Music City – 27 June 2026

The reason Music City works so well is that the cast members are having an incredible amount of fun. This production’s electric energy carries it through a love story that aches and burns with familiarity while keeping the audience smiling the whole way through. Transforming the songs of J.T. Harding into an emotional journey, Music City explores how easy it is for dreams to die, and why it is important that the dreamers rise from the ashes and try again. The story follows protagonist T.J. (Stephen Michael Spencer) through a tidal wave of shifting centers—from money to a record deal to a girlfriend to a band to finding a way to be a good person even when there are serious costs and lives are at stake.

Music City is set in Dickerson Pike in East Nashville, where our entire cast of characters dreams of making it big in the music industry. The world is created around T.J., but not by him. The storytelling is facilitated by Wicked Tickle’s host Wyn (Julianne B. Merrill) and the bulk of the world comes to life through T.J.’s brother Drew (Jonathan Judge-Russon), his love interest 23 (Lauren LOLO Pritchard), and her mother Tammy (Leenya Rideout). Perhaps most interesting are the infamous Bakerman and the famous Stucky Stiles, both portrayed by Andrew Rothenberg. Rothenberg plays the two characters in the story that hold the most power. One, an amped up drug dealer who has plenty of cash on hand and complete control over its disbursement, the other a washed up has been who can’t write his own songs but can exert his star power over young women who can. Yet in this story, neither cash nor power is the real currency; as stated by T.J., “the songs are the currency.” One of the most delightful elements of this story is how much it centers the music and lets the stories woven into the songs speak for themselves.

Nothing about Music City hits harder than the infectious atmosphere of the music itself. J.T. Harding’s music holds us in an embrace that has a little something for everyone. At times, the music is soft, sweet, and sappy. In other numbers, it is edgy and laced with pain, particularly in moments when Leenya Rideout takes center stage. There are also upbeat moments that have the audience dancing in their seats. It’s a little bit of everything—beautiful, special, rare, and salient. The set of the Wicked Tickle comes alive just as much in moments that are intimate as it does in moments that are loud. The onstage band is truly fantastic, and Julianne B. Merrill and PJ Ju’s orchestrations and arrangements really nail it.

Some of the best work in Music City is in the hands of the designers, particularly sound designer Jane Shaw. The set (Clifton Chadick) is so long that there isn’t really a great place in the theater where you catch every moment clearly. Shaw makes sure that no matter where you are in the room you can hear sound clearly, while also keeping the sound directional so that it’s clear where to look. Lighting (Eric Southern) weathers some tough transitions between scenes and ideas seamlessly and flawlessly. The costumes (Kindall Houston Almond) feel like they were handpicked by each character—everybody looked visually authentic at all times.

Music City is the kind of show that flies by. I forged connections with the characters, danced in my seat, and enjoyed the immersive ambiance. My highlights are the tight arrangements, the beautiful vocal harmonies, and the palpable commitment of each performer, actor or otherwise. This show was a night well spent at the Wicked Tickle open mic. Don’t forget to tip your bartender!

I attended this performance on a press pass from The Press Room.