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You are here: Home / Archives for Knot Awards

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

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

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

Pull-Tight’s 55th Knot Awards Banquet Set for June 29

June 3, 2024

2024 Pull-Tight Players Knot Awards Banquet

Saturday, June 29
Franklin Elks Lodge
485 Oak Meadow Drive
Franklin, TN 37064

Cocktail hour: 6 p.m.
Dinner: 7 p.m.

We will celebrate a memorable 55th season in style with cocktails, dinner, and awards to recognize Pull-Tight’s sensational shows, spectacular performances, and significant contributions from our artist membership. You may even see a musical taste of our upcoming 56th season. It’s an evening you won’t want to miss.

Recalling Truman Capote’s infamous 1966 Black and White Ball, our event space will be decked out in hues of black and white. We ask attendees to reflect the theme with their most festive and stylish ensembles.

Awards for acting, congeniality and technical achievements will be presented, as well as awards for Player of the Year, Hall of Fame and more.

Tickets include a catered dinner from Chef Kevin Livingston, the Pop-Up Chef. A cash bar will be available for spirited beverages.

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

‘Laugh-In at the Knot Awards’ Celebrates Pull-Tight’s 54th Season

July 10, 2023

The program for the 2023 Knot Awards banquet

It was a groovy, far-out evening as Pull-Tight Players celebrated another season of shows at the Franklin Elks Lodge on Saturday, July 8. The theme centered on the classic Rowan & Martin “Laugh-In” variety show and included songs, sketches, and guest appearances from numerous cultural touchpoints of the 1960s.

Pull-Tight Board of Directors Vice President Leslie Berra and longtime artist member Jeanne Drone again served as event co-chairs. The evening looked back on our first full season since the Covid pandemic forced the theatre to go dark in 2020. A costume contest, dinner from Martin’s Barbecue, throwback comedy bits, and 60s song medleys kept the banquet a festive occasion.

Entertainment

The banquet’s entertainment segments spanned the entire evening and included:

  • A 60’s popular song medley
  • A review of songs from the musical Hair
  • The cocktail party sketch from “Laugh-In”
  • “Tiptoe Through the Tulips,” by Tiny Tim (Matt Grimes)
  • Gladys and Tyrone’s park bench sketch (Pat Street and Cabot Pyle)
  • Goldie Hawn with two educational segments (Erin Hailey)
  • Lily Tomlin’s Edith Ann (Jeanne Drone) and Ernestine (Bev Kassis)
  • The award presentation for Leading Actress by Agent 99 and Maxwell Smart (Sarah Kieffner and Dan Kassis)
  • The award presentation for Best Ensemble Actor by Samantha Stephens and Endora (Jennifer Bennett and Daryl Tallent)
  • The “Laugh-In” joke wall

Board of Directors for 2023-24

Following some final remarks at the close of her term, outgoing board President Lynda Gibbs passed the gavel to new president, Johnny Peppers. He joins the following Board of Directors lineup for the next season:

  • Leslie Berra, Vice President
  • Iain Macpherson, Treasurer
  • Savannah Aiello, Secretary
  • Stephanie Dillard, Parliamentarian
  • Jennifer Bennett, Cindy Davis Massey, Cabot Pyle, Pat Street, and Wade Woodruff, Members at-Large

Lynda Gibbs, Bre Hall, and Carmela Hofstee concluded their board terms. Gibbs will remain as President Ex-Officio for one year, a non-voting position.

Outgoing board president Lynda Gibbs passes the gavel to incoming president Johnny Peppers. Pull-Tight Players, Franklin, Tenn.

In memoriam

Board Treasurer and lifetime member Iain Macpherson presented the in memoriam segment, recognizing two longtime Pull-Tight volunteers who passed away in the preceding 12 months.

Vance Ormes, in Macpherson’s words, was “legendary.” It was his vision as a teenager that led to the creation of Pull-Tight Players in 1968. He helped mount the very first stage production, Our Town. After many years away from Franklin, Vance re-established his connection with Pull-Tight and served as an Honorary Member of the Board of Directors for one year. Vance passed away suddenly at this home in Florida in September 2022. Read our tribute to Vance.

