Stars of 'Nashville' coming to Morristown

MORRISTOWN — Enjoy an evening of country music featuring two stars of TV's Nashville. Charles Esten and Clare Bowen perform at Mayo Performing Arts Center on Saturday, March 31 at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $39-$89.
Charles Esten currently stars in the hit television series "Nashville" in the role of Deacon Claybourne. While on "Nashville," Esten has been honored to perform at the Grand Ole Opry, the historic Ryman Auditorium, the Blue Bird Café, headlining a St. Jude Country Music Marathon Concert at the Bridgestone Arena, and performing on the CMA Fest Riverfront Stage, at the 2016 C2C Festival in London and the 2017 CMC Festival in Australia. In addition, he has starred in the 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 "Nashville in Concert" tours with sold out shows across the U.S. and the U.K. He is a featured artist on the ten very successful "Nashville" soundtracks that have been released to date, two of which include "I Know How to Love You Now" which he co-wrote with Deana Carter.
Years before landing the role of Scarlett O'Connor on the US prime-time TV series "Nasvhille", and launching her career as a singer/songwriter, a young Clare Bowen was growing up in rural Australia, miles from the nearest city, writing down everything she felt, heard, saw and dreamed.
She established herself as an in-demand actress on both sides of the Atlantic, earning critical praise in the highly controversial Australian film The Combination, directed by David Field, and as the leading role of Wendla in the Sydney Theatre Company's musical production of Spring Awakening. It was during this time that Clare took the advice of the STC's artistic director, Oscar winner, Cate Blanchett, and bought a one-way ticket to Los Angeles in 2012. During her first year in America, she caught the bus to her "Nashville" audition, and landed the gig, playing a young poet turned songwriter, whose folk and Americana songs are influenced by a challenging childhood. For Bowen, who was diagnosed with cancer at four years old and struggled with the disease for years, the role hit close to home.
"Nashville" is more than just a TV show to Bowen, though. "Nashville is a city with its own heartbeat." she muses. And it has become a launching pad for Bowen's own music. Playing Scarlett O'Connor required Bowen to sing hundreds of songs, play multiple instruments and overcome an irrational fear of microphones. When asked whether she could play the banjo, Bowen replied "probably" and learned. It pushed her to write songs that she'd actually show people, drawing on everything she wrote down as a child for inspiration.
Bowen plays shows between shoots, touring the U.S. with fellow NASHVILLE actor Charles Esten, and her singer / songwriter fiancé, Brandon Robert Young. Once an introverted child, Bowen has blossomed into a ferocious performer with a penchant for flying off the stage to dance with the audience in full sparkle mode. She now resides in a rip in the fabric of reality, quite close to Nashville, TN with Brandon, a small army of rescued dragons, and the occasional unicorn.