Shenan

Based on a Screenplay by James Lee Barrett
Lyrics by Peter Udell
Music by Gary Geld
Book by
James Lee Barrett, Peter Udell and Philip Rose
Shenandoah is the story of Charlie Anderson and his struggle to protect his daughter and six sons on their Virginia farm as the War Between the States rages about them. It is a tale of love and war, joy and pain, adventure and romance. Among the most emotionally powerful musicals of Broadway, Shenandoah includes joyous songs of romance and new birth, desperate songs of sorrow and anger, tender lullabies and comic dance tunes.
It will make you angry.
It will make you laugh.
It will make you cry.

Produced by Barbara Garvey Myers
Directed by Rudy Childs
Click on any cast members name for more information.

Starring

Terrell Shaw
as Charlie Anderson
With
Nikki Barker, Chris Hall,
Craig Waldrip, Deana Goss, Breon Ford, Chris Jackson,
Phillip Wiggins, Jerry Bilbo, Greg Hall, Allen Wildes,
Brian Horne, Lynn Cundiff, Don Chambers, Denis Johnston
Mark Swanson, Jon Brewer, Rowland Chandler , DeForrest Hamilton
Cecilia Dawson, Joy Michelle Smith,
Music Directed by Brian Horne
Orchestra conducted by Bill King
Special musical accompaniment by James Willis


Terrell Shaw
Third of seven children of a Methodist minister, sometime businessman, teacher, poet, storyteller, designer of websites and print projects, singer and actor Terrell Shaw has enjoyed performing since childhood. "Unlike a younger sister who would back out at the last moment, I was ready at six to sing "When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder" or "It Is No Secret" at Sunday evening services. I was thrilled to share center stage in the fourth grade dressed as a hobo to croon "Side By Side" in a duet. My big thrill was in eighth grade when I performed the theme from "Around the World in Eighty Days" on the "4-H Hour" on Atlanta's WAGA-TV."
Though he remembers seeing Rome Little Theatre's production of Arsenic and Old Lace about 1964, his own acting debut came at Asbury College in Kentucky, where he participated in several productions.
"When Sheila and I were engaged," he says "one of my arguments for returning to Rome to live was that I knew Rome had an active community theatre. I wanted to get involved as soon as possible."
"As soon as possible" turned out to be twenty years later when he agreed to try out for Rudy Childs' production of Peter Pan at Rome Little Theatre as a way of persuading his daughter, Brannon, to also audition.
"That show "hooked" me for good! What a ball! I was a pirate, Brannon was an Indian girl and we each had the time of our lives - though it can be painful to be in a Rudy Childs show. One scene called for Hook to sit on my back while he delivered his lines, then kick me across the stage. I counted thirty-two times we rehearsed that in one long evening!"
The Pirate crew immediately hit it off as a group and set about trying to steal the show with hilarious dances, foolish antics and "terrorizing" the audience directly by pretending to steal watches and jewelry as they brandished weapons in the aisles. When the actor who played Smee had a family emergency on a Sunday morning , Terrell learned the lines and blocking for the role with only a few hours warning for the afternoon performance. As a group the pirates were awarded the Best Supporting Actor Roman award for 1991.
Later Terrell would play the title role in The Wizard of Oz (also directed by Childs). He performed in the 1993 Follies as a soloist and the 1995 Follies as Fagin in excerpts from Oliver! And last year he played the Herald in Rodgers and Hammersteins Cinderella.
"The role of Charlie in Shenandoah is my dream role, though," he says, "short of some multimillionaire deciding to finance a local production of Les Miserables with me as Jean Valjean, I'll never have a role I have cherished more. I get to sing powerful, soulful music and portray a huge range of emotion ... and I don't even have to fake an accent!"
Both of Terrell's daughters have been active in theater. Brannon has been in many productions. She was a lead and sang a solo in RLT's Pied Piper. Lillian got her start in the children's performances at the 1995 Follies and again at the 1997 Follies. She and Brannon have also had lead roles and solos in children or youth musicals at Trinity United Methodist Church where the Shaws are members.
"Trinity has been an essential and wonderful part of our lives in every way, but especially musically. The people of Trinity are family, and our music program has encouraged us to grow musically and spiritually."
Terrell's three favorite stage moments before Shenandoah?
Here they are:
"Aye, Catherine's as barren as a brick, would you have me pray for a miracle, Sir Thomas? [Cardinal Woolsey in A Man For All Seasons];

