Performers include: Lars Pluto, Sam O'Hanlon, Laura Evans, Helena
Gullan, Luke Thomas, Kyla Brown, Luke
Barrett & Dominik Told
Complete with Grand Ole Opry style announcer, you will enjoy your favourite songs from Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and contemporary greats Shania Twain, Garth Brooks, Billy Ray Cyrus and more.
For the first time in Australia & New Zealand, Nashville Live, the hit musical
production celebrating country music and the stories behind the genre’s biggest
hits, brings its energy, glamour and magic to stages around the country.
The show aims to transport
country music fans right into the heart of downtown Nashville, celebrating the
atmosphere and energy of an evening in the home of country music.
Featuring LIVE some of the “hottest
country musicians”, prepare be taken back to the Grand Old Opry and through the
country music history featuring songs from Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Dolly
Parton to Carrie Underwood and Garth Brooks.
In the style of a ‘live radio
broadcast’ and with a setlist of 44 hit songs including Folsom Prison Blues,
Crazy, Jolene and The Gambler, this trip through country music’s greatest
moments is an evening not to be missed.
 |
| Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. Photos courtesy of Douglas McBride (June 2018) |
Nashville Live will feature
four of the top country music acts stepping up alongside the live house band to
perform. Complete with a Grand Old Opry
announcer to reveal the hidden histories of country music, audiences can
sing and dance to a mixture of classic solos, stellar duets and fantasy group
harmonies.
With Musical Direction by Luke Thomas, British Country Music
Association ‘Musician of the Year’ (2017 & 2018), Nashville Live follows in
the traditions of Tennessee to recreate a truthful evening straight out of
Nashville.
Complete with Grand Ole Opry
style announcer audiences are enjoying their favourite songs from Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson
and contemporary greats Shania Twain,
Garth Brooks, Billy Ray Cyrus and more!
Nashville Live is slated to be
“a night to remember with a stellar international cast moving audiences through
a mixture of classic solos, amazing duets and fantastic group harmonies as
talented singers step up alongside the incredible live band to perform”.
With 44 timeless songs including Ring of Fire, Islands In The Stream, 9-5
and Man
I Feel Like A Woman, this trip through the Music City's greatest
moments is bound to prove that there really are only two types of music, Country and Western!
Theatre
Travels.org (Review): Interrupting
the songs were the old ads that were never pre-recorded but instead performed
live on stage through these radio recordings, even with the live audience
present. This was a feature that I really loved when I visited the Grand Ole
Opry last year and I was really pleased to see that it was kept so honest and
truthful on stage in Nashville Live. The ads offered some great humour to the
evening whilst also acted as a way to set the time period. With no establishing
information at the top of the show in regards to era or place, the ads guided
us through some changing times and a quick nod to the Ryman Auditorium set our
stage.
As if the great music wasn’t enough, the performers are perfection. All 8 performers on stage – this includes the PHENOMENAL live band that accompany every song – are true masters of their craft and it was refreshing to see a performance with not a single note or cue out of place. They are evidently seasoned professionals who also have a passion for country music and this shines through to the equally passionate audience they are sharing their gift with. Whether or not you’re a country music fan, if you like live music, you should see this show anyway just to appreciate the talent of the exceptional cast on stage.
The
saddest part of the show is that it was only in Sydney for one night – many who
surrounded me in the audience mentioned wanting to go again the next day and no
doubt, word of mouth would help secure another audience. Evidently Sydney was
hungry for a show just like this one – with all the bells and whistles of great
talent singing songs they love – and simply put, we want more.
