By Ingrid Schnader Theresa McKibben is gearing up for her performance with the Dill Pickers at the Central Alabama Theater. But before McKibben was one of the seven musicians who make up the Dill Pickers band, she was a little girl begging her mom to let her take piano lessons. “My mother had a terrible experience with piano,” she said. “Her mother made her take (lessons), … [Read more...]
From Flappers to Hipsters: Virginia Samford Theatre Celebrates 90th Year Entertaining Adults and Shaping Children
By Emily WilliamsIn 1927 Birmingham, The Little Theatre opened its doors to the local arts community, and there it has stood for 90 years.Now named The Virginia Samford Theatre, the facility has not only been a pillar of the Birmingham arts community, but its foundation.The theater will be kicking off its 90th anniversary season with a … [Read more...]
A String of Stories: Cat’s Newest Production Brings Director Norton Dill Back to His Roots
By Emily Williams For Norton Dill, directing and performing in the Central Alabama Theater’s upcoming production of “Smoke on the Mountain” evokes a feeling of deja vu. The wildly popular off-Broadway musical about The Sanders Family, a family string-band performing in a Baptist church in North Carolina in 1938, is one of the most produced shows in the world. A natural … [Read more...]