillips, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
  • Blues in the Night, Hattiloo Theatre
  • The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre

Costume Design, Div II             

  • Eula Ashbee, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
  • Friends of George’s, Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s
  • Friends of George’s, Drag Boat, Friends of George’s
  • Randall Newman Jones, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
  • The Wasp, Quark Theatre

Costume Design, Div I Play   

  • Allison White, Blithe Spirit, Theatre Memphis
  • Amie Eoff, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
  • Amie Eoff, The Crucible, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
  • Ashley Whitten Kopera, The Squirrels, New Moon Theatre
  • Marsena Sellers, Father Comes Home From the Wars, Hattiloo Theatre

Costume Design, Div I Musical             

  • Amie Eoff, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
  • Amie Eoff, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
  • J. Faye Manselle, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square
  • Marsena Sellers, Blues in the Night, Hattiloo Theatre
  • Marsena Sellers, The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre

Music Direction, Div II              

  • Matthew Morrison, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
  • Nathan Thomas, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
  • Tamatha Holt, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild

Music Direction, Div I Play    

  • Ashley K. Davis, Father Comes Home from the Wars, Hattiloo Theatre
  • Ashley K. Davis, Take the Soul Train to Christmas, Hattiloo Theatre
  • Gary Beard, Master Class, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Music Direction, Div I Musical             

  • Ashley Davis, Blues in the Night, Hattiloo Theatre
  • Jason Eschhofen, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
  • Jeffery Brewer, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
  • Tamatha Holt, The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre
  • Tammy Holt, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square

Choreography, Div II                  

  • Austin Wall, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
  • Joy Fairfield, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
  • Kathy Thiele, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
  • Kathy Thiele, Elf: The Musical, Harrell Theatre

Choreography, Div I Play       

  • Hunter Steel and Austin Wall, Dracula: The Bloody Truth, Germantown Community Theatre
  • Max Robinson, The Crucible, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
  • Terran Gary, Take the Soul Train to Christmas, Hattiloo Theatre
  • Whitney Branan and Courtney Oliver, A Monster Calls, New Moon Theatre

Choreography, Div I Musical                 

  • Christi Gray Hall, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
  • Courtney Oliver, Sister Act, Theatre Memphis
  • Emma Crystal and Noelia Warnette-Jones, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square
  • Patdro Harris, The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre
  • Travis Bradley and Jordan Nichols, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis

Featured Performer, Div II  Play        

  • Cary Vaughn, The Western Park Album, Emerald Theatre Company
  • Dabrell Thompson, Til Death, Three Diamonds Productions
  • Hal Harmon, 6th Annual I0 Minute Play Festival, Emerald Theatre Company
  • Jeffery Taylor, Things Lost in the Fire, True Believers Productions
  • Marisa Schultz, Fools, Rhodes Theatre Guild

Featured Performer, Div I Play           

  • Fatima L. Gray, A Raisin in the Sun, Theatre Memphis
  • Hiawartha Jackson, The Crucible, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
  • Marianne Orendorff, Blithe Spirit, Theatre Memphis
  • Patrick Ashbee, A Raisin in the Sun, Theatre Memphis
  • Robrecus Parker, Father Comes Home From the Wars, Hattiloo Theatre

Featured Performer, Div II Musical                  

  • Allen Osoinach, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
  • Hayden Hooper, Elf: The Musical, Harrell Theatre
  • Holly Ferguson, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
  • Jasmine Gillenwaters, Erin McKee, and Madilyn Mobbs, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
  • Lesley Tooley, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre

Featured Performer, Div I Musical                    

  • DuValle Henry, Jr., Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
  • Haley Wilson, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square
  • Justin Asher and Stephen Garrett, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
  • Lorraine Cotten, Catch Me If You Can, Playhouse on the Square
  • Mac White, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis

Featured Dancer, Div I Musical           

  • CJ Hampton and Cade Forbes, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
  • Karl Robinson, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square
  • Lydia Jones, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square
  • Zurick M. Thomas, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square

Supporting Actor, Div II Play                

  • Adrian Kinnard, A Stubborn Holiday, Actors Renaissance Theatre
  • Chad Rhodes Sr., JS Tate, and Prince Djae, Til Death, Three Diamonds Productions
  • Gerardo Rivillas, Drag Boat, Friends of George’s
  • Micah Winter-Cole aka “Goldie Dee Collins,” Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s
  • Sydney Allure, Drag Boat, Friends of George’s

Supporting Actress, Div II Play           

  • Katy Cotten, Elektra, University of Memphis
  • Nichole Tate-Jackson, Baby Daddy Drama, Actors Renaissance Theatre
  • Sheryl Jones, Til Death, Three Diamonds Productions
  • Taylor Edwards, Silent Sky, University of Memphis
  • Trenia Lawson, Things Lost in the Fire, True Believers Productions

