Neil Simon's GOD'S FAVORITE Plays Hendersonville's Actor's Point Theatre, Now thru 6/24

Neil Simon's God's Favorite is the next production from Hendersonville's Actors Point Theatre Company, running tonight, June 15 through jUne 24 at the company's new venue at GodsWhy (across from Glenbrook shopping center). God's Favorite is Simon's retelling of the biblical story of Job with a modern-day setting and characters based in Long Island, New York.

The Neil Simon comedy is the final production in Actor's Point Theatre Company's inaugural season (which included A Christmas Carol and Man of La Mancha), heralding the arrival of the Nashville area's newest professional dinner theater.

Film and television actor Sam Dalton stars as God's messenger, Sidney Lipton, alongside Actors Point Theatre founder and artistic director Greg Wilson in the role of Joe Benjamin (Neil Simon's hapless version of Job). Dalton is a longtime Hollywood actor who now lives in Nashville. His screen and TV credits include the role of Coach Gurntz in the original motion picture Footloose, a recurring principal role in the long-running NBC soap opera Santa Barbara, and co-starring roles in numerous network prime-time situation comedies and dramas.

Dalton was last seen on stage this past December in the role of Scrooge in Lamplighters Theater Company's presentation of A Christmas Carol.  Dalton and Wilson have performed together in their respective roles as Lipton and Benjamin previously in a 2009 presentation of God's Favorite.

Wilson has been seen in many productions in the middle Tennessee area including roles in the middle Tennessee area with Writers Stage, Lamplighters Theatre Company, The Tennessee Shakespeare Festival and Actors Point Theatre Company. In addition, he has been seen in national and regional TV commercials for Dunkin Donuts, Franklin American Mortgage, Farm Bureau and many others.

Ticket prices, which include buffet dinner are adult $36, senior $32 and child (12 and under) $24. Desserts are available for purchase during intermission. Non-dinner ticket prices are adult $18, senior $16, child $12.

Tickets for God's Favorite are available for purchase online or at the door. For details, go to: www.actorspointtheatre.com. Advanced reservations are encouraged.

Jeffrey Ellis is a Nashville-based writer, editor and critic, who's been covering the performing arts in Tennessee for more than 25 years. He is the recipient of the Tennessee Theatre Association's Distinguished Service Award for his coverage of theatre in the Volunteer State and was the founding editor/publisher of Stages, the Tennessee Onstage Monthly. He is a past fellow of the National Critics Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center and is the founder/executive producer of The First Night Honors, held during Labor Day Weekend, which honor oustanding theater artists in Tennessee in recognition of their lifetime achievements and includes The First Night Star Awards and the Most Promising Actors. Midwinter's First Night, held the first Sunday in January after New Year's Day, honors outstanding productions and performances throughout the state. Further, Ellis directed the Nashville premiere of La Cage Aux Folles, The Last Night of Ballyhoo and An American Daughter, as well as award-winning productions of Damn Yankees, Company, Gypsy and The Rocky Horror Show, with Ellis honored by The Tennessean as best director of a musical for both Company and Rocky Horror.

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