The Vibe Is Cool, the Musical’s Hot at the Boiler Room Theatre

An interview with BRT founding artistic director Jamey Green

You hear about it all the time. The shy, reserved, almost invisible artist climbs from his lair, hungry and propelled by new relationships, to launch himself, suddenly and undeniably, upon an eager world. When Jamey Green got together in the ‘90s with Joe Correl and Kathy Shepard to transform Michael Bouson’s Avante Garage! (an improv troupe) into a theatre company, little did they know how high they could fly, eventually opening their own theatre space and writing a new, original musical every six weeks. Every six weeks? Slow down there, Hammerstein, you’re gonna hurt yourself.

Jamey says, “The thing that based our first theatre solely on original work was…money. We couldn’t afford rights for big musicals, so we wrote our own. It’s difficult to describe the schedule we undertook over that next two and a half years. It was an à la carte dinner theatre as well, so we prepped the food, started a show, cooked at intermission, then finished the show, cleaned up…then started writing the next show, which would go into rehearsal, all within a two- or three-week window. I believe all the material is preserved, either on video or in book form or both. Some was pretty…hmm…not so good. Some was really pretty good…fresh…not perfected but creative.”

So how did a cooking and cleaning almost improv group become the Boiler Room Theatre?

“I really wanted a theatre company that would become a significant contributor to the arts in Middle Tennessee. Not just for patrons but for performers, musicians, technicians, writers, etc. One part of me was reluctant to start another theatre. The work is intense and the money…not good. But I promised myself that if I had the opportunity to do so in my hometown I would jump on it. Calvin Lehew had the space at The Factory. So the idea was to have a theatre that combined a lot of my past experience, not to mention that of the co-founders, my brother Corbin Green and Lewis Kempfer, as well as Teresa Howell and resident director Laura Skaug. Our idea, our mission artistically, was to produce lesser-known but worthy musicals, original works, and mix in an occasional classic musical and/or play. In general I think we stayed with that. Some compromise has been necessary for our survival.”

So you make your way to Franklin and end up making camp in a pretty creative space?

“The Boiler Room was originally just that: the boiler room for that factory. Built in 1928 or 1929, it served as the power center for Allen Manufacturing, Dortch Stove Works, Magic Chef and Jamison Bedding. The Factory is a special place—first because the Depression-era industrial look was preserved and second because Calvin Lehew is a landlord committed to the arts.

The Christmas show is always the highlight of the season at Boiler Room—a chance to exercise the muse, says Jamey.

“It’s always interesting to see what you can do in a short period of time. Much of this Christmas show is inspired by old Avante Garage! Christmas offerings. It’s a way to celebrate the Christmas season with BRT friends, sing a bunch of Christmas songs, and make audiences happy! It’s always a leap of faith. Fortunately now though, Boiler Room has built an audience that comes to the Boiler Room because it’s the Boiler Room and not completely basing their decision on the specific show we are doing. Obviously there are exceptions. Grease will most certainly do better box office than, say, Hamlet the Musical. Even so, Hamlet and Hamlet the Musical are among my personal favorites. But yes, while new works serve a pragmatic purpose in that one does not have to deal with rights holders, they are also that thing that a writer must get out, exercise as well as exorcize.”

Jamey and friends have created a place and a space that continues to honor the theatre arts with distinction. The passion is equal only to the talent and dedication to excellence. If you haven’t experienced the BRT you’ve missed a ride.

A Hard-Boiled Christmas by Jamey Green and Lewis Kempfer runs November 28–December 23, 2009. The 2010 BRT season includes Fiddler on the Roof, The Fantasticks, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Nine, Rent, and Christmas Belles.

Boiler Room Theatre, 230 Franklin Road, Building 6, Franklin, Tennessee 37064 615-794-7744

boilerroomtheatre@yahoo.com. Also check out BRT on Facebook! A Christmas Carol

Mark Cabus talks about his one-man epic adventure

Anyone who really enjoys theatre has a personal top ten of their all-time greatest theatrical experiences. Mark Cabus and his one-man adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is very high on mine, and, as I’ve come to find out, I’m not alone.

A Christmas Carol

Mark Cabus talks about his one-man epic adventure

The one-man A Christmas Carol—did it come to you in a dream?

“No, I wish I could say that, like Athena, it popped fully formed into my head, but it was a long time in gestation. Years ago, I saw Patrick Stewart’s solo A Christmas Carol when I lived in L.A., and despite the fact that he is a marvelous actor, I, unlike so many, felt the play wanting. It just didn’t deliver the goods, in my opinion. It was too spare, too Spartan. I wanted more drama!”

With your dramatic goal fully in view, how did you get there?

“We presented the play at Darkhorse Theater in December of 1999. It was a six-month process of editing and re-editing Dickens’ novella down from 98 to 56 pages and 36 characters. We worried that even this was too long, but I felt to cut more was to clip the story of its internal energy, its baroque spirit. Dickens’ language is so bizarre and eccentric, and most stage productions lose his extraordinary phrasing in their adaptations. I wanted to retain that wording, so I was stuck with a full two hours and twelve minutes worth of monologue! Who does that sort of thing? I mean, really! It’s masochistic. But on another level, probably the greatest challenge is sustaining a performance for that length of time. There is no downtime. Even during intermission, I’m backstage flipping through my script, going over my lines, organizing and reorganizing the performance in my head. It’s simply a quick respite in the middle of a 20k marathon. I rehydrate, and then go—all the way to the finish line.”

You have an abridged student version on tour as well?

“We estimate I’ve performed for over 12,000+ Middle Tennessee students in the past six years. I’m heading out again on November 30, and if anyone wishes to book this easily managed production of A Christmas Carol for their school, business or private party, they should call Kristin Horsley at (615) 687-4291.

“With Jim Carrey tearing up movie screens in a highly-aggressive approach to Dickens, I hope Nashville audiences will return this season to see and hear the story in its original language and in its original context, a holiday ghost story with all of its quirky spookiness intact.”

Performances are December 17, 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m and Sunday, December 20, at 4 p.m. at the Belmont University Black Box Theater. Tickets are online at TicketsNashville.com or at the door. Just look for “Naked Stages” or “Mark Cabus in A Christmas Carol. They sell quickly, so get yours early. I’ll take two, front row please.