Supporting Actor, Div I Play                  

  • Charles Hunter, The Hot Wing King, Circuit Playhouse
  • Claiborne “CJ” Thomas Jr., The Hot Wing King, Circuit Playhouse
  • Eric Schultz, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
  • John Reynolds, A Monster Calls, New Moon Theatre
  • Marc Gill, The Hot Wing King, Circuit Playhouse

Supporting Actress, Div I Play                

  • Brooke Papritz, POTUS (Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive), Circuit Playhouse
  • Emily F. Chateau, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
  • Haley Wilson, POTUS (Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive), Circuit Playhouse
  • Kim Justis, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
  • Sally Stover, Steel Magnolias, Theatre Memphis

Supporting Actor, Div II Musical        

  • Aidan Saunders, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
  • Aidan Saunders, Twelfth Night: The Musical, Harrell Theatre
  • Javier Pena, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
  • Marvin Holt, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
  • Tim Brown, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre

Supporting Actress, Div II Musical   

  • Ashleigh Williams, Elf: The Musical, Harrell Theatre
  • Cassie Thompson, Zanna, Don’t, Emerald Theatre Company
  • Kathryn Dressel, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
  • Marianne Orendorff, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
  • Tracy Thomas, Twelfth Night: The Musical, Harrell Theatre

Supporting Actor, Div I Musical          

  • Bentley Black, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
  • Camden Douglas, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
  • Jonathan Christian, The Prom, Playhouse on the Square
  • Kent Fleshman, Catch Me If You Can, Playhouse on the Square
  • Kinon Keplinger, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis

Supporting Actress, Div I Musical     

  • Emily F. Chateau, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
  • Emily Garrett Cook, Legally Blonde, Germantown Community Theatre
  • Jaclyn Suffel, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
  • Jaclyn Suffel, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
  • Whitney Branan, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis

Leading Actor, Div II Play      

  • Clayton McKinney, Things Lost in the Fire, True Believers Productions
  • Joshua T. Horton, Til Death, Three Diamonds Productions
  • Nathan McHenry, Constellations, Quark Theatre
  • Taylor Roberts, The Sound Inside, Quark Theatre
  • Tramaine Morgan, Baby Daddy Drama, Actors Renaissance Theatre

Leading Actress, Div II Play                    

  • Ariel Ari Leira, Til Death, Three Diamonds Productions
  • Carly Crawford, Constellations, Quark Theatre
  • Kim Justis, The Sound Inside, Quark Theatre
  • Mary Hollis Inboden, The Wasp, Quark Theatre
  • Meghan L. Lewis, The Wasp, Quark Theatre

Leading Actor, Div I Play        

  • Emmanuel McKinney, A Raisin in the Sun, Hattiloo Theatre
  • Jari Latrell Head, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Germantown Community Theatre
  • John Maness, Kevar Maffitt, and Michael Gravois, The Lehman Trilogy, Circuit Playhouse
  • J.S. Tate, Succession, Hattiloo Theatre
  • J.S. Tate, The Crucible, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Leading Actress, Div I Play    

  • Flo Roach, A Raisin in the Sun, Hattiloo Theatre
  • Jordan-Danyel Payne, Confederates, Hattiloo Theatre
  • Lindsey Roberts, Steel Magnolias, Theatre Memphis
  • Natalie Jones, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
  • Susan Brindley, Master Class, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Leading Actor, Div II Musical                

  • Anthony T. James, Zanna, Don’t, Emerald Theatre Company
  • Jacob Mohler, Elf: The Musical, Harrell Theatre
  • Kevin Lechner, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
  • Mara Rus, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
  • Steele Bowers, Murder Ballad, University of Memphis

Leading Actress, Div II Musical           

  • Abby Rooks, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
  • Ashleigh Williams, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
  • Axyl Langford, Murder Ballad, University of Memphis
  • Campbell Williams, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
  • Eliza Fleming, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild

Leading Actor, Div I Musical                  

  • Aden Pettet, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
  • Bentley Black, Catch Me If You Can, Playhouse on the Square
  • Jared Thomas Johnson, The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre
  • John Maness, Catch Me If You Can, Playhouse on the Square
  • Nathan McHenry, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis

Leading Actress, Div I Musical             

  • Cameron Crawford, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
  • Jasmine Gillenwaters, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
  • Mary Helen McCord, Legally Blonde, Germantown Community Theatre
  • Xea Goolsby, The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre
  • Zan Edwards, Blues in the Night, Hattiloo Theatre

Ensemble, Div II Play                 

  • Baby Daddy Drama, Actors Renaissance Theatre
  • Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s
  • The Wasp, Quark Theatre
  • The Western Park Album, Emerald Theatre Company
  • Til Death, Three Diamonds Productions

Ensemble, Div I Play                   

  • A Monster Calls, New Moon Theatre
  • Dracula: The Bloody Truth, Germantown Community Theatre
  • Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
  • Steel Magnolias, Theatre Memphis
  • The Hot Wing King, Circuit Playhouse

