Photo Coverage: First Night: The After-Party 2011

When the last performers had sung the final song and the late honoree had been feted, the crowds at Belmont University's Troutt Theatre for the presentation of First Night, the Nashville Theatre Honors' 2011 Gala Concert, headed downtown to Cummins Station for the After-Party at The Listening Room Cafe.

One of Music City's busiest entertainment venues, The Listening Room Cafe played host to all of this year's First Night parties including the Preview Party and the Women In Theatre Luncheon in addition to the official after-party that followed the presentation on Sunday, September 4.

Party-goers included most of the 2011 First Night Honorees, along with many of the almost 150 performers from the Gala Concert and a generous mix of theater types and their fans. Hosted by Jeffrey Ellis, who founded First Night and is executive producer of the nine-day long festival that celebrates live theater in Tennessee, the after-party drew revelers despite the torrential rains that moved into Nashville while the Gala Concert was going on at the Troutt Theatre.

This year's class of First Night Honorees included Pam Atha, Daniel Brewer, Gary C. Hoff, Danny Proctor, Layne Sasser and Helen Olaketi Shute-Pettaway. In addition, 18 younger actors were recognized as Most Promising Actors including Erik J. Christensen, Devin Clevenger, Elliott Cunningham, Thomas Harton, Casey Hebbel, Tyler Henry, Faith Kelm, MaryKathryn Kopp, Markus McClain, Hannah McGinley, Maggie McNulty, Evan Montgomery, Lindsay Phillpott, Austin Price, Matthew Raich, Brandy Rogers, Chaz Sanders and Christy White.

The eight leaders of Nashville theater recognized as recipients of First Night Star Awards - all women this year to support the First Night theme of "Ladies, First" with men to be recognized next year - were Kate Adams-Johnson of The Keeton Theatre; Maryanna Clarke, Tennessee Women's Theater Project; Trish Crist, Rhubarb Theater Company; Vali Forrister, Actors Bridge Ensemble; Melissa Bedinger Hade, ACT 1; Denice Hicks, Nashville Shakespeare Festival; Mary McCallum, SistaStyle Productions; and Cathy Sanborn Street, Street Theatre Company.

photos by Nancy Hickman McNulty, Ed Amatrudo and Jonathan Pinkerton

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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