Nashville Repertory Theatre is delighted to present The Cake, a new comedy from the writer of ‘This Is Us’, Bekah Brunstetter. The show will perform at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center’s Andrew Johnson Theater, 505 Deaderick Street, from Friday, October 21^st through Sunday, October 30^th, 2022. For ticket and showtime information, visit www.nashvillerep.org.

 The Cake follows Della, who makes the best cakes, and her legendary North Carolina bakery as she goes to compete on the Great American Baking Show.  When her best friend’s daughter Jen returns from New York to get married and asks her to make her wedding cake, Della is overjoyed – until she realizes that there isn’t just one bride, but two.  She can’t really bake a cake for such a wedding, can she?  Della is forced to re-examine her deeply held beliefs and her own marriage. Faith, family, and frosting collide in this timely, funny, and thought-provoking new play.

 “The Cake is the most personal play I have ever directed and I am so excited to share this story with our Nashville audience,” says director Lauren Shouse. “At the core of the play is this question about how we find common ground with people who have different values than us. While I have experienced a rejection similiar to Jen’s, this play beautifully explores the complex journey that Della goes through as she interrogates the 40 plus years of what she has been taught on the issue of same sex marriage. With humor and baking show warmth, this story opens a conversation about how we can move beyond our inherited shame to find common ground and build empathy. And there will be lots of cake!”

 “We are honored to be hosting the regional premiere of this funny, touching, and important play,” said Drew Ogle, Executive Director of Nashville Rep. “We firmly believe it is the role of nonprofit theatres like Nashville Rep to present thought-provoking work like The Cake and other shows that will not typically tour outside of New York.”

Nashville Rep’s production stars Nashville favorite Megan Murphy Chambers as the baker Della, Christopher Strand as her husband Tim, Mariah Parris as Jen her best friend’s daughter, and Maya Antoinette Riley as Macy Jen’s fiancé.

 Lauren Shouse returns as guest director for The Cake having directed Avenue Q, Every Brilliant Thing, and A Christmas Story! The creative team for The Cake includes three first time designers, scenic by Joonhee Park, costumes by Alexis Grigsby, sound by Kevin O’Donnell and lighting by veteran designer Philip Franck. The production also includes cakes designed by D’Andrews Bakery, props by Abigail Nichol, and stage management by Teresa Driver.

The remainder of Nashville Rep’s season includes the joyous holiday production of Elf The Musical December 21, 2022 – January 1, 2023, one of the greatest American plays of all time August Wilson’s Fences March 3 -5, 2023, the stage adaption of the beloved novel The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time March 24 – April 2, 2023, and closing the season with the intimate musical Violet May 12 -21, 2023. For Nashville Repertory 2022- 23 season tickets and showtime information, visit www.nashvillerep.org or www.tpac.org.

 The Nashville Rep has been named Best Professional Theatre by the Nashville Scene, Best Local Theatre by The Tennessean, Largest Arts Organization by Nashville Business Journal, and recognized by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County for 35 years of service to the community. The Rep’s shows, actors, directors, and designers have been honored by Nfocus, Nashville Scene, The Tennessean, and the First Night Awards.

Connect with them on socials at @nashrep or on their website at nashvillerep.org