"Why, a brain is a very mediocre commodity! Every pusillanimous creature that crawls upon the earth or slinks under slimy seas has a brain! [The Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz];

"Aarrrrghhh!" [Pirate in Peter Pan]

Terrell performs as a singer/storyteller at churches, schools, and civic groups. His stories range from his own creations to recreations of Uncle Remus and other tales to recitations of his own and others poetry.
"My storytelling - or at least oral recitation - goes back to childhood as well," he says, "My mother and father told Bible stories, Uncle Remus, and the stories of their childhoods. I loved to sit in the spare chair in my grandfather's barber shop and hike myself up and down while he regaled the customers or just me and Uncle James with tales, true, fancied or, most likely, mixed. Like the time my father burned down his first barber shop. Or the time he napped briefly on a train, woke thinking he had missed his stop, and jumped off the train - twenty miles too soon. I read Huckleberry Finn aloud to my little brother when he was only five or six. I loved to recite "Casey At the Bat". I had a book of "hip" fairy tales by Steve Allen that I loved to interpret for my friends. I spent 19 years teaching in elementary schools, and stories and poems were a part of every school day."
"Please don't neglect to let folks know how thankful I am to have the opportunity to portray Charlie"
His wife, Sheila, is Documentation Manager for Universal Tax Systems in Rome. "This is the heart of Tax Season so this involvement has been very difficult for her. I am so thankful this amazing and talented woman who promised to love me twenty-six years ago -- little knowing the task before her! -- and our daughters, Brannon and Lillian, have been willing to put up with this craziness at an awkward time!

More quotes from Terrell Shaw:

"I am also very grateful for the vocal training I have received from Rachel Jones at Trinity, Robert Jones at Shorter, and, specifically for this performance, from Brian Horne of Shorter. These are three wonderful teachers.
"James Willis transforms a sterile rehearsal room into a grand hall and an electronic keyboard into an grand orchestra. Thank you, James.
"I also look forward to working with Bill King - a real pro - and his orchestra, and the sound, set, prop, lighting and stage crews. They are mostly folks I've worked with before and I know to expect great things!
"Acting is really grown-up pretending: if you can recapture the pretending of childhood, I believe you can act. Thanks to my wonderful new "daughter" and six "sons" (really eight counting Gabriel and Sam) and a cast full of troupers - for pretending with me.
"And thanks to Rudy Childs for appropriating this dream of mine and running with it É and for demanding we do it right, while allowing us creative space!
"And Barbara Myers! She wrestled, cajoled, begged, coaxed and demanded the community to support the show and our three charities. She calls us stars. Well, she's a star in our eyes!"
Those interested in knowing more about Terrell can visit his personal website: http://members.aol.com/terrelshaw. There you will find a selection of his poetry spanning thirty years, as well as photos from several of his roles, other family photos, and his resume. There's also a huge genealogy that traces his ancestry to European kings and shows his relationship to two presidents. He says to take the genealogy with a grain of salt once you get back to the 1500s or so "Ésome "genealogists" of the past were happy to create links to royalty for a price."


Nikki Barker
Nikki Barker plays Jenny, the only sister of the six Anderson boys, and absolutely convinced that she can "outride, outshoot and outfight" any of them! She is the apple of her father's eye, and as he says "ripe".
Nikki is an accomplished singer who can handle the songs of Reba McIntire and Amadeus Mozart with equal mastery. Nikki is the daughter of Sharlette Phillips who is also involved in Shenandoah as Properties Manager. Nikki lives in Cedartown where she works part-time as Children's Music Director for First United Methodist Church.

Chris Hall
Chris Hall plays the stubborn and outspoken second son, James. James feels that the Andersons ought to get involved in the war--"Éhow can we just sit here and ignore itÉ we're Virginians!"
Chris is a senior music major at Shorter College where he has participated in many musicals, most recently as Billy Bigelow in Carousel. Chris has a powerful singing voice and is equally powerful as an actor. When he heard we needed another singing and dancing Anderson, he persuaded his younger brother, Greg, to audition. As a result two of our Anderson brothers, really are!

