Tennessee Rep Interns Stage THE WOMAN IN BLACK, Now thru 5/22

Tennessee Repertory Theatre's 2011-2012 professional interns will present The Woman in Black, a ghost play adapted by Stephen Mallatratt from the book by Susan Hill. The Woman in Black runs tonight, May 20 through May 22 at 7:00 pm at Tennessee Rep's Rehearsal Hall at NPT's Studio A, 161 Rains Avenue.

Arthur Kipps (played by Rodney Pickel), a middle-aged lawyer, has been haunted for years by a series of events he experienced as a young man. Hoping to free himself of his nightmares at last, Kipps hires a young actor (Sean Hills) to help him tell his tale. As the two men dive deeper and deeper into the story, however, they begin to find that some things can never be put to rest.

"I am just thrilled to be getting my hands on this piece," says Daniel DeVault, Tennessee Rep's professional stage management iIntern, who is directing the production. 

"The Woman in Black is truly a celebration of what theatre can be. I love that it makes everyone involved use their imaginations to create the world around them. It really takes our audience out of their world and their comfort zone and makes them view situations not for what they are, but for what they can be. This is not just a ghost story, but also a story of human tragedy. It is about loss and grief and the inability to deal with it, taking the tale beyond just being extremely creepy and creating a story that I hope will really move you."

"Creeping people out is always fun," says Pickel. "This play-within-a-play is so well-written. It's like one of those thrillers you see that has you connecting the dots until the very end, and if you're really good you might connect some of them yourself. Daniel is an excellent young director; thorough and meticulous with every detail. He and his crew of professional interns at Tennessee Rep have created a piece of theatre that is not to be missed. I am honored to be a part of it."

Tennessee Repertory Theatre's Internship Program is designed to offer hands-on professional experience to students, graduates, and early career professionals who are pursuing a career in theatre. Interns are offered the opportunity to gain practical knowledge while working with experienced professionals in theatre arts and administration. It strives to offer a program that helps each intern accomplish steps towards their career goals, while also allowing them to observe and experience the general day-to-day workings of a professional regional theatre.

For more information on the Internship Program, visit tennesseerep.org/internship.php

pictured: Rodney Pickel

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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