Rediscover TPAC’s Season for Student Audiences

For the 2023-24 school year, Tennessee Performing Arts Center is proud to offer exceptional performances for students, available in-person and virtually. Discover how the performing arts brings high quality instructional opportunities to inspire and connect, from theatre, music, and literature, to history, geography, and science.

In-Person Performances


Virtual Performances


In-Person Performances | $10 per student

Performance Details are Subject to Change

In-Person

Actívate

High Energy Latin Concert

October 17-19, 2023 at 10:30 a.m.

Packed with positive vibes and high-energy Latin beats, Actívate features the Grammy Award-winning duo, 123 Andrés, for catchy songs and lively dual-language performances. Actívate means “get active,” and true to that spirit, the audience participates every step of the way – helping recover some missing birds, untangling hilarious mishaps, contributing ideas, and more. Actívate promotes self-esteem and creativity, blending Spanish language, rhythms, and lots of opportunities to move.

Curriculum Connections: Latin Music, Musical Instruments, Spanish Language & culture, American Sign Language, Social Studies, Geography of the Americas, Physical activity & child-friendly dance moves

Grades 2-4

In-Person

Magic in Motion: Exploring the Wonders of Physical Science


November 13-17, 2023 at 10:30 a.m.

Witness how magic and physical science meld together for an unbelievable educational experience with Magic in Motion: Exploring the Wonders of Physical Science. Bill Blagg’s highly visual, interactive show will have your students on the edge of their seats as they explore how science creates magic right before their very eyes. Learn first-hand how to create illusions using core scientific principles such as force, energy, friction, and motion – then watch their jaws drop in amazement as ordinary objects come to life, while others defy gravity with a simple clap of the hands and so much more.

Curriculum Connections: Motion, Gravity, Force, Push/Pull, Cause / Effect, Energy (Potential / Kinetic), Pressure, Magnetism, Friction, Scientific Reasoning

Grades 3-7

In-Person

A Christmas Carol

The Seasonal Favorite Literary Classic Fully Staged

Nov 30, Dec 1, 6, 7, 2023 at 10 a.m.

In this new, heartwarming, and spectacular production of A Christmas Carol, Artistic Director Micah-Shane Brewer brings Charles Dickens’ classic story to life on stage. Join the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future as they lead the miserly prosperous curmudgeon Ebenezer Scrooge on a journey of transformation and redemption. Through these encounters, Scrooge learns the true meaning of Christmas and the importance of kindness and generosity. The production features stunning sets and costumes that transport the audience to Victorian England and the timeless story is sure to be loved by audiences of all ages.

Curriculum Connections: Historical Literature, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, Self-Awareness, Economics and Civics, Theatrical Presentation

Grades 5-12

In-Person

Fisk Jubilee Singers®

In Concert

February 7, 2024 at 10:30 a.m.

Discover the history and explore the stories of the world-renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers’ original nine members in this choral performance under the direction of Dr. Anthony Williams. The current singers of the ensemble reflect on their roles as students and preservers of the group’s legacy during this blissful experience of beautiful storytelling through song.

Curriculum Connections: TN and US History, Fisk University and the Fisk Jubilee Singers®, Choral Music

Grades 5-12

In-Person

Cenicienta: A Bilingual Cinderella Story


February 20-23, 2024 at 10:30 a.m.

Ten-year-old Belinda is a budding poet and loves to tell stories. But when she’s stuck in the basement preparing for a party upstairs that her stepmother and stepsisters will host, she’ll have to get creative. Cenicienta: A Bilingual Cinderella Story is a story within a story as Belinda lives out her version while also re-enacting the classic tale of Cinderella, using whatever objects are at her disposal: napkins, teapots, and doilies, to name just a few. This captivating bilingual one-woman performance is a modern spin on the beloved fairy tale and tackles cultural heritage, family, and the power of language. Produced by Glass Half Full Theatre.

Curriculum Connections: Performance, Film, Puppetry, Folktales/Fairytales, Poetry, Spanish, English, World Culture, Latino heritage, Bravery, Resilience, Imagination

Grades K-6

In-Person

Alice in Wonderland

An Adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s Famous Book by Hugo Bélanger

February 26–March 1, 2024 at 10:30 a.m.

Alice refuses to do her homework. She prefers to play and daydream in her father’s study where she stumbles across a strange rabbit that nibbles on books. Wanting to stop him from eating books, she follows him into his rabbit hole. Adapted from the unbridled humor and madness of Lewis Carroll’s novel, Théâtre Tout à Trac’s lively production of Alice in Wonderland allows students to discover how each book becomes a door to the next adventure. An homage to reading, the play becomes a window into our imagination.

Curriculum Connections: Communication, Logic, Literature, Scene Design, Theatrical Presentation, Scene Comprehension, Context, Responsible Decision Making, and Relationship Skills

Grades K-4

Free Virtual Performances

Performance Details are Subject to Change

Virtual

The Little Red Hen

A Country Musical Based on the Traditional Folk Story

November 6–December 1, 2023

Based on the traditional folk storybook, the tricks of a conniving fox combined with the common sense of a hen create an adventure and sound moral lesson on this classic, The Little Red Hen, with a feel good, foot-stompin’ country musical. “Who’ll help me plant the seed?” asks the plucky red hen as she begins the process that goes into making a loaf of her delicious bread. “Not us,” said the sheep, the cow, the horse, and the pig. They all have better things to do. But, “a hen’s gotta do what a hen’s gotta do,” and so our crimson heroine perseveres until her work is done. Produced by Virgina Repertory Theatre.