INTERVIEW: Luke Thomas – Nashville Live’s Musical Director talks all things Country
Find Nashville Live Show on Facebook
Nashville Live DATES
18 Feb 2019 - Home Of The Arts, Gold Coast | QLD
22 Feb 2019 - Cairns
Performing Arts Centre, QLD
24 Feb 2019 - Mackay
Entertainment & Convention Centre, Mackay | QLD
27 Feb 2019 - Pilbeam Theatre,
Rockhampton | QLD
19 Feb 2019 - Queensland
Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane | QLD
1 March 2019 - Wrest Point Entertainment Centre, Hobart | TAS
2 March 2019 - Theatre North
at the Princess, Launceston | TAS
3 March 2019 - Town Hall
Theatre, Paranaple Arts Centre, Devonport | TAS
9 March 2019 - Civic Theatre,
Newcastle | NSW
10 March 2019 - Illawarra
Performing Arts Centre, Wollongong | NSW
14 March 2019 - Thursday
Canberra Theatre Centre, Canberra | ACT
16 March 2019 - State Theatre,
Sydney | NSW
19 March 2019 - West Gippsland
Arts Centre, Warragul | VIC
20 March 2019 - Bunjil Place, Melbourne | VIC
21 March 2019 - Ulumbarra
Theatre, Bendigo VIC
22 March 2019 - Athenaeum
Theatre, Melbourne | VIC
24 March 2019 - Costa Hall,
Deakin University, Geelong | VIC
COMING
UP
26 March 2019 - Frankston Arts
Centre, Frankston VIC
31 March 2019 - Albany
Entertainment Centre, Albany | WA
28 March 2019 - Bunbury
Regional Entertainment Centre, Bunbury | WA
29 March 2019 - His Majesty's
Theatre, Perth | WA
1 April 2019 - Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, Mandurah Monday
Tickets originally went on
sale 29 November with a limited number of Early Bird tickets available through
to Christmas Eve.
Check an eye on UK dates later
in 2019!
MEET
THE PERFORMERS:
Lars
Pluto - Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Garth Brooks, Willie
Nelson
Lars Pluto was born just
outside Atlanta, Georgia to a family that was also a touring Southern Baptist
Gospel Bluegrass group. They travelled the entirety of thesouthern highways of
America and by age 13 Lars had lived in just about every state south of the
Mason Dixon Line."Music just was. It was everywhere when I was growing
up...country, rock n roll, gospel...it's all mixed up in the air down there.
Kentucky left me with a certain sound; Tennessee left me with another. It gets
in youin the South and you gotta get it out. You can't help it. Then we moved
north to frozen Kalamazoo, Michigan. That'swhere I found rock and punk in the
birthplace of the electric guitar
Sam
O'Hanlon - Hank Williams, Kenny Rogers, Billy Ray Cyrus
Born in Chichester, West
Sussex, Sam moved to London to study at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and
graduated with a BA Hons in Musical Theatrein 2014. Whilst training he was
selected as a finalist for The Stephen Sondheim Student Performer of the Year
award that performed at the Garrick Theatrein the West End of London.Credits
whilst training include; Arthur Kipps inHalf a Sixpence,Jimmy Powers inCity of
Angelsand Gregor Rasputin inYusupov.Theatre Credits include; Paul Simon inThe
Simon and Garfunkel Story(Vaudeville Theatre, West End, and UK and
International Tour) Keith inJackie the Musical(UK tour), the title role inThe
Glorious Damnation of Eddie Small(Zut Alors Theatre Company, Edinburgh Fringe
Festival), The PardonerinThe Canterbury Tales(Parlon Film Company,
International Tour), Alan-a-Dale inRobin Hood(The Theatre, Chipping Norton).
Sam is a huge fan ofCountry Music, and is delighted to be joining the cast of
Nashville Livive
Laura
Evans - Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette
Genre: soulful country / pop |
Home Town: Aberdare, South Wales | Record Label: Rosie Music
About: 'That girl just loves
to sing' Soulful country Welsh songbird
Laura is from a small village, in the South Wales valleys in the UK. She has been singing since she was 5 years old.
Her passion for country music started very early, as she always listened to old records by artists such as the Eagles & Dolly Parton.
Laura is a successful UK country artist and frequently travels to Nashville to write & perform. Many songs from her latest EP entitled ‘Remember When’ & her current single ‘Heartstrings’ (Amazon UK - UK iTunes ), released Feb 8, 2019, has featured on several American TV shows on CMT. It debuted at #10 on the UK Country iTunes Singles Chart and climbed to #4.
Her passion for country music started very early, as she always listened to old records by artists such as the Eagles & Dolly Parton.
Laura is a successful UK country artist and frequently travels to Nashville to write & perform. Many songs from her latest EP entitled ‘Remember When’ & her current single ‘Heartstrings’ (Amazon UK - UK iTunes ), released Feb 8, 2019, has featured on several American TV shows on CMT. It debuted at #10 on the UK Country iTunes Singles Chart and climbed to #4.
