Pull-Tight Players

Pull-Tight Puts Holiday Cheer at Center Stage in Franklin

For more than 50 years, Pull-Tight Players has brought high-quality entertainment to Franklin and Williamson County. This holiday season, the organization brought its performers and volunteers out of the theater and into the streets to celebrate.

Pull-Tight participated in the Franklin Christmas Parade Dec. 2, with volunteers carrying our banner and a bright red Ford F-150 playing the part of Santa’s sleigh. Kids received candy, and attendees got a taste of the community spirit Pull-Tight is known for.

Pull-Tight Players at the Franklin Christmas Parade, 2023
Pull-Tight Players at the Franklin Christmas Parade, 2023
Pull-Tight Players at the Franklin Christmas Parade, 2023
Pull-Tight Players at the Franklin Christmas Parade, 2023
Pull-Tight Players at the Franklin Christmas Parade, 2023
Pull-Tight Players at the Franklin Christmas Parade, 2023

On Dec. 9 and 10, Pull-Tight lent its talent pool to the main stage entertainment at the annual Dickens of a Christmas street festival. Actress, choreographer, and former board member Bre Hall coordinated the players in a 20-minute review of Christmas favorites.

“Our Dickens of a Christmas performance was such a delight,” said Hall. We plucked out the best bits from all your festive favorites, including Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some), How the Grinch Stole Christmas, A Christmas Story, the Musical, Elf, the Musical, and It’s a Wonderful Life.

“Our all-star cast and creative team had a jolly good time rehearsing this review. Our only mission was to lift spirits and spread cheer, while celebrating the talents of our diverse and inclusive community theater.

“Our eyes are set on the future as we plan to outdo ourselves every year, proving that Pull-Tight has been a staple of this town for ages and will continue to dazzle audiences for decades to come.”

Noah Osteen
Lauren McGill
Ross Canales
Lauren McGill
The Pull-Tight Players at Dickens of a Christmas, 2023
Sydney Hooper
Lauren McGill and Ross Canales
Sydney Hooper
Eli Bell
Meredith Seymour
The Pull-Tight Players at Dickens of a Christmas, 2023
JT Landry with the leg lamp from A Christmas Story
The Pull-Tight Players at Dickens of a Christmas, 2023
Lauren McGill, Ross Canales, and Eli Bell
Meredith Seymour
The Pull-Tight Players at Dickens of a Christmas, 2023
Leo Moucka, Sydney Hooper, and Ross Canales
The Pull-Tight Players at Dickens of a Christmas, 2023
Sydney Hooper
Ross Canales
Ross Canales and Lauren McGill
Eli Bell and Meredith Seymour
Meredith Seymour
The Pull-Tight Players at Dickens of a Christmas, 2023
JT Landry and Sydney Hooper
The Pull-Tight Players at Dickens of a Christmas, 2023
Leo Moucka as Santa and Sydney Hooper
Leo Moucka as Santa and Sydney Hooper

The theatre also set up a booth during both days of the festival. Visitors stopped to chat with volunteers about Pull-Tight, play games, and grab a candy cane or two.

Melanie McBurney at Pull-Tight Players' Dickens of a Christmas booth, 2023
Pull-Tight Players' booth at Dickens of a Christmas, 2023

Pull-Tight’s first participation in a downtown Franklin parade may date back to the nation’s Bicentennial in 1976. Members rode in a float and presented an original play highlighting local history, A Franklin Diary, by Jan Slusher. Cindy Davis Massey, who participated in this year’s Christmas Parade, can be seen below at the front of the float in 1976.

Pull-Tight Players volunteers riding on a float in a Franklin parade, 1975

Events team

  • Heather Bottoms
  • Mark Buchanan
  • Joey Echeverria
  • Michael Hall
  • John Fraser
  • JT Landry
  • Melanie McBurney
  • Sarah Woodruff

Entertainers

  • Eli Bell
  • Ross Canales
  • Sydney Hooper
  • JT Landry
  • Lauren McGill
  • Leo Moucka
  • Noah OSteen
  • Marjorie Pess
  • Meredith Seymour

Creative team

  • Bre Hall, Coordinator
  • Becky Leopard, Choreographer
  • Dustin Greenleaf, Music Director

Booth volunteers

  • Heather Bottoms
  • Stephanie Dillard
  • Joey Echeverria
  • Richard and Joanne Eddinger
  • Michael Hall
  • Phillip Johnson
  • Sarah Kieffner
  • JT Landry
  • Kyle Langford
  • Melanie McBurney
  • Cabot Pyle
  • Sarah Woodruff
  • Special shoutout to Johnny Peppers for his tent

Parade walkers

  • Cindy and Tim Massey
  • Hollie and Noah OSteen
  • Sarah and Garrett Woodruff
  • Extra shoutout to Vicky Stiles for the “Pull-Tight Players” Christmas sign
  • Steve Mook for the platform

Pull-Tight Announces Cast for Southeastern Premiere of ‘Home, I’m Darling’

Director Pat Street has chosen the actors and actresses who will bring to life Laura Wade’s award-winning Home, I’m Darling on the Pull-Tight Theatre stage. This British comedic drama will have its Southeastern U.S. premiere when it opens Feb. 2.

“We had a great turnout for auditions and have ended up with a thrillingly talented cast,” said the director. “This is definitely an ensemble show, with characters who go through a full range of emotions, and a little jitterbugging thrown in for good measure. Every actor truly has to stretch and carry their weight, and we have the exact right group to do that. Can’t wait to get started!”

The cast is as follows:

JudyChelsea Craig
JohnnyBryan Kratoska
FranJennifer Bennett
SylviaDebbie Kraski
AlexErin Knight
MarcusJohn Scamardella

The show will run through Feb. 17. Tickets will go on sale Jan. 22.

