Pull-Tight Players | Live Theatre in Franlin, Tenn.

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Grecian Glam Gala Celebrates Pull-Tight’s 56th Season

July 14, 2025

Pull-Tight Players’ community of artists and volunteers arrived bedecked in the blue and gold of lapis lazuli to celebrate the accomplishments of its 2024-2025 season. Banquet co-chairs Mark Buchanan and J.T. Landry led the annual Knot Awards ceremony at the Elks Lodge in Franklin, Tenn.

Co-hosts J.T. Landry and Mark Buchanan at the 56th Pull-Tight Players Knot Awards
J.T. Landry, left, and Mark Buchanan

Preceding the conferring of awards was a review of the season’s shows by insult comic, “Jon Rickles.” His good-natured barbs and witticisms produced many laughs and not a few groans.

"Jon Rickles" at the 56th Pull-Tight Players Knot Awards
“Jon Rickles”

Outgoing board of directors president Johnny Peppers made some season-summarizing remarks before introducing incoming president Cabot Pyle.

Incoming board president Cabot Pyle and outgoing president Johnny Peppers at the 56th Pull-Tight Players Knot Awards
Cabot Pyle, left, and Johnny Peppers

Winter Wonderettes star Syndey Hooper sang “Memory” from Cats as we looked back on the contributions of three Pull-Tight players we lost during the past season: Adele Akin, Jayne Swafford Davis, and Alan Mancuso.

Following is the list of Knot award nominees and recipients.

Techie and Congeniality Awards

Something Rotten!

  • Techie – Bre Hall, Choreographer
  • Congeniality – Annalee McConnell

The Outsider

  • Techie – Dustin Greenleaf, Stage Manager
  • Congeniality – Aleah Christian

Winter Wonderettes

  • Techie – Jeanne Drone, Stage Manager
  • Congeniality – Melanie McBurney

Deathtrap

  • Techie – Glenn Whelan, Lighting Execution and Sound Design
  • Congeniality – Myna Sowell

Silent Sky

  • Techie – Tim Massey, Set Designer
  • Congeniality – Carmela Hofstee

The Spitfire Grill

  • Techie – Amy May, Costume Designer
  • Congeniality – Art Peach

Acting Awards

  • Best Lead Actress – Rachel Sinclair as Louise Peakes, The Outsider
  • Best Lead Actor – John Scamardella as William Shakespeare, Something Rotten!
  • Best Supporting Actress – Tammy Sutherland as Williamina Fleming, Silent Sky
  • Best Supporting Actor – Jon Kieffner as Arthur Vance, The Outsider
  • Best Featured Actress – Myna Sowell as Helga Ten Dorp, Deathtrap
  • Best Featured Actor – Roger Csaki as Brother Jeremiah, Something Rotten!
  • Best Ensemble Actress – Lauren Sage as Ensemble, Something Rotten!
  • Best Ensemble Actor – Levi Smith as Ensemble, The Spitfire Grill
Rachel Sinclair
John Scamardella
Tammy Sutherland
Jon Kieffner
Myna Sowell
Roger Csaki
Lauren Sage
Levi Smith

Board of Directors Awards

  • Newcomer of the Year – Glenn Whelan
  • Jim Highfill Techie of the Year – Steven Steele
  • Behind the Scenes – Myna Sowell and Philip Johnson
  • Cam Davis Spirit Award – Cindy Davis Massey

Artist Member Awards

  • Player of the Year – Joey Echeverria
  • Hall of Fame – Tim Massey
Winners of the 56th Pull-Tight Players Knot Awards

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: 2024-25 season, Knot Awards

Join the Williamson County Public Library for Story Time at Pull-Tight

July 6, 2025

Pull-Tight Players is proud to host the Williamson County Public Library’s “Story Hour” on stage, in our theater, Saturday, July 19 at 10 a.m.

WCPL has chosen to be our show sponsor for our 2025-2026 season opener, Kenneth Jones’ Alabama Story. The play centers on the children’s book, The Rabbit’s Wedding, by Garth Williams. Williams also illustrated the Little House on the Prairie series, as well at Stuart Little and Charlotte’s Web.

