Category: mtvarts

Bringing Emotion and Humanity to the Stage: Gabrielle Fuller Talks Mayella Ewell

WNZR’s Eric Brown talks with Gabrielle Fuller, who plays Mayella Ewell in MTVArts’ production of To Kill a Mockingbird at the Woodward Opera House.

Click HERE to hear the full interview!

Gabrielle has been involved with theater through MTVArts since 2016 and says auditioning for this show was an easy decision because she has always loved the story of To Kill a Mockingbird. In this production, she takes on the role of Mayella Ewell, a character she describes as emotional, isolated, and deeply shaped by fear and poverty.

To prepare for the role, Gabrielle says she’s spent time focusing on Mayella’s body language, emotions, and motivations throughout the story. She says one of the most powerful moments in the show is Atticus Finch’s closing speech to the jury, which continues to stand out to her during rehearsals.

Outside of this production, Gabrielle has recently appeared in shows including 9 to 5, The Little Mermaid Jr., and MTVArts’ Night of One Acts. She says theater has become an important creative outlet and something she genuinely loves, whether it’s acting, singing, or dancing.

Gabrielle also encourages others to give theater a try, saying there’s a place for everyone, whether on stage or working behind the scenes. She believes audiences will connect with To Kill a Mockingbird because its themes of empathy, justice, and courage still resonate today.

Performances of To Kill a Mockingbird will take place at the Woodward Opera House on Friday, May 8th and Saturday, May 9th at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee on May 10th at 2:00 p.m.

Click HERE for ticket information!

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Steve Jefferson finds a powerful and emotional story of truth as he takes on the role of Reverend Sykes

WNZR’s Eric Brown talks with Steve Jefferson, who plays Reverend Sykes in MTVArts’ production of To Kill a Mockingbird at the Woodward Opera House.

Click HERE to hear the full conversation!

Steve got involved in theater after retiring from a teaching career at the Knox County Career Center. He shares how stepping into theater opened a whole new world and gave him an appreciation for the behind-the-scenes work that makes each production possible.

Steve talks about the powerful, true-to-life story of this show. He shares that he wanted to be part of a production that tells such an important story.

Steve shares about his preparation for this role and the relationships he has built with the cast. He encourages the community to come out and see the show. Steve calls this show a powerful and emotional story that reflects important truths and leaves audiences thinking long after the performance ends.

Performances of To Kill a Mockingbird will take place at the Woodward Opera House on Friday, May 8th and Saturday, May 9th at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee on May 10th at 2:00 p.m.

Click HERE for more information or to buy tickets!

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Seeing the Story Through Her Eyes: Grace Shank Steps Into the Role of Scout Finch

WNZR’s Eric Brown talks with Grace Shank, who plays Scout Finch in MTVArts’ production of To Kill a Mockingbird at the Woodward Opera House.

Click HERE to hear the full conversation!

Grace is a 17-year-old junior at East Knox, and she takes on the role of young Scout in the show. An older version of Scout—Jean Louise—helps tell the story, but Grace says her focus has been figuring out how to bring that younger perspective to life. That’s meant thinking and reacting more like a kid who’s still trying to understand everything going on around her.

She says one of the things she likes most about Scout is how honest she is. Scout says what she’s thinking, asks questions, and doesn’t really hold back. That plays into one of Grace’s favorite moments in the show—the final scene—when Scout begins to see Boo Radley in a different light and realizes she may have had him all wrong.

This is Grace’s 12th production, and she says Beauty and the Beast has been one of her favorites over the years. Even though she plans to pursue a career as a forensic investigator, she still hopes to stay involved in theater when she can.

She also says the cast has made this experience especially memorable. Even with the heavier themes in the show, there’s been a lot of fun behind the scenes, and she’s enjoyed getting to know everyone.

Grace says if someone is thinking about trying theater, they should go for it. Each show is a chance to learn something new and get a little better.

Performances of To Kill a Mockingbird will take place at the Woodward Opera House on Friday, May 8th and Saturday, May 9th at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee on May 10th at 2:00 p.m.

Click HERE for more information or to buy tickets!

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A Darker Turn: Ian Fraser Ernsberger Brings Bob Ewell to Life on Stage in To Kill a Mockingbird

WNZR’s Eric Brown talks with Ian Fraser Ernsberger, who plays Bob Ewell in MTVArts’ production of To Kill a Mockingbird at the Woodward Opera House.

Click HERE to hear the full interview!

Ian brings nearly 40 years of theater experience, both on stage and behind the scenes, and says this role gave him the opportunity to step outside his usual comedic characters and take on something much darker. He describes Bob Ewell as the story’s main antagonist—a man driven by attention and influence, no matter the cost.

To prepare, Ian focuses on understanding the character’s motivations and letting the script guide his performance. He says he enjoys how the character is written and hopes audiences clearly see that personality come to life on stage.

Ian has appeared in productions like A Few Good Men, Shrek, and Mary Poppins, and says what keeps him coming back is the audience reaction—whether it’s laughter, surprise, or strong emotional responses.

