“Let your freak flag fly!” Ogres rule at the PPP

Freak flags were flying during the opening weekend of Shrek the Musical at the Poplar Pike Playhouse. Audience members loved the singing, dancing, and telling of the well-known story, which is based on William Steig’s book Shrek! and the hit animated film of the same title. “It is an amazing story from a quest of old Ogre. It takes those archetypes and turns and twists them around,” said Stephanie Thomas.

The musical follows the story of a gigantic green ogre, Shrek, who goes on a life- changing adventure to reclaim his land after discovering his swamp overrun by fairytale characters. He is joined by a wisecracking donkey. The unlikely hero defends off a frightful dragon to rescue a feisty princess and learns the true meaning of love and friendship.

While the human cast is fun and energetic, the story embraces a powerful message of acceptance: to be beautiful means to be yourself. “There are many small details in the movie Shrek, and that’s really hard to put that on stage with the students. It was captured so well.” said longtime PPP patron Jonathan Whitehead.

Students involved in Germantown High School’s Creative and Performing Arts program not only work onstage, but also behind the scenes to bring this production to life. Jordan Bernardini, a GHS alum and PPP patron, remarked, “From what I can tell the students do almost everything. I’m amazed by the set. I’m amazed by all the props.”

“It was fun attendng a musical of a movie that my children watch and seeing them smile, laughing, and singing along to the songs,” said Elizabeth Stuart. Come out and experience this magical and entertaining comedy! Shrek the Musical runs until March 7th. Tickets can be purchased at PPP.org or by calling the Poplar Pike Playhouse’s box office at (901) 755-7775. Tickets can be reserved in advance and a discount is available with the use of promo codes on the PPP’s daily updated social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram). The Poplar Pike Playhouse is located on the campus of Germantown High School.

OGRES RULE AT THE PPP!

Everyone’s favorite ogre is hitting the Poplar Pike Playhouse stage this spring! Shrek the Musical is a hilarious stage spectacle based on the Oscar-winning, smash hit film. Featuring all new songs by Jeanine Tesori and script by David Lindsay-Abaire, Shrek brings all the beloved characters from the film to life on stage and proves there is more to the story than meets the ears.

When the kingdom of Duloc’s magical creatures descend on his swamp, Shrek soon discovers the only way to make them leave is to team up with the spunk filled, fast-talking Donkey to rescue the endangered Princess Fiona. On their journey back to the kingdom of Duloc Shrek and Donkey both learn that a person’s heart means more than outward appearances.

This musical is filled with unforgettable characters and humorous songs as well. “Story of My Life”, “Forever”, and “Morning Person” are just a few of the catchy songs that appear in the show. “What makes Shrek stands out from other shows is that while it is a familiar story for many people, it is also unique. The characters, the costumes, the props, and the lighting of this magical story will be something audiences will remember for a long time,” said Chelbi Talley who is the Stage Manager for Shrek.

The cast of Shrek includes: Chloe Anderson, Ternyce Anderson, Tevin Arter, Kristen Blake, Jamaia Chase, Summer Christian, Roman Clark, Jayda Dennis, Gabriel Eskridge, Brima Gassama, Kadiatu Gassama, Alyssia Goodwin, Tierney Harris, Andrew Heady, Garret Heady, DanE Henderson, Kevion Hendrix, Lara Hoyer, Nadia Khaled, Mariques Lambert, Alanna Lee, Tia Lyons, Juan Martinez, Ethan McCraw, Gilana Moody, Alexa Morris, Saul Munoz-Gomez, Kaitlyn Poindexter, Ashley Price, Adria Richardson, Madisyn Rix, Brandon Sewell, Delaney Smith, Akilah Suggs, CJ Thomas, Xavion Thomas, Bethany Tran, Randy Troung, Brooklynn White, Mattie Wild, Stephanie Zou.

Shrek the Musical is fun for the whole family so make plans to come see this fun musical when it hits the PPP stage February 20-March 7! For more information, call the Poplar Pike Playhouse Box Office at (901)755-7775 or visit PPP.org. To keep up with the latest news and get behind the scenes looks, follow the Playhouse on Facebook, Instagram (@poplarpikeplayhouse), and Twitter (@ppptheatre). The Poplar Pike Playhouse is the theatre complex located on the campus of Germantown High School.

