JONESBOROUGH REPERTORY THEATRE

Fresh from its success with "Maggie's Getting Married," Jonesborough Repertory Theatre is already back again -- this time with the bittersweet play,  "Grace & Glorie."

Performances will be held March 26-28 and April 2-4 at the theatre, located at 125 1/2 West Main St.

"It's got some funny moments and some very serious moments," said Brian Ponder, president of JRT, describing the play.

According to Ponder, "Grace & Glorie," written by Tom Ziegler, is about two women -- Grace, a 90-year-old countrywoman from the Blue Ridge Mountains and Glorie, a middle-aged mainstream New Yorker who has come in to care for Grace.

Grace needs no explanations about life. She just accepts what comes to her. Glorie begins as a prim and properly rehearsed caregiver, who has never imaged life outside the city.

"(Grace and Glorie) learn about life from each other," Ponder said. "The play is about what people get out of life."

Nancy Hope Major will play Grace. Susan Wright will play the part of Glorie. Kathleen Brannon Buttolph will return to direct.

The play, the second since JRT reopened in February, will hopefully be a continuation of what Ponder believes to be the beginning of a long run for the company.

"We had five of the seven productions sold out for 'Maggie's Getting Married,' " Ponder said.

He attributed part of the success to JRT joining hands with the town and its merchants to promote the event.

For "Maggie," he said, package deals offered by local restaurants and Main Street's Eureka Hotel meant not only a packed playhouse, but happy merchants and ticket-holders as well.

"That whole weekend sold out (for the Eureka,)" Ponder said. "And all the restaurants were booked solid.

"Everybody gets on board."

The hope, he said, is that dramas, comedies and musicals at the repertory theatre will become a part of regular Jonesborough weekend events in much the same way as Music on the Square or special storytelling concerts.

Then, he said, "it's a town event, rather than a play event."

Article courtesy of johnsoncitypress.com