Our Town Cast List

Congratulations again, one and all for two great days of auditions. The talent pool is so deep now that the shows are harder and harder to cast. Rehearsals start Monday night, Oct 25th, at 6pm at Eastside Church of Christ, Selmer, TN. Everyone needs to be present for the first hour to pick up scripts, discuss the rehearsal schedule and costuming with Ben. Thanks again and break a leg!

Stage Manager-Gary Kirk
Dr. Gibbs-Drew Wheeler
Howie Newsom-Adrian Mehr
Mrs. Gibbs-Shelby Fox
Mrs. Webb-Dianna Moss
George Gibbs-Jerry Emmons
Rebecca Gibbs-Ryleigh Hilliard
Emily Webb-Mara Campbell
Emily in the Past-Jessica Campbell
Professor Willard/1st Dead Man-Jared Walters
Mr. Webb-Caleb McLean
Woman in Balcony/3rd Dead Woman-Jami Miller
Woman in Auditorium/1st Dead Woman-Allie Pitts
Lady in the Box/2nd Dead Woman-Mikaylin Donahoe
Simon Stimson-Josh Steen
Mrs. Soames-Gabbie Charette
Constable Warren-Chaseton Donahoe
Sam Craig-Nathaniel West
Joe Stoddard-Dillon Rorie
Wedding Guest/Dead Person-Lauren Hopkins, Jaimi Hemline

Calling All Singers!

The Arts in McNairy Holiday Singers will be rehearsing through November for a December 2, 2010 performance at Lakeview Baptist Church. The annual concert has become something of a holiday tradition for McNairy County attracting more than a hundred local vocalists for the community chorus as well as large audiences for the performance. The community chorus is open to everyone but participants must be able to read vocal scores or quickly memorize vocal parts from the program CD. Soloists and vocal ensembles may be selected from among chorus members. Rehearsals are scheduled for 6:00 PM, Tuesday evenings through the month of November with the performance at 7:00 PM on the first Thursday of December. This year’s community choir is under the direction of Sarah Lemons and Guy Grimstead. Call Joanna at (731) 645-3850 for further details about the music, chorus rehearsal schedules, locations, etc.

Our Town Auditions

October 19th & 21st

Arts in McNairy announces two open audition dates for the Pulitzer Prize winning play Our Town 6:00 PM, October 19th and 21st at the Selmer Community Center. The well known stage play by American playwright Thornton Wilder calls for a large cast of actors from youth to adult and has seven principle characters along with many other speaking roles. Our Town is being directed by AiM theatre veteran Benjamin Wilkinson and production dates are scheduled November 19-21 at the MCHS Little Theatre. Be prepared to read from the script individually or in groups. Cast list, rehearsal schedules and other information about the production will be available at auditions.

Bethel Springs Quilt Show
October 15 & 16

Fall is a great time to visit McNairy County with a festival or cultural event of some description taking place virtually every weekend between September and Thanksgiving. Last month, the Broomcorn celebrated a landmark 15th year with more artists and a larger audience than ever before. This month, it is the annual Quilt show's turn.

The McNairy County Quilt Show, "All For the Love of Quilting," began in Adamsville in 1980 and within a few years was adopted by the Busy Bee Quilters who moved it to Bethel Springs where it has remained ever since. Visitors to Bethel Springs will notice that the welcome signs label the town, "The Quilting Capital of Tennessee." This is no bluff! Bethel Springs has a long and rich quilting tradition with two active quilting groups working in the area. The Busy Bees have primarily sponsored the quilt show as an outreach for the The Springs UPC while continuing to quilt and promote the craft as a part of the County's cultural legacy. The Needles-n-Pins Quilters who work weekly at the Bethel Springs Community Center have been more engaged in education, participating in area cultural festivals and selling quilts to help support civic activities. The annual quilt show and sale is the town's biggest annual draw.


As the show has grown, so too have the entrants and the variety of quilts on display. The show offers theme rooms with quilts connected by technique, family tradition and various other categories. Traditional and antique quilts as well as more contemporary forms and art quilts are all included. This year Arts in McNairy is honored to have a room dedicated to the organization's mission to preserve and promote the culture of McNairy County. Additionally, an antique tractor show will take place in the parking area and the Needles-n-Pins Quilters will be demonstrating and selling quilts along with several other types of locally made crafts in the gymnasium. Lunch is also available.


The 30th Annual McNairy County Quilt Show and Sale will be held at the Springs United Pentecostal Church, 3591 Main Street, Bethel Springs, Tennessee. The show is open 8:00 am - 6:00 pm Friday October 15 and 8:00 am - 3:00 pm Saturday October 16. Viewers choice award is announced at the conclusion of the show on Saturday. There is no admission charge for the quilt and craft sale and the quilt show in the main building is only $5.00. Those interested in entering quilts may bring them by the church on Saturday October 10 at 3:00 pm. There is no entry fee. Call: (731) 645-9243 for more details.

Fall Artisan Trail
Meeting Scheduled

The Arts in McNairy Artisan Trail fall studio tour is just around the corner. The trail provides visitors a unique opportunity to sample some the finest of McNairy County's local culture while picking up those one-of-a-kind gifts to complete the holiday shopping list. The tour will be 10:00-5:00 Saturday, November 20, 2010.

The AiM Fine Craft Committee who coordinates the event will be meeting 6:00 PM Thursday, October 14 at the The Springs United Pentecostal Church in Bethel Springs. The Busy Bee Quilters are hosting the meeting and generously providing dinner. Attendees will also get the opportunity to have an advance viewing of the Bethel Springs Quilt Show which opens the following day. All AiM board and committee members, participating artisans and newcomers to the Artisan Trail are encouraged to attend. Final plans for the November 20 event will be discussed and jury selection for the fall 2010 AAT will take place at the October meeting. Past participants do not have to jury in.

The Artisan Trail is open to all McNairy County Artists and Artisans. New trail participants must be prepared to submit representative samples to the AAT jury at the meeting and all work must meet the following standards set forth by the Fine Craft Committee:

Contemporary, traditional, fine or folk art and crafts are eligible.

All arts and crafts must be deemed suitable for a general audience.

All work must exhibit a high level of artistic achievement or elements of cultural significance/ preservation.

Mass produced items such as stamped tees or caps, work produced from craft kits, etc. will be deemed unacceptable. (exceptions might include reprints from original works, castings, etc.)

Artists must agree to exhibit or demonstrate in their own studio/gallery or at another location designated by the committee during the advertised trail hours.

Photos of proposed new gallery or studio locations must be submitted for panel consideration.

Final determination for participation will rest solely with the jury panel or Fine Craft Committee.
For more information about the AiM Artisan Trail call (731) 645-3850. A complete list of participating artists and updated maps will be available in the November edition of Taking AiM, on this blog and the AiM Facebook page one week prior to the event.