"The Mockingbird Sings" presented by Theatre Bristol with The Sessions Hotel

Theatre Bristol presents The Mockingbird Sings: A Love Story about the musical influences on the 1927 Bristol Sessions on stage Sept 12-14 & 17-18

Theatre Bristol brings The Mockingbird Sings back to its ARTspace Stage September 12-14 & 17-18, leading into the 2025 Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion Festival with a special presentation of this uniquely Bristol recording sessions story with a uniquely Bristol-area cast. Tickets are on sale now for this limited engagement staged and live music presentation at www.theatrebristol.org/tickets.

The Mockingbird Sings weaves a story of love and the history of country music leading up to the recordings and discoveries of Jimmie Rodgers, Pops Stoneman, The Carter Family, and many others. The Mockingbird Sings was written by Dr. Nancy Hamblen Acuff, Terry Harkleroad, and Sharon Cort.

The Irish singer, Jessie Rhea, opens the show with "Come all Ye Fair and Tender Maidens." Our Eddie Snow, played by Seth Gilstrap, is at a crossroads, influenced by generations of music through his grandmother Eula Mae Broome, played by Martha Hawk. The wishes of his mother, Lucy Snow played by Sarah Maxfield, come up against the time he'd rather spend playing music with friends Royal Campbell played by Reece Hilt, and Royal's friends played by Eamon Russell and Kaden Walls, and Arlee McKerr played by Bryan Read.

King College student Mary Martha, played by Morgan Gilstrap, tires of Ray English, played by Koty Peak, and falls for "our Eddie," as narrator Susan McNabb calls him. With Mary Martha, Eddie finds his courage and ventures out to WOPI radio with announcer Troy, played by Tony DeVault, on to the Bristol recording sessions, and all the way to the Grand Ole Opry. Along the journey, Eddie gets schooled in the blues by the train porter Toney played by Freddy Heath, and inspired by an Old Codger played by Richard Albright.

Ralph Peer, played by Todd Peak, and Monique Peer, played by Crystal Peak, travel to Bristol to record the music of Pops Stoneman played by Dennis Farris with Stoneman children Saffire Booher, Eliza Brown, Abby Cheek, Finn Hilt, Willow Maine, and Skylar Scheuer, Jimmie Rodgers played by Richard Albright, the Carter family with Barbara Walton as Maybelle, Susan McNabb as Sara, and Jerry Lankford as A.P., and one Eddie Snow. In a featured role, CanJoe*John is played by none other than CanJoe*John.

The Mockingbird Sings band includes music director Barbara Walton on upright bass and guitar, Dennis Farris on banjo and Eamon Russell on mandolin, Bryan Read on fiddle, Susan McNabb and Martha Hawk on autoharp, and Jerry Lankford and Jessie Rhea on guitar.

Returning after 2023 & 2024 sold-out houses, directing The Mockingbird Sings is director, Susan McNabb, and music director and musician Barbara Walton. They are supported by stage managers Bethaney Hilt and Reece Hilt, tech director Albert Tester, costume designer Katie Cheek, scenic artist Faith Walker, board operator Hannah Brown. The Mockingbird Sings is presented by special arrangement with Terry Harkleroad and Sharon Cort.

With support from sponsor The Sessions Hotel, The Mockingbird Sings will be on the ARTspace stage Friday, Saturday, and Sunday September 12-14 and Wednesday and Thursday September 17-18 for the weekend and days before the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion Festival. Tickets are $16 for adults plus fees and $12 for seniors and students plus fees, and are available at www.theatrebristol.org/tickets.

Theatre Bristol is pleased to present The Mockingbird Sings as part of its family-friendly 60th 2025 Season of comedies, dramas, and musicals, including "Lessons from Shakespeare: How to Avoid a Personal Tragedy" with River’s Way, "Land of Jesters" & "Rumpelstiltskin," "Steel Magnolias," Roald Dahl’s "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "The Mockingbird Sings, "The Odd Couple," and "Irving Berlin's White Christmas," and the Cathy DeCaterina School of Theatre Arts classes, "Schoolhouse Rock LIVE! Jr.," PLAYtime in the ARTspace, The StART of Adventure summer camp, and workshops. Theatre Bristol is a 60-year-old nonprofit community theatre in downtown Bristol.

Founded in 1965 by Cathy DeCaterina, Theatre Bristol is a community theatre serving all ages that also has the distinction as the oldest continually running children’s theatre in northeast Tennessee, with a long history continuing to serve southeast Virginia. Its seasons consist of drama, comedy, and musical productions that take place at Paramount Bristol, in our blackbox ARTspace Theatre, and at the Cameo Theatre, and educational opportunities provided by our School of Theatre Arts. Theatre Bristol is a volunteer-operated community organization and we invite you to get involved.

For more information, visit the Theatre Bristol’s website or Facebook page, contact Theatre Bristol at 423-212-3625, or email aW5mbyB8IHRoZWF0cmVicmlzdG9sICEgb3Jn.

You may also like the following events from Theatre Bristol:

• Next Saturday, 13th September, 10:00 am, PLAYtime in the ARTspace in Bristol
• Next month, 18th October, 10:30 am, AUDITIONS Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus at Theatre Bristol in Bristol

Also check out other Arts events in Bristol, Theatre events in Bristol, Music events in Bristol.