Craig Waldrip
Another Shorter College music student, Craig is a veteran of many performances. He has approached the role of Sam as a real pro from the first. Always prepared for rehearsals and open to direction. As the bashful, nervous suitor of Jenny, but also a brave soldier in a lost cause, he shines.

Deana Goss
Deana Goss returns to the stage in Rome as Anne, the wife of James Anderson, soon to be mother to Charlie's first grandchild. Deana is a seasoned performer. She is a soloist for the Georgians, a well known band in the state. She appeared last year in the title role of Cinderella at the Rome Little Theatre.

Phillip Wiggins
As the strong, quiet oldest Anderson brother, Jacob, Phillip Wiggins makes his acting debut. He has appeared in the Junior Service League Follies .
Phillip is the owner of an insurance business in Rome.

Jerry Bilbo
A Christian Ministry student, Jerry is another Shorter College student. A Texan, Jerry has approached his role as John with big dose of verve! John is a mischievous, boisterous, Anderson boy.

Allen Wildes
Allen plays the studious Henry Anderson. Allen, a student of Joanne Collier, is an accomplished dancerÉ look for him and partner Tanya in area and statewide dance competitions.

Greg Hall
Greg Hall is another mischievous, boisterous, Anderson boy, Nathan. A student at Shorter College, he was recruited for Shenandoah by his older brother -- on-stage and off -- Chris Hall. He, with the other brothers, gives a showstopping rendition of the "Next to Lovin'" song and dance number.

Breon Ford
Breon has been bitten by the acting bug! Look for him in many productions to come. As the slave, Gabriel, and best friend to the youngest Anderson, he gives an outstanding debut performance. Breon is a student at Pepperell Elementary School.

Chris Jackson
The youngest Anderson is "Boy", played by stage veteran Chris Jackson. Chris has had major roles in many local productions since he was six years old, when he starred as Michael in Peter Pan.

Lynn Cundiff
Dr. Lynn Cundiff, president of Floyd College, is a veteran of over 20 musicals. As Reverend Byrd, he is a fiery country preacher, fiercely loyal to his native state, Virginia.
Mark Swanson
Mark plays Confederate Sergeant Johnson, who learns that drafting the Anderson boys into the Confederate Army is no easy task.
Don Chambers
Don plays Union Army procurement agent, Carol. He learns -- the hard way -- that the Anderson horses "...are not for sale."
Denis Johnston
Greedy, seedy, cowardly, no-account, Tinkham, should have warned Mr. Carol! Denis is a veteran of local theatrical productions. He is also a member of the Rome Symphony Chorus and is a teacher.
Jon Brewer
As a scared, trigger-happy, wet-behind-the-ears, sixteen-year-old Confederate, Jon participates in one of the most tragic and dramatic scenes in the show. Jon is a student at Coosa High School. In May he will participate in a choral competition in Austria with a county wide, auditioned student choir.
Roland Chandler
As an assistant to director Rudy Childs, Rowland filled in at one time or another for nearly every cast member! But he actually plays two roles: the Confederate Lieutenant who "welcomes" the Andersons to the war; and as member of a murderous band of deserters who raid the Anderson farm.
DeForest Hamilton
DeForest plays the engineer of a Union prison train waylaid by Charlie Anderson and his family. He thinks it not right to burn a train "...just cause she's come onto hard times!"

Joy Michelle Smith
Joy's operatic soprano voice is used to close the show with a beautiful arrangement of the title song.

Cecilia Dawson
A veteran actress, Cecilia has played Elisa Doolittle and Peter Pan, among many other great roles. In Shenandoah, she helps the audience personify Charlie's memories of his late wife, Martha, -- a spirit that he confers with in times of trial.
Tickets: $10 - General Admission
($5 - Children 12 & under)
Available at:
Traditions of Rome
Rome Area History Museum
Floyd College
or at the door

Rome City Auditorium
Sat., Feb. 21, 1998 - 8 pm
Sun., Feb. 22, 1998 - 2:30 pm
Thurs., Feb. 26, 1998 - 8 pm
Fri., Feb. 27, 1998 - 8 pm
Sat., Feb. 28, 1998 - 8 pm


For more information:

e-mail Terrell Shaw