She performed at the Country 2 Country’music festival at the
02 Arena London, supported popular UK country act The Shires in concert and played at the famous ‘Bluebird Cafe’on
her last trip to Nashville, Tennessee. Laura also has passion for acting and
was best known for her adorable character of ‘Madison’ in the hugely popular
BBC children’s TV series ‘The Basil Brush Show’ where she enjoyed 5 wonderful
seasons.
She is the presenter of the New
Country show on Keep It Country TV (Website; Tuesday 6pm | SKY CH 376/ FREESAT 516/ FREEVIEW
87)
She pursued her career across
the pond in America appearing in a movie alongside Lindsay Lohan called
‘InappropriateComedy’ and has recently filmed the lead role of a young ‘Tammy
Wynette’in a biopic about the stars life, airing onNetflixthis year. Laura is
currently working on her new album that will be released this summer & is
delighted to be a part of this wonderful show ‘Nashville Live’ that takes you
on a journey of country music.
Helena
Gullan - Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn
Helena Gullan (Billy Elliot,
WEST END and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, WEST END) joined the cast in
March 2018 playing Tammy Wynette and Patsy Cline. Helena is currently the
fiddle player and singer.
Luke Thomas - Guitar, Banjo (UK Country Musician of the year 2017 and 2018)
Luke started his musical path
at a very young age, born into a family of musicians, he always had an
instrument in his hand growing up. As soon as Luke left school, he was straight
into his parents’ Theatre Production, ‘Country Legends’. It was in that show
that he cut his teeth as a professional musician, learning from his mentor and
then lead guitarist in the show, John Pettifer. After a couple of years touring
as an understudy, Luke became the lead guitarist and went on to tour with the
show for 10+ years in some of the most prestigious theatres across the UK,
Ireland and Europe.
During his career, Luke has
backed American Country Artists such as Sarah Darling and James House as well
as many of the UK’s top Country Artists on shows all around the world,
including the home of Country Music, Nashville Tennessee where he has performed
shows for the (US) Country Music Association. Between 2013-2017, he was one
half of the BCMA Award winning acclaimed duo, Luke & Mel, who topped the Country Charts of several occasions
as well as supporting US Artists like Will Hoge, Charlie Worsham and Angaleena
Presley, playing major festivals such as Country 2 Country at the O2 Arena and
winning multiple awards.
Luke is currently the
Guitarist and MD for Texan band - Jess & The Bandits, UK Country Star -
Jade Helliwell, Multi Award-Winning singer/songwriter - Gary Quinn and the
hugely successful ‘Nashville Live’
Theatre Show.
In Luke’s relatively short
career, he has picked up countless awards and accolades along the way including
most recently the British Country Music Association - Musician of The Year, in
both 2017 and 2018.
Luke is a proud endorser of
Vintage Guitars, Supro Amplification and G7th Capos.
 |
| Nashville Like Tour Flyer 2018. Note: Past cast members Lisa Wright (second from left), Robbie Durham (seated) & Chris Grahamson (second from right) are not part of the current Aussie & New Zealand Tour |
Kyla Brown - Piano, Keys
Kyla Brown is a
vocalist/pianist and multi instrumentalist working in the U.K! Follow her to
keep up to date on all her shows and gigs including the hit show 'You've Got A
Friend' where she plays Carole Kin
Luke
Barrett - Drums
Dominik
Told
- Bass and Stand Up Bass
North Italian born, Dominik
Told lives and works in Berlin, London and internationally. Playing the
classical guitar from the age of 9 and the electric guitar from the age of 11,
he started picking up the bass at 13. Having found his instrument, he moved to
London to study at the University Of West London. Graduating from the Higher
Diploma in Popular Music Performance he moved on to the Bmus (Hons) course
which he finished in 2013.
During his studies, Dominik
got involved in several projects and found new interests in Music Technology
and recording. This gave him several opportunities to show his skills as a
producer, engineer and mixer recording different bands and vocalists in in all
kinds of genres.
With the foundation of his
studies and the experience he gained by playing a vast amount of performances
in all kinds of styles it was only natural to develop a hunger for composing.
He found his place in the film, TV and gaming industry and is now composing as
much as he is playing live around the globe.
On top of all that, recording
live videos for artists and editing them together has become more of a part
time job then a hobby.
These skills allow him to
deliver a product which is professional, musical and great sounding.
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