Homemade
Jamz Live!
August 23


Arts in McNairy is proud to present Homemade Jamz Blues Band live in concert Saturday August 23, 2008 at the beautiful Edward Simpson Performance Stage (The Ed) in the Selmer City Park. The park and stage are located at the south intersection of Highways 45 and 64 just behind the gazebo. In the event of rain, the Selmer Community Center will act as a back up venue. The concert which begins at 8:00 PM is the last of the summer for the AiM concert season. Admission is free but donations to Arts in McNairy are always appreciated.

Though they may be the youngest Blues players you’ve ever seen, Ryan (16), Kyle (13) and Taya (9) Perry of the Tupelo, MS based Homemade Jamz are certainly no novelty act. They have played high profile Blues festivals and clubs internationally, been featured on CBS Sunday Morning, National Public Radio, in numerous national magazines and are something of a sensation on internet video sites such as YouTube. As if that wasn’t enough to establish their reputation they won the Delta Blues Society’s Blues Challenge in 2006 and placed 2nd in the 23rd International Blues Challenge in 2007 as the youngest band ever to be accepted into the that prestigious competition.

So what’s all the fuss? Referring to a Homemade Jamz performance, the immortal Blues legend B.B. King said, “In my 82 years, I’ve never seen something musically, so remarkable.” How’s that for an endorsement? Simply stated, Homemade Jamz is one of the finest Blues bands, of any age, working today, enthralling live audiences from coast to coast with a potent high energy electric Blues sound infused with the soul of the Mississippi Delta. Critics have herald the young Tupelo trio as the torch bearers for the next generation of Blues artists. Don’t miss Homemade Jamz in a rare West Tennessee appearance.

Click on the video bar below for a taste of Homemade Jamz!

Circuit Riders Wife
Auditions
Aug. 11 & 12

Circuit Riders Wife is a hilarious musical comedy based on the book "The Circuit Rider's Wife" by Corra Harris and adapted for the stage by Tennessee playwright, Doris Dennison Burns and lyricist and composer, Dr. Jim W. Burns. The plot follows the career of an early circuit riding preacher, his wife and the cast of comedic characters to which they are called to minister. The delightful musical score is evocative of the era and very effectively rendered with instrumentation consistent with that period. Arts in McNairy will be among the first Tennessee arts organizations to present performances of the Circuit Riders Wife and we are proud to support Tennessee artists in this meaningful way! The show will be great fun to perform and certainly enjoyable for audience members of all ages.

Audition Dates: August 11 & 12 from 6 – 8 P.M.
MCHS Choir Room (Please use choir room outside entrance.)

Performance Dates: October 4 & 5 McNairy Central High School “Little” Theater

Director: Bryan Essary

Assistant Director: Tom Cook

Music Assistants: Sarah Lemons and Lavonia Essary

Audition Requirements: Be prepared to read a selection from the show of the directors choice; (You will not be reading with another person unless called back.) Be prepared to sing a selection from show chosen by the director. Be prepared to stay for a second reading (or singing) if the directors desire to hear you again.

Call Backs & Rehearsals: Call backs (if needed) will be held on Thursday night, August 14. You will be contacted by phone if you are needed for callbacks. If you are not called back, it does not mean you are not in the cast. The cast list will be posted on this blog Saturday August 16 and rehearsals are slated to begin Monday August 18

Cast of Characters:

Mary, (age 15-30) A sophisticated lady who learned many interesting, sometimes harsh lessons, but who comes to call the Redwine Circuit, “The Homeplace of my heart.”

William, (age 18 – 30) A country preacher who falls for a city girl of a different religious background that proves to be challenging when he takes her to the Redwine Circuit to live.

Davy Dyer, (25 and up) the blacksmith and county’s only infidel who attends the Redwine church for the music, but finds it necessary to keep his brown jug near by.

Sister Meadows, (35 and up) the watchdog of the Redwine community, who is certain of God’s orders and with “pharisaical doggedness, proceeds to carry them out...”

Jimmy Meadows,(18 –25) Sister Meadows’ caring, independent son who falls in love with Paisley, an outcast of the community.

Paisley Conner, (18 – 25) who in the past “had a baby born in sin” that died shortly after coming into it’s poor, fatherless, unforgiving world. Paisley’s goodness and repentance brought her little favor with the Redwine folks.

Glory White, (30 and up) level-headed, loving, tolerant, “Not perfect mind you, but a fine, ‘normal’ Christian,” she tells Mary, “Whatever that means!”

Sam White, (30 and up) Glory’s husband, a pillar of the church with the most sensitive conscience; “afraid of what he might do to shake loose the foundation he had built and like most of us, afraid to live and afraid to die.”

Rolls for townspeople and children are available. Will be based upon auditions.

For more information contact the director at his office at 731-645-5326 or by cell at 731-610-2255.