Since moving to Nashville a couple of years ago, I've attended three ballets performed by the…read moreNashville Ballet. And I've been blown away by all three. I know that ballet probably sounds old and stuffy and traditional to people, but let me go out on a limb here and say that the Nashville Ballet is pushing boundaries of what ballet is and can be and that their performances are among the best performance art experiences I've had in this city. Don't believe me? Let me try to convince you! My first ballet was Cinderella. It's a traditional ballet with music composed by Sergei Prokofiev. So what did Nashville Ballet's amazing artistic director Paul Vasterling do with it? He showcased men in the roles of the evil stepsisters - all three male dancers had to dance in pointe shoes for the first times in their careers. He made sure that the Cinderella in his version of the ballet was a strong character (not a damsel in distress). The ballet was a joy to watch. My second ballet was The Raven followed by Lizzie Borden (a double feature just time for Halloween). The Raven was a world premiere of a piece inspired by the Edgar Allen Poe poem, and Lizzie Borden examines (you guessed it) the double-murder case in Fall River, Massachusetts, in 1892. These probably aren't the ballets you picture when you hear "ballet." They were bold and original and interesting, and I was glued to my seat. Just this past weekend, I attended the Friday night performance of Superstitions and Seven Deadly Sins. Superstitions was a piece composed by a local composer, and the choreography was inspired by both ballet and hip hop/contemporary dance. It was powerful and beautiful. I can't begin to say enough about Seven Deadly Sins. Nashville singer-songwriter collective Ten Out of Tenn composed seven songs inspired by each of the seven deadly sins and performed them live on stage as the ballet was performed. Not only was the music amazing, it was a perfect accompaniment to the ballet's choreography. This is what art in Nashville can be when artists aren't kept in their boxes of classical music, country music, performance art, etc. This was Nashville's talent being used to its fullest potential: great dancers, great choreographer, amazing artistic director, great writers, great musicians. This was inspiring and amazing - and, I'm not kidding, I loved it so much I went again Saturday night. Next year I have tickets to attend Lucy Negro Redux - a world premiere and another performance made possible by talents that might not necessarily collaborate in a city without Paul Vasterling as the ballet's artistic director. Based on a book by a local poet about the "Dark Lady" in Shakespeare's sonnets and featuring an original score by Rhiannon Giddens with spoken word performed by the poet? I'm there. Even if ballet isn't your thing, maybe scroll through their season overview and see if anything strikes you as interesting. Nashville Ballet is always pushing boundaries and experimenting with ballet (but they do keep a few classics - The Nutcracker, for example - on the books for traditional ballet fans), and there might be something that inspires you to give ballet a second chance. The tickets are reasonably priced (less than many concerts in Nashville), and it's a fun night on the town/date night/girls' night to grab a fancy dinner and go to the ballet. I've loved each and every performance of the Nashville Ballet I've seen, so I'll definitely be keeping my eyes out for what they're up to for the 2019-2020 season!

The traditional offerings, such as The Nutcracker, are delightful and well-done. But what sets the…read moreNashville Ballet, and makes it world-class, are the commissioned, original works. Last year I experienced "Lucy Negro Redux," an amazing performance of the spoken word, original music, and amazing dance. This year it was "Attitude: Other Voice," an inventive beautiful work that explored gender and sexuality and gender roles. Nashville is not just "Music City." the Nashville Ballet is helping us become a city that celebrates dance as well.

It is refreshing to have a studio where learning how to dance is emphasized as opposed to just…read morelearning a dance over and over to compete. Every child's progress and development is fostered. Your dancer will be inspired to do his/her personal best. All of the classes are considered important for any level a child is dancing at, and all dancers, whether on the company or not, receive the same training. We had noticed before that if you are in "recital classes" at many places that you learn very little and can only achieve significant training if you are on their company. Ballet and technique are emphasized. This studio has drop in classes as well. My daughter has progressed significantly in the past year, and she is doing things she would not have had the opportunity to do before. My son also takes some classes here to compliment his athletic endeavors and lay the foundation for dance for whatever he may choose to do in the future. Hard work, discipline and amazing teachers have made both of them more successful. Whether you are on the company or not, all are invited to attend the conventions in which we participate. The company does participate in competitions in order to have the opportunity to perform, but they are not mandatory. They also will work with individuals to clean up dances they may be doing elsewhere or to enhance their training. I am thankful that this studio opened and that we had the opportunity to be here.