We invite your family to attend this unique and interactive event featuring library staff and one of our actors from Alabama Story. Admission is free. Register each attendee using the link below.

Parts of this event will be recorded. Should you choose to attend, you will be asked to sign a release to appear in the video.

Alabama Story opens August 1, with tickets going on sale July 21.

Register for Story Time
Pull-Tight Players is proud to host the Williamson County Public Library’s "Story Hour" on stage, in our theater, Saturday, July 19 at 10 a.m.

Filed Under: Blog

Celebrate Pull-Tight’s 56th Season in ‘Grecian Glam’ at the Knot Awards Banquet

June 13, 2025

Saturday, July 12
6 p.m. cocktail hour
7 p.m. dinner
Elks Lodge of Franklin
485 Oak Meadow Drive

Join us for the 2025 Knot Awards Banquet. We will celebrate a memorable 56th season in style with cocktails, dinner, and awards to recognize the season’s sensational shows, spectacular performances, and significant contributions from our artist membership.

Lapis lazuli is traditionally associated with a 56th anniversary. We are taking inspiration from the stone’s beautiful deep blue color and veins of gold for our celebration. Please don your most festive and elegant blues, golds and/or whites as we experience an unforgettable evening of “Grecian Glam.”

Hosts will present Pull-Tight’s annual awards for best actors and actresses, Player of the Year, and the Hall of Fame, among others. Individual show participants have also been casting votes for congeniality and technical volunteers, with those awards set to be announced during the event.

The $25 attendance price will include dinner catered by Chef Kevin (The Pop Up Chef). There will also be a cash bar.

Buy Knot Awards Tickets

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: 2024-25 season, Knot Awards

Pull-Tight Volunteers Participate in World Reading Day

September 20, 2024

Pull-Tight Players had the pleasure of participating in World Reading Day, a vibrant celebration of all things literary, at Bethesda Elementary School Sept. 13. This fun-filled day invites book lovers of all ages to dive into the pages of their favorite stories, discover new genres, and share their reading adventures with friends and family.

Libraries and schools come alive with exciting events like book fairs, read-a-thons, and creative storytelling sessions. Whether you’re cozying up with a classic or exploring the latest bestseller, this day reminds us that reading opens doors to endless imagination and connection.

It was an amazing opportunity for our storytellers to participate. Our players had read to Bethesda students in two groups. Events Committee member Frankie Piccione took the lead in adapting a script that included the stories of The Three Little Pigs, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, and The Three Bears.

Our talented actors and volunteers included Claudia Finnegan, Tom Trabucco, Jean Hevel, Lindsey Scruggs, and Board Member/Events Committee member Joey Echevarria, who also attended.

The students dressed up and thoroughly enjoyed the live reading, which even featured a puppet played by Frankie.

We feel incredibly grateful to serve the community this way. We’ve received an invitation to return, so if you’re interested in getting involved, email Committee Chair Bre Hall.

Pull-Tight Players volunteers participate in World Reading Day at Bethesda Elementary School
Pull-Tight Players volunteers participate in World Reading Day at Bethesda Elementary School
Pull-Tight Players volunteers participate in World Reading Day at Bethesda Elementary School
Pull-Tight Players volunteers participate in World Reading Day at Bethesda Elementary School

Filed Under: Blog

Knot Awards Banquet Celebrates 55th Season in Style

June 30, 2024

2024 Pull-Tight Players Knot Awards Banquet

The theme was black and white, but the talent and dedication on hand the evening of June 29, 2024 in Franklin spanned the spectrum. Pull-Tight Players celebrated the end of our 55th season with awards, songs, laughs and cheers. Longtime artist members and banquet committee co-chairs J.T. Landry and Mark Buchanan gave us a night to remember, opening the evening’s festivities with an appropriately rewritten version of “Welcome to the Renaissance” from our 56th season opener, Something Rotten!

Knot Awards Banquet committee co-chairs Mark Buchanan and J.T. Landry

Board of Directors President Johnny Peppers then offered remarks that brought attention to the team spirit of Pull-Tight Players. He noted the many unseen and unrecognized volunteer activities that keep our organization running year after year. Johnny also thanked our outgoing board members Jennifer Bennett, Leslie Berra, and Wade Woodruff; and welcomed our incoming members Mark Buchanan, Jeanne Drone, and Joey Echeverria.

