The Ned R. McWherter West Tennessee Cultural Arts Center (The Ned) is taking a giant leap from an entertainment venue to an educational and cultural arts center.
Ned executive director David McCall and staff announced programs for the spring and summer for 2023, and part of 2024, with a lineup that includes theater and music camps for kids, exhibits, plays, and musicals.
“The priority is to reach as wide of an audience as possible through a variety of presentations, which are carefully selected as to what we want to offer in terms of educational programs and entertainment,” McCall said.
Two productions this year will be accompanied by exhibits. “The Diary of Anne Frank,” which runs March 3-7, features school performances and an onstage talkback with a Holocaust survivor, in conjunction with The Tennessee Holocaust Commission.
The production of “Dream Girls” is planned for August under the direction of long-time arts activist Minola Patterson and choreographer Mona Lisa Lanier.
An exhibit of black women in the music business – with ties to Jackson and Madison County – will also be available to audiences.
The city of Jackson has a long history of supporting the Children and Teen Theater. In September, kids will be treated to the production of Roald Dahl’s “Matilda, Jr. The Musical.”
This Christmas marks the 50th anniversary of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.”
McCall intends to continue the tradition of giving young people a chance to find their place in the theater with the expansion of the theater camps, directed by Children and Teen Theater Coordinator Grayson Hart.
For teens, the national premier of “Mean Girls High School Version,” based on the book by comedienne and author Tina Fey, will be on The Ned stage in May 2024. The licensing for the show allows for script revision if the director feels some of the wording should be changed, which is typically not allowed.
It is a new day for The Ned, as musical offerings presented by The Ned have gone by the wayside (musical acts are still offered, but through outside promoters).
The Children and Teen Theater is alive and well and growing all the time. The Jackson Theater Guild productions are held at The Ned; and several local schools hold their productions there, as well.
McCall said the goal is to now reach as many segments of the community as possible through the arts.
To keep track of upcoming auditions and activities visit The Ned Facebook page, or The City Of Jackson website at Jacksontn.gov
(PHOTO: David McCall [center] and the staff of The Ned. | Julie Cooke)