“Don’t feed the plants!” Little Shop of Horrors kills at the PPP

Halloween weekend kicked off with the opening of Little Shop of Horrors at the Poplar Pike Playhouse. Audience members loved the singing, dancing, and telling of the well-known story, which is based on the campy cult classic movie of the same title. “Little Shop of Horrors has been around for a long time and I really love what the show symbolizes,” said Joseph Thomas. “Even though it is funny it has a message.”

The musical follows Seymour Krelbourn, a florist worker, who becomes famous after discovering an alien plant that feeds off of human blood. When Seymour finally confronts the ethics of keeping the plant alive, he is in too deep.

While the human cast is energetic and entertaining, the star of the show very well may be the pushy plant, Audrey II. “It was surprising how it grew over time, it was very impressive.” proclaimed Little Shop fan William Casey.

Students involved in Germantown High School’s Creative and Performing Arts program not only work onstage, but also behind the scenes to bring this production to life. “The students really invest a lot of their time into these productions and it really shows,” said a long time PPP patron Lisa Drumm.

“The urchins are my favorite, they carry the show along and they’re so much fun,” said Nelba Thomas. Come out and experience this deviliciously entertaining comedy! ! Little Shop of Horrors runs until November 9th. Tickets can be purchased at PPP.org or by calling the Poplar Pike Playhouse’s box office at (901) 755-7775. Tickets can be reserved in advance and a discount is available with the use of promo codes on the PPP’s daily updated social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram). The Poplar Pike Playhouse is located on the campus of Germantown High School.

Audiences Are Making a Habit Out of Seeing Sister Act!

This is your calling! Audiences are dancing in the aisles and singing to the soulful songs of Sister Act, playing now at the Poplar Pike Playhouse. “Very funny,” exclaimed Ashton Collins. This version of Sister Act is based on the movie of the same title, made famous by award-winning actress Whoopi Goldberg. “I knew about the movies but I didn’t know it was a musical as well. It was fun and energetic!” said April Strand, a long-time PPP patron.

The musical begins explosively with Deloris Van Cartier’s dynamite personality. When this soulful lounge singer witnesses her gangster boyfriend, Curtis, commit murder, Deloris runs to the police and finds herself in a unique witness protection program- a convent! Under the suspicious watch of the Mother Superior, Deloris turns the convent’s lackluster choir into a musical powerhouse. As she helps the choir discover their voices, she unexpectedly rediscovers her own as well.

Students involved in Germantown High School’s Creative and Performing Arts program not only work onstage, but also behind the scenes to bring this production to life. From the beautiful set that includes stained glass, to the iconic red boots and the beautifully embroidered stoles of the convent’s Priest and nuns, the student staff reaches back to the 70s and brings it to the PPP stage. “The final act was very flashy, very memorable and brought it all together,” said Strand. “The cast and crew did a really good job. It was wonderful.”

“The enthusiasm of the cast was amazing! My favorite one yet!” compliments Stephanie Thomas. Come be a part of the act and experience a show like no other! Sister Act runs until March 9th. Tickets can be purchased at PPP.org or by calling the Poplar Pike Playhouse’s box office at (901) 755-7775. Tickets can be reserved in advance and receive a discount with the use of promo codes on the PPP’s daily updated social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram). The Poplar Pike Playhouse is located on the campus of Germantown High School.

Be a part of The Act!

The Poplar Pike Playhouse is proud to announce Sister Act will make its debut on the PPP stage in February.

CJ Thomas (left) and Andrew Heady (right) work hard on perfecting their music for the show.

Based on the 1992 film of the same title, Sister Act tells the story of Deloris Van Cartier, a Philadelphia disco diva who dreams of making it big. When she witnesses her boyfriend commit murder, Cartier is put in a witness protection program and hides out in a convent full of nuns where she learns there may be more to life than glitz and glamour. Sister Act first premiered in London’s West End theater district in 2009. It made its way to Broadway in 2011 where it was nominated for five Tony Awards including Best Musical. With music by legendary composer Alan Menken and lyrics by Glenn Slater, Sister Act is guaranteed to have you dancing in the aisles.

Director Ashleigh Williams is extremely excited for this production, “I have always loved the movie Sister Act. Once I started listening to the musical, I fell in love. It is a show about acceptance and change and it is filled with so much fun.”

