Steve Martin and Edie Brickell’s “Bright Star,” a heartfelt story of love, loss and redemption set against the bluegrass-rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and 1940s, will take the stage at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Fine Arts Center’s Dorothy Hackett Ward Theatre.
Performed by the UTC Theatre Co., “Bright Star” runs at 7:30 p.m. from Feb. 25-March 1—with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, March 1.
Tickets can be purchased online by clicking here and through the UTC Box Office—in person or by phone (423-425-4369). Tickets are $25 for general admission and $20 for students (with proof of student ID) and seniors.
The UTC Fine Arts Center is located at the intersection of Dr. Roland Carter Street (formerly known as Vine Street) and Palmetto Street on the UTC campus.
Directed by Steve Ray, head of the Department of Theatre and artistic director of the UTC Theatre Co., “Bright Star” brings its moving story to life with a bluegrass-inspired score by Martin and Brickell.
Martin, an acclaimed actor, comedian and musician, and Brickell—a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and lead singer of the folk-rock band Edie Brickell & New Bohemians—crafted a score that blends soaring melodies and storytelling into a powerful journey of self-discovery. Inspired by their 2013 Grammy-winning album “Love Has Come for You,” the Tony-nominated musical premiered in 2014 and debuted on Broadway in 2016.
“It’s unusual for musicals to have this many catchy singable tunes—and this one does,” Ray said. “You can’t walk away from this production without singing the songs in your head.
“And it’s more emotional than you would think. You hear bluegrass-inspired and bluegrass-infused, and you have a certain notion of it. But it weaves between heartbreak and hope and takes you on a real emotional journey.”
Inspired by actual events, “Bright Star” tells the story of Alice Murphy (played by UTC senior Pearson Smith), a determined literary editor with a concealed past, and Billy Cane (played by UTC freshman Liam Phillips), a young soldier-turned-writer striving to find his voice. As their paths cross, long-buried secrets surface, uncovering a life-changing connection that binds them in unexpected ways.
“We have the best voices that we’ve probably ever had in a musical, and we always have good voices,” Ray said of the 23-member student cast. “We had a whole bunch of freshmen and transfer students come in this year and add to our depth of talent—so the audience will hear amazing voices.
“The design is beautiful, the story is compelling—and, of course, you get Steve Martin’s music and Edie Brickell’s lyrics.”
Ray noted that “Bright Star” is set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, making the production especially meaningful. To give back, the UTC Theatre Co. is working with the North Carolina Community Foundation Disaster Relief Fund “to use the show’s program to raise awareness about Hurricane Helene recovery.”
“We will help them raise funds by inserting a QR code in the program,” Ray said. “A large part of the musical takes place in Asheville. There’s even a song called ‘Asheville,’ and everybody knows about the hurricane’s devastation there.”
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The student cast is comprised of the following UTC undergraduates (academic year/major/hometown):
- Pearson Smith (senior/theatre: theatre entrepreneurship/Ringgold, Georgia)
- Liam Phillips (freshman/English: creative writing/Franklin, Tennessee)
- Gunter Hullander (sophomore/theatre: theatre education/Ringgold, Georgia)
- Miller Richardson (senior/communication/Collierville, Tennessee)
- Harrison Faulkner (junior/marketing/Signal Mountain, Tennessee)
- Annie Mitchell (junior/humanities: liberal arts/Brentwood, Tennessee)
- Mattilynn Moyle (freshman/theatre: design and technology/Spring Hill, Tennessee)
- Cooper Lebo (sophomore/theatre: acting/Murfreesboro, Tennessee)
- Kyra Hollmon (sophomore/theatre/Memphis)
- MJ Moyle (senior/theatre: acting/Spring Hill, Tennessee)
- Solomon Ledford (sophomore/theatre: theatre education and secondary education: history/Dunlap, Tennessee)
- Cody Robinson (junior/theatre: acting/Ringgold, Georgia)
- Teagan Bartz (sophomore/criminal justice/Gallatin, Tennessee)
- Prince Jackson (freshman/theatre/Nashville)
- Katie Forrester (senior/theatre: acting/Rocky Face, Georgia)
- Bronwyn McEwen (junior/theatre/Lookout Mountain, Tennessee)
- Alan Du (sophomore/finance: business finance/Germantown, Tennessee)
- Brandon Toste (senior/theatre: acting/Collierville, Tennessee)
- Mitchell Davis (freshman/theatre: theatre education/Cleveland, Tennessee)
- Samantha Baker (sophomore/theatre: theatre education/Sevierville, Tennessee)
- Miles White (senior/theatre: acting/Chattanooga)
- Katie Mullins (junior/theatre: theatre education/Antioch, Tennessee)
- Cory Tilley (freshman/theatre: theatre education/Soddy Daisy, Tennessee)
The “Bright Star” production crew includes the following UTC students:
- Karlee Ming—stage manager (junior/theatre/Chattanooga)
- Austin Walkup—assistant stage manager (sophomore/theatre: design and technology/Nashville)
- Cameron Schulz—assistant stage manager (freshman/theatre: acting/Columbia, Tennessee)
- Dauriya Matskevich—assistant director (senior/theatre: directing/ St. Petersburg, Russia)
- Conard Belitz—assistant technical director (junior/theatre: design and technology/Kingston, Tennessee)
Other members of the production crew include Emma Hoffbauer (scenic designer), Taylor Busch (costume designer), Alex Miller-Long (lighting designer), Gaye Jeffers (dramaturg), Terry Sanford (music director) and Kristin Nalley (choreographer).
Later this semester, the UTC Theatre Co. will present “John Proctor is the Villain” by Kimberly Belflower from Apr. 8-12. “John Proctor is the Villain,” set in a rural high school in Georgia, is a tale about a group of lively teens studying “The Crucible” while navigating young love, sex ed and a few school scandals.
For more information, visit the UTC Theatre Co. page.
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The UTC Theatre Co. is working with the North Carolina Community Foundation Disaster Relief Fund, using the show’s program to raise awareness about Hurricane Helene recovery.
The North Carolina Community Foundation Disaster Relief Fund will support long-term recovery and unmet needs in western North Carolina communities affected by Hurricane Helene in the years to come. With the money from the fund, NCCF will provide grants in the months and years ahead to eligible organizations in affected communities. Fundraising began immediately after the storm and the first grants will be awarded in Spring 2025.
Direct link to donate to the NCCF Disaster Relief Fund: nccommunityfoundation.org/DisasterFund.
