Nashville, TN, October 13th, 2008 — it's the greatest pairing of talent on a single stage in ten years. The Nashville Tennessean called the 1999 workshop of STUFF by Jim Reyland "....entertaining, fast paced and emotionally fearless. Reyland has a real play on his hands."

 

Ten years later, Writer's Stage reunites Barry Scott and Matthew Carlton for the long awaited world premiere of STUFF at its temporary new home in a converted warehouse at 1008 Charlotte Ave. December 4-20 at 7:30pm, Sunday matinee at 2:00pm December 14^th at Writer's Stage, 1008 Charlotte Avenue next to Five Star Chrysler Plymouth.

 

 

"Friends of ours, Steve Armistead and Bill Barkley have donated a warehouse on Charlotte Ave. for this production. It's perfect in that the play takes place in an old warehouse filled with STUFF," says Reyland.

 

Barry Scott is one of Nashville's most enduring artists. As a writer, director and actor, Barry has created hundreds of memorable roles including "Ain't Got long," based on the life and contributions of Martin Luther King. Barry is also Artistic Director of The American Negro Playwright Theatre and will produce and hold student workshops at the new Charlotte Ave. location in 2009.

 

Matthew Carlton's career spans three decades, appearing in over 80 professional stage productions, ranging from musical- comedy to Shakespeare. His diverse film and television roles run the gamut from Masterpiece Theatre to America's Most Wanted.. He has received First Night and Tennie awards and was named Best Actor by the Nashville Scene.

 

Playwrights in the Nashville area have made significant strides in the last decade. None have been more prolific than Jim Reyland with his musical, 21 Baker Road with Addison Gore, a west coast production of his play "A Sugar-Coated Pill," and his nationally recognized play, "Shelter," directed by Barry Scott for the American Negro Playwright Theatre and chosen "Best of Nashville" by the Scene.

 

A limited number of general admission tickets for STUFF are available for $18.00 and can be purchased at www.writersstage.com, at the door or by calling 615-636-9177. Student and senior discounts are also available at the door. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Campus for Human Development. STUFF contains adult language and may not be suitable for children. An audience talkback will follow all shows.

 

STUFF, featuring Milton Stack (Matthew Carlton) and Bobby Warren (Barry Scott) two former Army buddies hired to clean out the stuff that has accumulated in an old warehouse. As the play opens, the stage is filled with every kind of STUFF. As the story progresses, we discovers that there is a violent and until now unspoken history shared by the two men. These are two people who respect each other and have taken care of each other but there's that awful past they've never talked about, until today. Little by little they clear away the STUFF to reveal the pain and discover the forgiveness. The piece closes, the stage is empty and Milton and Bobby have cleared the STUFF from the warehouse and their lives.