Playhouse on the Square knows what to do with a good thing: Work it. The Midtown Theater’s annual Curtain Up fundraiser asks the question, why throw just one party when you can throw six?
“All things Memphis,” is this year’s party theme, and that sounds about right, if I do say so myself. I’ll get around to why that last disclaimer is important shortly.
In addition to a rooftop bonfire and all kinds of food and drink, this year’s Curtain Up features some top notch musical performers like…
The astonishing Mighty Souls Brass Band...
Playhouse on the Square Throws a Party
Vaudeville-inspired skifflegrass pickers The Side Street Steppers...
Playhouse on the Square Throws a Party (2)
The Bouffants (who work hard for the money) …
Playhouse on the Square Throws a Party (3)
Force of nature, Alexis Grace…
Playhouse on the Square Throws a Party (4)
Singer, actor, piano man, and all-around showoff Brennan Villines, who will perform with the Cooper Union (a group of Playhouse on the Square’s best vocalists including Carla McDonald, Claire Kohlheim, and Sheila Jay).
Playhouse on the Square Throws a Party (6)
And lastly (and probably leastly), deep down under the stage in the trap room, where poker and other games of chance are being played, vintage-sounding honky tonk music will be supplied by Papa Top’s favorite band, the mighty West Coast Turnaround, who are (as always) fresh off their “Conjugal Visits” tour of area prisons.
Playhouse on the Square Throws a Party (7)
Full disclosure for those not in the know, the WCT— a drinking club with a little country music problem — is MY band of many years. I’m not in the habit of promoting myself here, but this is different because, after years (and years) of saying just godawful things about all of these weird, smelly actor people, your (not so) humble theater critic intends to sashay his rhinestone-studded-self down to the corner of Cooper and Union, to sing his absolute best for some folks who are much, much better singers. And Dave Landis. Pray to whoever might be out there with enough power to intervene on my behalf that there’s not a heaping sack of rotten tomatoes nearby.
