Nashville Children’s Theatre (NCT) is taking audiences on an adventure of chaos, mischief, and fun with the world premiere of “The Worst Best School Year Ever,” playing September 7-29. Based on the hilarious book by Barbara Robinson, this play is written by Jahnna Beecham and Malcolm Hillgartner, who also wrote “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical.”
The story follows a student named Beth as she gets paired on a project with the Herdmans, a group of crazy kids who are never up to any good. This group’s wild behavior and outrageous lies constantly lead to disaster, but Beth slowly learns that there is much more to this family than what meets the eye.
This show will be NCT’s 20th and final world premiere under Executive Artistic Director Ernie Nolan’s visionary leadership. NCT is thankful for the lasting impact Nolan has made since he began in 2017, and they look forward to welcoming the talented Colin Peterson, NCT’s director of education, to the role of interim artistic director along with Dr. Martha Cantrell, who will serve as the interim managing director.
“This production has been such a fun journey, and it is even more special because it is my final show with this beloved theater. It’s truly a fantastic way to wrap up my time at NCT,” Nolan said. “This show is a journey of struggle, humility and friendship that will capture audiences of all ages. It shows us there is good in everyone and everything – we just have to care enough to look.”
Cast and their Roles for “The Worst Best School Year Ever”: Ernie Nolan is the Director; Joy Pointe is Beth Bradley; Gerold Oliver is Charlie Bradley; Tamiko Robison Steele is Mrs. Bradley/Miss Kemp/Mrs. McClusky/ Nurse Greenblatt; Sejal Mehta is Imogene Herdman; Brian Jones is Leroy Herdman/Eugene; Alisa Osborne is Gladys Herdman/Miss Newman; Erika Haines is Alice Wendleken/Mrs. Wendleken; Will Henke is Boomer Malone; Natalie Rankin is Louella McClusky; and Will Farris is the Stage Manager.
All performances of this production will take place on NCT’s sensory-friendly main stage. A sensory room at the back of the auditorium provides patrons of all ages with tools to regulate their minds and bodies, while providing the opportunity to see and hear the performance. NCT also offers an ASL-interpreted performance of “The Worst Best School Year Ever” on Sunday, Sept. 29.
Nashville Children’s Theatre is the country’s oldest youth-centered professional theater, providing nationally recognized family-friendly programming with professional, high-quality production by trained actors. Creating artistic experiences for everyone, Nashville Children’s Theatre believes theater can change the world, one audience at a time. The theater’s performances help kids process real-world situations and build a foundation of empathy for their relationships and actions, now and in the future. And that means a better, kinder world for everyone.
The 2024-25 Season continues with five more shows. Pippi Longstocking runs November 2- December 15, 2024, for All Ages. Wheels on the Bus runs October 5- December 1, 2024 for Ages 0-5. Elijah Rock! A Jubilee Battle runs January 1- March 2, 2025, for Grades 3-8. Dino Time! Runs March 1- May 18, 2025 for Ages 0-5. Diary of a Wimpy Kid runs from April 5 to May 18, 2025 for Grades 3-8. Tickets are available now at NashvilleChildrensTheatre.org.