Similarly, Don Dicie was a dedicated volunteer who lent his hand to all aspects of Pull-Tight. He was a marvelous piano accompanist who could play any song in any style. Don accompanied several shows at Pull-Tight back in the day and appeared on stage on at least two occasions: The Hasty Heart and Christmas with Little Women. Don passed away at age 80 in 2022.

Awards

Cast and crew from each show of the 54th season voted for outstanding technical volunteer and most congenial cast members. The winners were as follows.

The Play that Goes Wrong

Techie Award: – Savannah Aiello, Assistant Stage Manager
Congeniality Award: Lee Davies

All My Sons

Techie Award: Steve Mook, Set Chief
Congeniality Award: Cabot Pyle

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Techie Award: Melanie McBurney, Assistant Director/Choreographer
Congeniality Award: Lisa Graham, Melanie McBurney (tie)

The Book of Will

Techie Award: Carmela Hofstee, Properties Coordinator
Congeniality Award: Roger Csaki

Funny Money

Techie Award: Dustin Greenleaf, Stage Manager
Congeniality Award: Myna Sowell

Cabaret

Techie Award: Dan Linney, Set Designer/Chief
Congeniality Award: David Blackburn

Acting awards

For the first time since 2020, Pull-Tight’s season ticket holders were invited to vote for awards in acting categories. The awards were as follows.

  • Best Lead Actress: Myna Sowell as Jean Perkins in Funny Money
  • Best Lead Actor: David Blackburn as the Emcee in Cabaret
  • Best Supporting Actress: Pat Street as Fraulein Schneider in Cabaret
  • Best Supporting Actor: J.T. Landry as Max Bennett in The Play that Goes Wrong
  • Best Featured Actress: Sydney Hooper as Charlotte in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella
  • Best Featured Actor: Barrett Thomas as Ernst Ludwig in Cabaret
  • Best Ensemble Actress: Breanna Theobald as Annie Twilloil in The Play that Goes Wrong
  • Best Ensemble Actor: Roger Csaki as Richard Burbage and Others in The Book of Will

Lifetime voting membership

The Board of Directors conferred Lifetime Voting Member status to two longtime Pull-Tight volunteers. Voting membership usually requires a minimum level of involvement during each season.

Linda Dunn was involved in the early years of Pull-Tight. She is a past board president and Hall of Fame awardee. Linda directed Our Town to celebrate the 10th season, as well as directing The Last of the Red Hot Lovers. She starred in productions of A Streetcar named Desire, To Kill a Mockingbird, Butterflies Are Free, and others.

Alan Mancuso was a charter member of Pull-Tight and performed in the first production of Our Town, as well as the 10th anniversary production. He appeared in The Girls in 509; Bell, Book & Candle; Night Watch, The Miracle Worker, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Odd Couple, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Harvey, You Can’t Take it With You, Wait Until Dark, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Lost in Yonkers, just to name a few. Alan directed The Sandbox, Bus Stop, The Man Who Came to Dinner, The Gazebo, Father of the Bride, and Oh, Kay! He served on the board of directors, created artwork, worked on publicity, as provided make-up for several shows.

Annual awards

Howard Tellis Friend of the Year: Philip Martin
Jim Highfill Techie of the Year: Michael Hall
Behind the Scenes: Ricki Keckley
Newcomer of the Year: Joey Echeverria
Cam Davis Spirit Award: Peggy Macpherson
Player of the Year: Tim Massey
Hall of Fame: Lenny West

Winners at Pull-Tight Players' 54th annual Knot Awards celebration.
Left to right, front row: Lenny West, Myna Sowell, Dustin Greenleaf, Peggy Macpherson. Second row: Carmela Hofstee, Pat Street, Dan Linney, Sydney Hooper, J.T. Landry, Michael Hall, Ryan McFadden, Steve Mook, Cabot Pyle. Back row: David Blackburn, Barrett Thomas, Tim Massey

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: 2022-23 season, Knot Awards

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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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