He also highlights working alongside the cast, especially Jeff Scott as Atticus Finch, saying their courtroom scenes feel like a true clash between good and evil.

Ian says audiences can expect a faithful and powerful retelling of To Kill a Mockingbird, tackling themes of justice, family, and moral responsibility. He encourages others to get involved in theater, whether on stage or behind the scenes, and says seeing a live performance—especially with familiar faces—offers a unique experience.

Performances of To Kill a Mockingbird will take place at the Woodward Opera House on Friday, May 8th and Saturday, May 9th at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee on May 10th at 2:00 p.m.

Click HERE to find out more or to buy tickets!

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“Doing the Right Thing”: Jeff Scott Reflects on To Kill a Mockingbird Role

Jeff Scott returns to the stage as Atticus Finch in MTVArts’ To Kill a Mockingbird at the Woodward Opera House. He shares with WNZR why this iconic role—and its message about doing the right thing—still matters today.

WNZR’s Eric Brown talks with Jeff Scott, who is stepping into the role of Atticus Finch in MTVArts’ upcoming production of To Kill a Mockingbird at the Woodward Opera House.

Click HERE to hear the full conversation!

Jeff has lived in Mount Vernon since 2011 and serves as Executive Director of the Knox County Foundation. While he was involved in theater in college, he took nearly a 30-year break before returning to the stage in recent years.

He says Atticus is both iconic and challenging—a character defined by integrity and a commitment to doing what’s right, even when it’s difficult. Preparing for the role has meant learning a large number of lines and leaning on his familiarity with the story. Jeff says some of his favorite moments are the quieter scenes with Scout and Jem, which connect with him personally as a father.

Jeff has also enjoyed working with the young cast members, building relationships that help those family moments feel natural on stage. His own children have been involved with MTVArts for years, and he’s appeared in productions like The Sound of Music, Our Town, and A Few Good Men. For him, theater provides a creative outlet and a sense of balance.

Audiences can expect a faithful adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, tackling themes of racism, injustice, and courage, while still offering a message of hope. Jeff says that message—doing the right thing even when it’s hard—still resonates today.

Performances will be held Friday, May 8th and Saturday, May 9th at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee on May 10th at 2:00 p.m. at the Woodward Opera House.

Click HERE for ticket information!

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Sandy Cheeks gives us the details on SpongeBob The Musical!

MTV Arts presents SpongeBob the Musical tonight!

On the Morning Thing Friday, Marcy Rinehart spoke with Kiarah Smith who is playing Sandy Cheeks!

Kiarah details the big production coming up! She talks about her love of theatre and her preparation for her role. Kiarah’s favorite part of the production and some of her best memories so far are also a highlight!

For more information on the show click HERE!

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Ortel Enjoys Breaking News in SpongeBob the Musical!

Vincent Ortel spoke with WNZR about his role in the musical as Perch Perkins who is a news host.

Click HERE to hear the full conversation!

Vincent talks about how he enjoys how his character can easily give bad news.

Vincent talks about that since this is his first performance he didn’t think he was going to get a part, but he was excited to get one.

Vincent goes on explaining how his costume is going to look in the show.

Vincent gives some advice to kids who haven’t done a performance but want to get started.

Vincent says people should come out and see the performance because it will be a memorable show all.

Click HERE for information on SpongeBob the Musical!

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Ryals Relishes Role of Keeping the Costumes Straight for SpongeBob the Musical

WNZR spoke to Sadie Ryals about what she does in her position as costume assistant in SpongeBob the Musical.

Click HERE to hear the full conversation.

She talks about her preparations and what she does for costume changes.

Sadie likes to be around everyone involved.

Sadie goes into detail about how they keep the costumes organized by using spreadsheets.

Sadie says that acting and performing helps build confidence and you’re able to meet amazing people.

Sadie says that you should see the show because the actors have put a lot of effort into the performance and it’s going to be a lot of fun.

Click HERE for information on SpongeBob the Musical!

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Marcy gets to meet with the entire cast of SpongeBob The Musical!

MTV Arts Presents SpongeBob the Musical this weekend!

At September First Friday, Marcy got to meet the whole cast for MTV Arts production of The SpongeBob Musical! She spoke with cast members, as well as Bruce Jacklin who is directing this wonderful production.

We learn about the production as a whole and some of the basic information behind the musical. We even get to hear the cast preview a song for us!

The SpongeBob Musical open up at the Knox Memorial Theatre this Friday on September 12th!

For more information on the production click HERE!

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We get the details on The SpongeBob Musical from SpongeBob himself!

MTV Arts presents SpongeBob the Musical this weekend!

On the Morning Thing Wednesday, Marcy Rinehart spoke with Carter Skillman who is 13, in the 8th grade at Centerburg Middle School, and he is playing SpongeBob!

Carter details the big production coming up! He talks about his love of theatre and his preparation for his role. Carter’s favorite part of the production and some of his best memories so far are also a highlight!

For more information on the show click HERE!

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