Good Neighbors Theatre is proud to announce the opening of its first ever Teen Director Series production, Aesop’s Fables, on Saturday August 27th at 7:00 pm. A second performance is Sunday, August 28th at 2:00 pm, both at GNT located at 8780 Highway 111 Byrdstown, TN.

GNT is excited for the growth in youth participation this production represents. It follows the popular summer youth music and drama camps where children are introduced to the performing arts.

Many of the camp’s participants go on to perform on the GNT stage each year. The hope is that this will become yet another great opportunity for area youth to get involved in acting on a live stage, giving them experience speaking in public—an important tool as they become adults and enter the job market.

This production is under the direction of Miss Caroline Patterson. Caroline is a seventeen-year-old from Livingston who has been involved in many of the productions at GNT, most recently as Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Caroline has many passions such as working with 4H and showing her award winning sheep, but she also has a love of all aspects of theatre.

She not only acts, but also is known for her ability in costuming and make-up. GNT is so thrilled that she took on the responsibility of directing.

Miss Briahna Alvarez, a local of Byrdstown and a student at Pickett County High School, will be the assistant director of the production. Briahna is a multi-talented performer who enjoys not only the theatre, but also singing and dancing.

Briahna has been in various productions at GNT and her being able to expand her role with the theatre is exciting for each of us. GNT looks forward to seeing her grow and expand her repertoire in the theatre.

GNT was thrilled when she agreed to come on board, as she is a valuable asset to attaining the goals of GNT.

For the lighting and sound technician, GNT was lucky enough to find Evan Garrett. Evan, whose mother Jamie Garrett has operated lighting and sound for many productions, will be taking over the role of his mother for this production.

Evan, also a local of Byrdstown and a student in the Pickett County school system, first became involved behind the scenes during the production, A Midsummer Night’ Dream. This Teen Director Series is the perfect opportunity for Evan to fine-tune his technical skills. GNT looks forward to him being a valuable member of our production team for years to come.

Creator of the fables the GNT production is based on is an ancient Greek named Aesop. Fables are similar to fairy tales, which are sometimes about animals. But they are not the typical Greek myths from the Greek mythology about Gods and Heroes. Since the time of Aesop, the fable was a powerful tool to expose and ridicule our ills and vices as people and as a society.

Observing the life and characteristics of animals, the fabulist makes a comparison between them and the moral characteristics of men. The images of animals have a parallel meaning: the donkey expresses the characteristics of a hard and stupid man, the sheep – of the gentle and harmless, the snake – of the evil and vindictive, and the wolf reveals the nature of an evil and cruel man.

As a result of these similarities, over time, people began to call one another fox, snake, rabbit etc. when they saw the same characteristics in someone’s personality.

Tickets are $5.00 plus tax each and lap babies are free. They are available at the Byrdstown-Pickett County Chamber of Commerce. All pre-reserved tickets must be paid for at the time the reservation is made. Stop by the Chamber located at 1005 Highway 111. The Chamber’s phone is 931-864-7195.

Tickets may also be purchased at the Good Neighbors Theatre ticket booth prior to the performances. All ticket sales are final. Unused tickets are non-refundable.

Those requiring special assistance must indicate their need at the time reservation is made. Make checks payable to GNT. Messages may be left at 931-864-4569.

This project is funded under a Grant Contract with the State of Tennessee. Good Neighbors Theatre is an equal opportunity provider and employer.