Curriculum Connections: Folktales, Language Arts, Reading, Science, Music, Peer Pressure, Self Esteem, Character Development

Grades K-5

Virtual

Walk Together Children: The 150th Anniversary of the Fisk Jubilee Singers®


September 1–February 29, 2024

In Walk Together Children: The 150th Anniversary of the Fisk Jubilee Singers®, Dr. Paul T. Kwami and his students pay tribute to the original nine members of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, who were organized as a choral ensemble in 1871 to perform and raise money to support Fisk University. As today’s singers explore the personal stories of the trailblazers who paved the way for future generations in Walk Together Children, they reflect on their roles as students and preservers of the world-renowned choral group’s rich legacy. Inviting viewers to share in their unique bond and learn the significance of the Negro Spirituals and their value in today’s culture, the film is a dual concert event celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Fisk Jubilee Singers and a call to action for the bright future ahead for Fisk University and all of Nashville.
Created in collaboration with Dr. Kwami and director Jon Royal, the film is produced by Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC).

Curriculum Connections: TN and US History, Fisk University and the Fisk Jubilee Singers®, Choral Music

Grades 5-12

Virtual

Around the Americas

Explore Musical Traditions with Andrés and Christina

September 25-November 3, 2023

¡Bienvenido a las Américas! Let’s travel Around the Americas virtually with Andrés and Christina to meet a musician in different countries of Latin America: Argentina, Mexico, Guatemala, and Puerto Rico. At each stop our musician friends will teach us about the style of music they play. This four-episode program produced by 123 Andrés includes challenges that your students can do — such as learning a dance step, or creating an instrument with household objects, or making a rhythm.

Curriculum Connections: Latin Music, Musical Instruments, Spanish Language & culture, American Sign Language, Social Studies, Geography of the Americas, Physical activity & kid-friendly dance moves 

Grades 2-4

Virtual

A Christmas Carol

Mark Cabus' One-Man Performance

November 20-December 15, 2023

In his action-packed staging of Charles Dickens’ classic, A Christmas Carol, Mark Cabus plays 18 different characters in an acting tour de force. Using only Dickens’ text, he vividly recreates the haunting, compelling, and often humorous novella as a theatre performance. This most famous of ghost stories has been filmed on stage to create a dynamic performance that captures interest and imagination from start to finish. Cabus brings a modernity to the classic at a time of year when we are receptive to embracing—and passing along—the story’s enduring message.

Curriculum Connections: Characterization, Historical Literature, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, Self-Awareness, Economics and Civics, Theatrical Presentation

Grades 5-12

Virtual

Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad

A Deeply Moving Musical History Lesson

April 1-26, 2024

A classic tribute to the great American who freed herself and hundreds of others from the bonds of slavery, Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad is a stirring drama accompanied to music that illustrates how her courage helped to change the world. Share her adventurous life with your students in this accurate and deeply moving musical history lesson produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre.

Curriculum Connections: African American History, American History, Biography, Language Arts, Music, Family Ties, Self-Esteem, Women’s Studies, Bravery

Grades 3-8

Virtual

Dr. Kaboom's Newton's Laws of Motion

Understanding the Physics of Motion

January 22-April 22, 2024

Described as “part Mr. Wizard and part Mr. Rogers,” Doktor Kaboom uses the excitement of
rocketry to present Newton’s Laws of Motion in multiple, over-the-top, demonstrations. Each of Newton’s 3 laws is clearly explained, comically demonstrated, and followed by a DIY project that students can do as a class, in groups, or individually. 3 Laws, 3 lessons, 3 projects!

Curriculum Connections: Sir Isaac Newton’s 3 Laws of Motion: Inertia, Acceleration, Action / Reaction, Safe Science, Math, Costume and Set Design, Character, Improvisation, Understanding, Respect, Cooperation, Making good choices

Grades 3-8

Travel Grants

TPAC can assist with travel costs by completing our Travel Grant Application. Schools pay for their transportation, and the grant awards reimburse 50% of that expenditure. Funds will be distributed after required documentation is submitted to TPAC.

Learn More

Ticket Subsidies

TPAC covers a large percentage of performance costs to ensure all students have access to performing arts experiences. When requested in advance, we can provide ticket subsidies to schools in need of funding assistance.

Learn More
HEADER: (L to R) Andrés and Christina of 123 Andrés, Photo by Dario Treviño; Dr. Kaboom, Photo by Martin Albert.

VIGNETTES: Andrés and Christina of 123 Andrés, Photo by David Rugeles; Bill Blagg of Magic in Motion; Fisk Jubilee Singers®, Photo supplied by Fisk Jubilee Singers®; Madison Palomo in Cenicienta, Photo by Chris Owen; Alice in Wonderland, Photo by Marc-Antoine Duhaime; The Little Red Hen, Photo supplied by Virginia Repertory Theatre; : Andrés and Christina of 123 Andrés, Photo by David Rugeles; Mark Cabus in A Christmas Carol, Photo by Kristen-Sheft; Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, Photo supplied by Virginia Repertory Theatre; Dr. Kaboom, Photo by Martin Albert.

THANKS TO OUR EDUCATION PARTNERS