Mackenzie Kuykendoll plays the role of Deloris Van Cartier. “I am so estatic about getting to play such an iconic role. There are many inspirations for the role that I look up to such as Whoopie Goldberg and Patina Miller. I love this show, so I’m very excited to go on this journey with Deloris.”

Director Ashleigh Williams choreographs a big number in the show with the rest of the cast. 

The cast of Sister Act includes: Tevin Arter, Sidniya Beattie, Hayden Belue, Jamaia Chase, Rachel Christopherson, Roman Clark, Erica Crosby, Abigail Davis, Jayda Dennis-Alexander, Zoe Donndelinger, Gabriel Eskridge, Kadiatu Gassama, Alyssia Goodwin, Xea Goolsby, Paris Guy, Andrew Heady, Garrett Heady, DanE Henderson, JaCorrion Hill, Dillon Humphrey, CJ Jamerson, Elbert Jones, Reyna Katko, Nadia Khaled, Anies Kunda, Mackenzie Kuykendoll, Allison Lee, Ethan McCraw, Rodney McKinner, Alexa Morris, Nacim Osman, Kaitlyn Poindexter, Ashley Price, Madisyn Rix, Rebecca Schranz, CJ Thomas, Xavion Thomas, Randy Truong, and Tye Washington.

The creative team behind Sister Act includes associate director Jeff White, musical director Matthew Hayner, and technical director Catie Ward. David Chipman is the show’s conductor.

Sister Act opens at the Poplar Pike Playhouse on February 21 and will run through March 9. Call the PPP Box Office at (901) 755-7775 or go to ppp.org to get more information! Follow the PPP on Facebook, Instagram (poplarpikeplayhouse), and Twitter (ppp theatre) for updates and special coupon codes for our shows.

The Poplar Pike Playhouse is the theatre complex located on the campus of Germantow High School. The corporate sponsor is Landmark Community Bank.

Wanna play a game?

Audiences are raving about the Poplar Pike Playhouse’s latest production Clue: On Stage. “Hilarious! It was very enjoyable and it kept you guessing the entire way,” said Amanda Killebrew. This version of Clue is a play based on the classic board game as well as the movie, both with the same name. “I remember the movie with Tim Curry and thought it had a phenomenal cast," claimed John Whitehead, a self-proclaimed Clue fanatic. 

All of the Clue guests prepare to meet their host for the evening, Ms. Boddy.

The play begins on a dark and stormy night at a very unusual party. Each guest has a colorful alias, a variety of weapons, and the host is, well…dead. The question on everyone’s mind is ‘whodunnit’? Join the lively cast of characters known as Scarlet, Plum, White, Green, Peacock, and Mustard as they race to find the murderer in Boddy Manor before the body count increases.

The students of Germantown High School work to bring Boddy Manor to life with it’s iconic characters: Miss Scarlet, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, and Mrs. Peacock. “It was very playful and the costumes were fantastic,” said long time PPP patron Ann Argodale. 

Wadsworth (Rodney McKinner) reveals the night's true intentions to the guests.

Audiences are excited for opening weekend. “The production level is very high, as always, and the students are so talented,” said Whitehead. “I loved the timing and choreography of the game pieces.”

Does the group discover who murdered Ms. Boddy or will one of them (or more) fall victim in their attempt to play detective? Swing by the PPP to find out! Clue: On Stage runs through December 16. Tickets can be purchased at PPP.org or through the Poplar Pike Playhouse’s Box Office at (901) 755-7775. Tickets can be reserved two days in advance and receive a discount with the use of promo codes on the PPP’s daily updated social media pages (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram). The Poplar Pike Playhouse is located on the campus of Germantown High School. Diesel Care and Performance, Inc. is the corporate sponsor of Clue: On Stage.

GHS-TV wins National Student Production Award

Germantown High School Television has once again been nationally recognized for exceptional broadcasting. GHS-TV recently received a National Student Production Award for its Red Devil Post Game sports show. The National Student Production Awards recognize high school students for their achievement in video production. Red Devil Post Game is a student hosted and produced show about GHS sports. Each show features game highlights, coach and player interviews, and in-depth analysis. The winning show features the 2017 Red Devil Football team. Host Ryan Coleman highlights the team’s remarkable winning streak and studies the Devils’ overall performance. The show also featured an exclusive interview with Jacksonville Jaguars’ tight end Mychal Rivera.