Ensemble, Div II Musical        

  • 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
  • Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
  • Elf: The Musical, Harrell Theatre
  • Into the Woods, University of Memphis
  • Murder Ballad, University of Memphis

Ensemble, Div I Musical          

  • Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
  • Blues in the Night, Hattiloo Theatre
  • Cinderella, Theatre Memphis
  • The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre
  • Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square

Original Script               

  • Baby Daddy Drama, Mary Ann Washington, Actors Renaissance Theatre
  • Everyone and Their Mother, Emily Draffen, Germantown Community Theatre
  • Out in the Woods, Friends of George’s, Friends of George’s
  • Things Lost in the Fire, Bishop Tony Lawson, True Believers Productions
  • Western Park Album, Howell Pearre, Emerald Theatre Company

Direction, Div II            

  • Aliza Moran, Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild
  • Chris Luter, 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre
  • Irene Crist, Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s
  • Patrick Polsin, Into the Woods, University of Memphis
  • Tony Isbell, The Wasp, Quark Theatre

Direction, Div I Play                    

  • Aliza Moran, A Monster Calls, New Moon Theatre
  • Cecelia Wingate, Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
  • John Maness, The Crucible, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
  • Kell Christie, Master Class, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
  • Warner Crocker, The Lehman Trilogy, Circuit Playhouse

Direction, Div I Musical           

  • Angel Clark, Blues in the Night, Hattiloo Theatre
  • Cecelia Wingate, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis
  • Claire D. Kolheim, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square
  • Patdro Harris, The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre
  • Travis Bradley and Jordan Nichols, Cinderella, Theatre Memphis

Production, Div II       

  • 9 to 5, Harrell Theatre; Director: Chris Luter; Stage Manager: Elizabeth Perkins
  • Amelie, Rhodes Theatre Guild; Director: Aliza Moran; Stage Manager: Teresa Lowry
  • Into the Woods, University of Memphis; Director: Patrick Polsin; Stage Manager: Olivia Mittag
  • Out in the Woods: FOG Fairy Tales, Friends of George’s; Director: Irene Crist; Stage Manager: J-Lavender
  • The Wasp, Quark Theatre; Director: Tony Isbell; Stage Manager: Leslie Lee

Production, Div I Play               

  • A Monster Calls, New Moon Theatre; Director: Aliza Moran; Stage Manager: Marya Paolillo
  • Master Class, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis; Director: Kell Christie; Stage Manager: Julia Truelove
  • Silent Sky, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis; Director: Cecelia Wingate; Stage Manager: Jennifer Townsend
  • The Crucible, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis; Director: John Maness; Stage Manager: Marya Paolillo
  • The Lehman Trilogy, Circuit Playhouse; Director: Warner Crocker; Stage Manager: Emma White

Production, Div I Musical       

  • Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Memphis; Director: Cecelia Wingate; Stage Manager: Chelsea Robinson
  • Blues in the Night, Hattiloo Theatre; Director: Angel Clark; Stage Manager: Bronzjuan Worthy
  • Cinderella, Theatre Memphis; Director: Travis Bradley and Jordan Nichols; Stage Manager: Julia Truelove
  • The Color Purple, Hattiloo Theatre; Director: Patdro Harris; Stage Manager; Sherronda Johnson
  • Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Playhouse on the Square; Director: Claire D. Kolheim; Stage Manager: Maria Scott
Categories
Film Features Film/TV

Now Playing July 19-25: Tornadoes and the Time Warp

What’s up on the big screen this week? Quite a bit. Let’s get to it.

Twisters

A big city scientist named Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) returns to her small-town Oklahoma roots, where she meets Tyler (Glenn Powell), a rough and ready storm chaser who shows her how to live more authentically. Is this the plot of a Hallmark movie? Nope. It’s Twisters, the long-gestating sequel to the 1996 summer blockbuster Twister. Will they find love among the devastation? Or will they end up gone with the wind?

National Anthem

Dylan (Charlie Plummer) lives an unhappy life in rural New Mexico, until they find a community of queer ranchers and rodeo queens. Based on a true story in the life of director Luke Gifford, who adapted his book National Anthem: America’s Queer Rodeo. Screening exclusively at Studio on the Square.

Time Warp Drive-In

This month’s Time Warp Drive-In, Saturday, July 20, features the film that gave the series its name. The theme is “Scary Melodies: Horror Film Musicals,” and you know what that means: The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Take it away, Riff Raff!

In the spirit of Rocky Horror is director Darren Lynn Bousman’s 2008 cult classic Repo! The Genetic Opera. It’s the far future, and your organs are yours on a rental basis only. If you miss a payment, the Repo Man comes calling. Let’s sing about it!

Rounding out the triple feature is a film from the legendary grindhouse studio Troma. It’s Cannibal! The Musical, the film that puts the “dinner” in the Donner Party.

The Time Warp Drive-In is $25 per carload. The show kicks off at dusk on Saturday at the Malco Summer Drive-In.