{"id":65489,"date":"2025-02-10T08:54:18","date_gmt":"2025-02-10T13:54:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/?p=65489"},"modified":"2025-02-12T10:46:05","modified_gmt":"2025-02-12T15:46:05","slug":"utc-theatre-co-presents-bright-star-feb-25-march-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/02\/utc-theatre-co-presents-bright-star-feb-25-march-1\/","title":{"rendered":"UTC Theatre Co. presents \u201cBright Star\u201d Feb. 25-March 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Steve Martin and Edie Brickell\u2019s \u201cBright Star,\u201d a heartfelt story of love, loss and redemption set against the bluegrass-rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and 1940s, will take the stage at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Fine Arts Center\u2019s Dorothy Hackett Ward Theatre.<\/p>\n

Performed by the UTC Theatre Co., \u201cBright Star\u201d runs at 7:30 p.m. from Feb. 25-March 1\u2014with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, March 1.<\/p>\n

Tickets can be purchased online by clicking here<\/strong><\/a> and through the UTC Box Office\u2014in person or by phone (423-425-4369). Tickets are $25 for general admission and $20 for students (with proof of student ID) and seniors.<\/p>\n

The UTC Fine Arts Center is located at the intersection of Dr. Roland Carter Street (formerly known as Vine Street) and Palmetto Street on the UTC campus.<\/p>\n

Directed by Steve Ray, head of the Department of Theatre and artistic director of the UTC Theatre Co., \u201cBright Star\u201d brings its moving story to life with a bluegrass-inspired score by Martin and Brickell.<\/p>\n

Martin, an acclaimed actor, comedian and musician, and Brickell\u2014a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and lead singer of the folk-rock band Edie Brickell & New Bohemians\u2014crafted a score that blends soaring melodies and storytelling into a powerful journey of self-discovery. Inspired by their 2013 Grammy-winning album \u201cLove Has Come for You,\u201d the Tony-nominated musical premiered in 2014 and debuted on Broadway in 2016.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s unusual for musicals to have this many catchy singable tunes\u2014and this one does,\u201d Ray said. \u201cYou can\u2019t walk away from this production without singing the songs in your head.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it\u2019s more emotional than you would think. You hear bluegrass-inspired and bluegrass-infused, and you have a certain notion of it. But it weaves between heartbreak and hope and takes you on a real emotional journey.\u201d<\/p>\n

Inspired by actual events, \u201cBright Star\u201d tells the story of Alice Murphy (played by UTC senior Pearson Smith), a determined literary editor with a concealed past, and Billy Cane (played by UTC freshman Liam Phillips), a young soldier-turned-writer striving to find his voice. As their paths cross, long-buried secrets surface, uncovering a life-changing connection that binds them in unexpected ways.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have the best voices that we\u2019ve probably ever had in a musical, and we always have good voices,\u201d Ray said of the 23-member student cast. \u201cWe had a whole bunch of freshmen and transfer students come in this year and add to our depth of talent\u2014so the audience will hear amazing voices.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe design is beautiful, the story is compelling\u2014and, of course, you get Steve Martin\u2019s music and Edie Brickell\u2019s lyrics.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ray noted that \u201cBright Star\u201d is set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, making the production especially meaningful. To give back, the UTC Theatre Co. is working with the North Carolina Community Foundation Disaster Relief Fund \u201cto use the show\u2019s program to raise awareness about Hurricane Helene recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will help them raise funds by inserting a QR code in the program,\u201d Ray said. \u201cA large part of the musical takes place in Asheville. There\u2019s even a song called \u2018Asheville,\u2019 and everybody knows about the hurricane\u2019s devastation there.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The student cast is comprised of the following UTC undergraduates (academic year\/major\/hometown):<\/p>\n