Nothing But Sunshine at Studio Tenn’s Effervescent One Night Only

Beth Alexander | Photographs by Kris Rae | May 1, 2025

Studio Tenn Theatre Company’s artistic director Patrick Cassidy opened One Night Only, the theater’s annual fundraiser, with an impromptu song and dance à la Gene Kelly. It may be typical for theater peeps to walk around with bits of songs and sonnets in their heads, but an authentic soft-shoe from a 1952 movie seems rare. Nonetheless, many smiled as they hummed along to “Singin’ in the Rain.” 

“Weather’s not going to stop people in Franklin from going to a party!” said Lynne McAlister, surveying the gathering crowd filling Liberty Hall. Tables populated with theater people, philanthropists and an enthusiastic gathering of Studio Tenn devotees were proof — all there to celebrate the theater’s 15th anniversary of bringing joy, enlightenment and top-drawer talent to Middle Tennessee. There were plenty of umbrellas there, but no empty tables.