“Knoxville” opened in Knoxville (at Clarence Brown Theatre) on September 6, 2024. It played to a full house and was a hit.

The 90-minute musical is a new take on the life of writer James Agee, who was born in Knoxville in 1909 in the Fort Sanders area – about one mile from the theatre.

Young Agee was just 6 when his father died in a one-car wreck on Clinton Highway, coming home from LaFollette where he had visited his ailing father at the behest of his alcoholic brother.

Nick Barrington was perfectly cast as young James Rufus Follet. Wide-eyed and surrounded by adults, Rufus adored his father – both the playful, roughhouse dad in the rambunctious opening song, “Knoxville,” and the tender dad who sang “Father to Son.”

A test of a musical is would you buy and play this soundtrack?

Yes, a dozen times. “The Lunchroom of the Night” is the powerful centerpiece performed by the cast at the time of the senior Follet’s crash and death. This is new music, written by Stephen Flaherty with lyrics by Lynn Ahrens for this play.

Director Josh Rhodes paid tribute to Frank Galati, who wrote the book (based on A Death in the Family by James Agee and All the Way Home by Tad Mosel). Mr. Galati also directed the development and production of “Knoxville” by Asolo Repertory Theatre in April 2022. He passed away in January 2023 at age 79. “He was one of the greats,” said Rhodes, “a man of words.”

Roy Cockrum (photo from social media)

Think of the risk in creating art, the vulnerability of being rejected or worse, the emptiness of being ignored. Shouldering the risks of “Knoxville” is Roy Cockrum, Powerball winner who opted to spend his winnings to promote world-class performing arts. His foundation funded the commissioning, development and world premiere of “Knoxville.”

It also underwrote the CBT production.

Cockrum was at Clarence Brown Theatre on Friday, standing in the lobby like a preacher, greeting the attendees. He may come every night. The show is scheduled to run through September 22. Here’s hoping some theatre scouts attend and offer this fine show life on other stages.

Director Rhodes asks why make a musical about death? He cites Agee’s novel. “You don’t read this novel; it sings to you. Agee seems to have … laid his thoughts on a blanket of music and it’s not hard to imagine a violin vibrating along with Agee’s opening words, ‘We are talking now of summer evenings in Knoxville, Tennessee, in the times that I lived there so successfully disguised to myself as a child.’”

Catch up on the awards (including two Pulitzer Prizes) and history of the work here.

Reasons to buy a ticket and head over to CBT:

  • Strong, balanced cast; great acoustics. You can hear every word.
  • Talented backups meander through the play as actors, singers, orchestra members and even stage hands. This makes for a seamless flow of folks good at many aspects of play-making.
  • Local talent blends with original performers. Shinnerrie Jackson, assistant professor of theatre at UT, handles the role of Rufus’ aunt. Other locals are Laura Beth Wells, Katy Wolfe, Deanna Surber, Sammy Pontello, Chip Morris, Mathew Mimbs, McKinley Merritt, Aliah Mahalati, Evie Andrus and finally, Olivia Birkbeck, a rising sixth grader at Clinton Elementary School, who is understudy to Nick Barrington as Rufus.

Carrying the lead are Alan Chandler (Jay Follet), Jason Danieley (the narrator, adult Rufus), Hannah Elless (Mary Follet) and Chris Hoch (Ralph Follet, Jay’s brother). Danieley and Elless were in the 2022 premiere.

Just suspend reality to experience the trinity of Follets – father, son and ghost – when young Rufus, adult Rufus and dead dad show up for the finale. Ticket info here.

Sandra Clark founded Knox TN Today