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences presented the award on Thursday, October 18th. Before winning nationally, Red Devil Post Game competed regionally. The show received its first regional win in April at the 16th annual Mid-South Student Production Awards. Rachel Christopherson, Ryan Coleman, Tate Jakobi, Andrew Pollard, and Wolfgang Stoltz represented GHS-TV during the ceremony.

Established in 1982, GHS-TV is a community television station operated by the students of Germantown High School. GHS-TV is seen online at ghstv.org and its programming airs in the Memphis area on Comcast C19. Student work also appears weekly on the local NBC affiliate, WMC-TV Action News 5, as part of its News 101 series. GHS-TV serves as a model facility that continues to produce original programming, inform citizens and educate young people interested in telecommunications careers. GHS-TV has been named the nation’s best access station an unprecedented 14 times by the Alliance for Community Media. Students have won over 172 Hometown Video Awards, 50 regional and 2 national Student Emmys™ .

For more information on GHS-TV’s programming or to watch our live stream, visit ghstv.org. You also can follow the station on Facebook and Twitter. Allison Long is the Executive Producer for GHS-TV. Leonid Mazor serves as the studio supervisor. Mallory Kenney is the senior content producer. Katie Lowe is the business manager. Bobby Ramsay serves the station as the broadcast engineer.

Election Night 2018

Watch GHSTV’s live coverage of Election Night 2018…. Tuesday, November 6th at 8pm…. only on ghstv.org!

Classic Board Game Comes to Life on the PPP Stage

The characters spy on Wadsworth (Rodney McKinner) as he reads classified information that will determine the fate of the evening.

The Poplar Pike Playhouse is excited to announce its upcoming fall production Clue: On Stage. Based on the classic board game and movie directed by Jonathan Lynn, everyone’s favorite ‘whodunnit’ comedy follows six “colorful” characters who are blackmailed for their scandalous deeds. Find out what happens when these individuals are invited to dinner by their mysterious blackmailer, Mr. Boddy.

Led by Mr. Boddy’s butler, Wadsworth, an investigation into Mr. Boddy’s murder begins and as the night progresses so does the body count.Will these guests maintain their innocence? Will a murderer be revealed? Could it be Mr. Plum with the revolver in the library?

“I am a big fan of the movie and I am so excited to bring it to the stage along with a little twist”, says director Jeff White.

The iconic board game characters (CJ Jamerson, Andrew Heady, Hayden Belue, Mackenzie Kuykendoll, Rachel Christopherson, Kaitlyn Poindexter) of Clue come to life as they receive their infamous murder weapons for the first time.

The cast of Clue: On Stage includes: Kimberly Baldwin, Hayden Belue, Jamaia Chase, Rachel Christopherson, Zoe Donndelinger, Andrew Heady, CJ Jamerson, Reyna Katko, Mackenzie Kuykendall, Landen Loschiavo, Rodney McKinner, Alexa Morris, Gilana Moody, Kaitlyn Poindexter, Rebecca Schranz, Jules Swenson, and Tye Washington.

Make plans to be a part of the investigation when it hits the PPP stage December 6-15! Call for tickets when they go on sale starting October 22. For more information, call the Poplar Pike Playhouse Box Office at (901)755-7775 or visit PPP.org. To keep up with the latest news and get behind the scenes look, follow the Playhouse on Facebook, Instagram(@poplarpikeplayhouse), and Twitter (@ppptheatre). The Poplar Pike Playhouse is the theatre complex located on the campus of Germantown High School.

Congratulations GHS Choir!

31 Singers from GHS auditioned for the All Southwest Senior High Choir.

We are excited to report that 11 students made the ensemble! These students are:

Jessica Brimage, Rachel Christopherson, Abigail Davis ,Andrew Heady, Garret Heady, Dane Henderson, Mackenzie Kuykendoll, Allison Lee, Kaitlyn Poindexter, Erica Thomas and Rodney Mckinner.

Congratulations GHS Red Devil Band!

Congratulations to the GHS Red Devil Band on their Forth Place finish at the Arlington Band Invitational!

Also Congratulations to our Field Commanders Faith Vipparthi and Allison Lee who finished First in their Band Class and Large Band Division!