Home, I’m Darling is presented by arrangement with Knight Hall Agency Ltd.

Pull-Tight Players #GivingTuesday Fundraising Campaign

This November 28, Pull-Tight Players will participate in GivingTuesday, a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world.

You can partner with Pull-Tight on GivingTuesday to help us make much-needed improvements to our technology and help us cover the costs of a new youth program. This spring, we will present a full-length musical, We Will Rock You, featuring kids aged 6 to 18. This free program will begin with auditions in February. Donations will cover the myriad costs associated with producing a large cast musical, such as licensing, royalties, costumes, sets, props, insurance and custodial fees.

With your help we will be able to provide this much-needed free program to youth in Franklin and surrounding areas. Most theater programs for kids are tuition-based, but we believe it is important to offer something that allows all kids to participate without any financial burden.

Donate using the link below, or via one of our many upcoming #GivingTuesday social media posts on Facebook and Instagram. Follow those accounts so you don’t miss any updates.

Give Now

You may also mail a check to:
Pull-Tight Players
PO Box 682609
Franklin TN 37068-2609

Indicate GivingTuesday in the memo line on your check.

We will continue this campaign through the end of the year. Thank you in advance for your consideration and continued support of Pull-Tight Players.

More information

What technological updates are still needed at Pull-Tight?

Thanks to everyone’s generosity last year we have made many major improvements to our sound and lighting. We are still in need of a special ladder to help keep our volunteers safe when hanging lights and building sets. This important item costs $1,500.

How will my donation be recognized?

All donors will be recognized online, in social media and our website. Donors who give $50 or more will be recognized in our program for the remainder of the 2023-2024 season (three shows) and online. Donors who give $250 or more will also be recognized on a plaque displayed in our lobby. You may also request that your donation remains anonymous.

Are my donations tax deductible?

Yes, Pull-Tight is a 501(c)3 charitable organization, so your donation is 100-percent tax-deductible. You will receive an email from ArtsPeople that will serve as your tax receipt. We will also issue a tax receipt upon request.

How else can I help Pull-Tight on GivingTuesday?

Share Pull-Tight’s fundraising link and our GivingTuesday social media posts. You can use the hashtag #GivingTuesday, and tag Pull-Tight Players in your posts. The more we get the word out, the more potential donors we’ll reach. You can also text and email your friends with our giving link.

Partner with Pull-Tight Players on #GivingTuesday, November 28, 2023

Two Actors Cast for December’s ‘A Tuna Christmas’

Director Cindy Davis Massey is “over the moon” to announce the two actors who will be broadcasting 12 times from radio station OKKK in the third-smallest town in Texas. A Tuna Christmas will debut Dec. 1, with tickets going on sale Nov. 20.

“We had an outstanding turnout and could have cast the show at least three different ways,” said Massey. “This politically incorrect satire is sure to have audiences rolling in the floor.”

Bowd Beal will appear as Arles Struvie. He is a veteran Nashville actor who has played Thurston Wheelis in both A Tuna Christmas and Red, White and Tuna. As with his underwear, Beal was looking for a change.

Chad Stem will appear as Thurston Wheelis. He is a Nashville native and former teacher, but just like Bertha Bumiller, those kids drove him crazy. He holds two master’s degrees in theatre. Stem was last seen in The Crucible, produced by Elite Studio Works at the Darkhorse Theatre, but witchcraft in Salem can’t top the shenanigans in Tuna, Texas.

Together, Beal and Stem will portray more than 20 characters from the town of Tuna. This is both actors’ first appearance on the Pull-Tight stage.

A Tuna Christmas is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.

President’s Blog – September 2023


We have opened our 55th season with a quick sellout of Guys & Dolls, one of my all-time favorite musicals, directed by Mark Mason. All who came out to see the show had a great time, and the production team did terrific work bringing this classic to the stage for the first time since the 2007-2008 season.

On opening night, plein air artist Tim Hodge set up his easel and supplies and painted a fantastic rendering of our historic space. Mr. Hodge was there as part of the Franklin Art Crawl. Watching this artist create from a blank canvas right in front of the theater was such a thrill.

We look forward to hanging this unique piece of art in the theater soon.

Plien air artist Tim Hodge painting the Pull-Tight Theater.
Plien air artist Time Hodge's painting of the Pull-Tight Theater.


Our Youth Actors Guild and Jr. Youth Actors Guild hosted a season kick-off karaoke party at the beginning of September. Our Youth Committee is working hard to schedule opportunities, classes, and workshops for our six to 12-year-olds (Jr. YAG) and 13-18-year-olds (YAG). There has been a huge outpouring of support for our youth programming this season from volunteers, parents, and participants. We can’t wait for you to see what this tireless group of volunteers has in store for the children we serve in our community.


We continue our 55th season at the end of September with the opening of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, directed by Greg Grimsley. This show was last seen on our stage in the 1985-1986 season. One of the joys of Pull-Tight for me is the creativity of our volunteers, how they can dramatically transform our small space to help tell the stories. I can tell you that the set design and building teams are at it again, taking our stage from a raised level with streetscapes and mission interiors to the immersive feeling of a sanitarium. You’ll feel like you are in the room with the actors, significantly adding to the storytelling experience. You will be excited to see how our volunteers continue to dazzle audiences with their vision and imagination.

  • Guys & Dolls Set
  • Cuckoo’s Nest Set Construction

We hope you will join us during our 55th season by seeing a show, volunteering for the organization in some way, showing your support with a financial donation, or finding a way to share our love for the arts and for the City of Franklin in which we thrive.

Johnny Peppers
President, Pull-Tight Players

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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