And speaking of Something Rotten!, the awards ceremony included a decidedly un-rotten preview of the musical that featured its two lead cast members. Pull-Tight newcomers Caylin Maguire (Bea) and Aaron Gray (Nick Bottom) performed “Right-Hand Man” from the show.

Following is the complete list of our 2024 Knot Award winners.

Show Awards

Guys and Dolls

  • Congeniality – Meredith Seymour
  • Techie – Bre Hall, Choreographer

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

  • Congeniality – Phil Fitzgerald
  • Techie – Tim Massey, Set Chief

A Tuna Christmas

  • Congeniality – Bryan Kratoska
  • Techie – Tim Massey, Set Designer & Set Chief; Clay Walker, Costume Designer

Home, I’m Darling

  • Congeniality – Bryan Kratoska
  • Techie – Carmela Hofstee, Stage Manager

A Fox on the Fairway

  • Congeniality – Jon Kieffner
  • Techie – Dan Linney, Set Designer & Set Chief; Jim Hofstee, Set Crew

She Loves Me

  • Congeniality – Meredith Seymour
  • Techie – Steve Mook, Set Designer & Set Chief

Acting Awards

  • Best Lead Actress – Abby Newman as Amalia Balash, She Loves Me
  • Best Lead Actor – Chad Stem as Thurston Wheelis et al., A Tuna Christmas
  • Best Supporting Actress – Sydney Hooper as Ilona Ritter, She Loves Me
  • Best Supporting Actor – Chad Stem as Ladislav Sipos, She Loves Me
  • Best Featured Actress – Debbie Kraski as Sylvia, Home, I’m Darling
  • Best Featured Actor – Will Kleiner as Arpad Laszlo, She Loves Me
  • Best Ensemble Actress – Isabel Behr as Ensemble, She Loves Me
  • Best Ensemble Actor – Elijah Bell as Busboy/Ensemble, She Loves Me

Board of Directors Awards

  • Newcomer of the Year – Bryan Kratoska
  • Jim Highfill Techie of the Year – Steve Mook
  • Behind the Scenes – Meredith Seymour
  • Howard Tellis Friends of the Year – Gene and Marnie Cotton
  • Cam Davis Spirit Award – Bre Hall

Artist Member Awards

  • Player of the Year – Steve Mook
  • Hall of Fame – Carmela Hofstee
2024 Knot Awards Banquet place setting
The 2024 Knot Awards Banquet program
Knot Awards Banquet committee co-chairs Mark Buchanan and J.T. Landry
Knot Awards Banquet committee co-chairs Mark Buchanan and J.T. Landry
Board of Directors President Johnny Peppers
Board of Directors President Johnny Peppers
Calylin Maguire and Aaron Gray
Calylin Maguire and Aaron Gray, cast members of Something Rotten!
Meredith Seymour
Multiple award winner Meredith Seymour
Bre Hall
Congeniality Award winner Bre Hall
Phil Fitzgerald
Congeniality Award winner Phil Fitzgerald
Tim Massey
Multiple award winner Tim Massey
Bryan Kratoska
Multiple award winner Bryan Kratoska
Eli Bell
Best Ensemble Actor award winner Eli Bell
Will Kleiner
Best Featured Actor award winner Will Klenier
Sydney Hooper
Best Supporting Actress winner Sydney Hooper
Marnie and Jim Cotton
Howard Tellis Friends of the Year Award winners Gene & Marnie Cotton
Chad Stem
Multiple award winner Chad Stem
Abby Newman
Best Lead Actress Award winner Abby Newman
Steve Mook
Player of the Year Award winner Steve Mook
Carmela Hofstee
Hall of Fame Award winner Carmela Hofstee
2024 Knot Awards winners
2024 Knot Awards winners

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: 2023-24 seaason, Knot Awards

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Contact Us

Pull-Tight Players Theatre
PO Box 682609
Franklin TN 37068-2609
Box office: tickets@pull-tight.com
General: info@pull-tight.com

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