The Cumberland County Playhouse announced a new project by Emmy-award winning documentarian Todd Jarrell (“Tree Safari,” “Darkness on the Edge of Town,” “Bluegrass Underground”) and Cookeville’s PBS-TV affiliate station WCTE. This proposed film entitled Bright Lights; Little City: 50 years of the Cumberland County Playhouse will celebrate and examine the role that Cumberland County’s Appalachian community has played in building a successful performing arts center over the past five decades.
In a rural region under-served with other arts opportunities, the Playhouse provides over 350 performances and 1,200 classes in theatre, dance and music annually.
This project will focus on the Playhouse’s 50th anniversary special events, current running productions and interviews with staff and alumni. The majority of Mr. Jarrell’s nationally released work in television has highlighted the cultural and artistic lives of the people of Tennessee’s Upper Cumberland region, including the award-winning Americana/Roots live concert series Bluegrass Underground, which is currently in its fifth season.
“We are honored to have Todd Jarrell share our story with the world,” says Playhouse Producing Director Jim Crabtree. “To be able to showcase our community and history through his work is a very exciting opportunity for us.”
The Cumberland County Playhouse is calling on the local community to help. As of Sept. 17, the Playhouse has raised $87,000 of the $125,000 project budget. The funds raised will go towards film rights, closed captioning, cameras, crew, interviews and more. For more information or to donate to the documentary, please visit www.brightlightslittlecity.org.
For more information visit www.ccplayhouse.com.