Bob Bernhardt is accustomed to being onstage in front of a large audience with the bright lights, the curtain rising, the applause and the nervousness that precedes a performance. He’s done it hundreds of times as a conductor leading symphonies here and around the country.
But when he was asked to take a lead role in a play, he needed to think about it, which may surprise anyone who has ever seen him at a show and heard him tell jokes and craft puns, or give brief histories of the works the symphony is performing. Shy, he is not. Of course, neither is he an actor, though he did one play in college.
“I took a few weeks to decide because I was struggling with the idea,” he says. “It is somewhat outside of my comfort zone. Most of the time when I am onstage, my back is to the audience. And most of what I do is wordless, which is part of why I have such admiration for actors.”
If you go
› What: “Love Letters” featuring Mimi Kennedy and Bob Bernhardt.› When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10; reception with live music by Robin Grant at 7 p.m.› Where: Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St.› Admission: $50 general, $75 VIP.› Phone: 423-267-8534.› Website: www.theatrecentre.com.Also playing“The Mysterious Affair at Styles,” an Agatha Christie mystery, is also playing at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre this weekend. Performances start at 8 p.m. today and Saturday and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Due to the popularity of the show, two more performances have been added for Thursday at 7 p.m. and Feb. 16 at 8 p.m., though that show is already sold out. Tickets are $11-$30.
Bernhardt, music director emeritus and principal pops conductor for the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera, did agree to take the role of Andrew Makepeace Ladd III in “Love Letters,” however, in part because it is a fundraiser for the Chattanooga Theatre Centre and also because he will be sharing the stage with none other than Mimi Kennedy, one of the stars of “Mom” on CBS. She will play Melissa Gardner.