Just saw "Finding Nemo" today for a field trip and it was spectacular! Very talented cast and the…read morestaff were very organized. There seems to be a controversy over this theater because they accept all differences with the casting. I have now seen two performances and neither one was inappropriate. People seriously need to chill. Your kid is going to be more influenced at school than they are watching these performances. These are extremely talented actors/actresses and deserve to be appreciated for their incredible work!

I had a blast watching Charlie And The Chocolate Factory musical with my nieces and nephews. The…read morecharacters were so entertaining and the actors really brought them to life.

My (then fiancé, now husband) and I purchased a package in 2021 to learn how to dance for our…read morewedding in May 2022 - specifically our first dance. We LOVED going to these weekly and they were very flexible with our preferences - didn't want it to be a chore or too choreographed. It was a really fun date night

We had a fantastic experience seeing a play (The Play That Goes Wrong) at the Turner Theater!…read more The location inside The Factory is perfect for getting a meal or cocktail before or after a show. The staff was friendly and welcoming, offering help at every turn. The theater is small but well appointed, and I really think there's not a bad seat in the house. The performers were excellent, and the play was fun and funny (OK, hilarious!). We had such a good time we immediately bought tickets for another show.

First visit to Turner Theater in the Factory At Franklin for a performance of Crimes of the Heart…read moreby Studio Tenn. Very pleasant small (~300 seat) theater. Seating was comfortable and roomy, wider than many performance theaters. Sat on the third row (C), which has a railing in front, as it's the first row above floor level. At first that seemed nice, but the railing goes all the way to the floor, I suppose to prevent accidents, which makes for no legroom at all for that row. It's hard, even standing, to make enough room for others to pass, and I found it easy to get cramps, unable to move my feet at all. Looked like every other row did not have that problem, so just something to be aware of. There's a sort of "box seating" row on up high on each side. the angle might not be perfect for every performance, but it looked like a fun option to try for a future show. Was completely impressed by the quality of Studio Tenn's work. The set, staff, actors, lighting, everything was excellent quality and perfectly executed. Without exception, the actors were wonderful. A truly fabulous theatre experience. It's also so convenient to be in the Factory, makes for so many dining, drinking, shopping options before or after a show. On a Saturday afternoon/evening, the Factory was buzzing with activity. Parking is the biggest downside, there were cars wandering the parking rows just waiting for someone to look like they were leaving. We found it worthwhile to spring for the valet parking by Edley's and avoid that headache. Already planning for the next show. We're fans.

It's always a great time with this bunch of songwriters and their stories! I've been lucky enough…read moreto be in the audience watching the show, as well as a participating songwriter for these shows, and either way, it's a good time! You just book the show for your private event, no matter how big or small, and BOOM! You have songwriters at your place ready to perform! Everyone from multi-platinum hit songwriters to up & coming artists.... there's a good time to be had for you & your party!

Music City Roots is a hidden gem of the Middle Tennessee music scene. The live radio and music show…read moreis held in Liberty Hall, the largest venue inside of the Factory in Franklin. Seats are set up in rows by the stage theater-style and then they have food from Puckett's Grocery available for sale on a side area of the hall with tables and seating. There is also a cash bar which you can purchase beer, wine or mixed drinks. Upon arrival, they have a table setup to get you checked in if you have reserved tickets ($15) or if you are buying door tickets ($10). Considering that there are several artists for each show this is an amazing deal. We had reserved tickets which was nice to not have to worry about seating as our names were already on our seats. The show has co-hosts who will begin the show with a bit of banter and dialogue. In between acts they will interview the artists and allow them to answer several questions. The artists were selling some of their merchandise in the back of the hall as well so you had time to check that out. When we came the artists included Sunny Sweeney, the Rev. Peyton's Band and the Blackfoot Gypsies. If even one of these artists did a solo show they could have easily charged that amount alone. I was amazed that I was able to see Sunny here as she has done shows at the Grand Ole Opry before. She was absolutely incredible! This event is well-organized and I was so surprised at the quality of artists who participate in this radio show. It's a unique and fun experience that anyone would enjoy.

What a great place to check out a show! Music City Roots is an old throw back radio broadcast with…read more4 or 5 acts each playing about 30 minutes or so with interviews during set changes. We have seen great popular entertainers new and old. Just check out their webpage to see who all as been there and you will be amazed! Another great part of Music City Roots is seeing bands that you have never heard of before and becoming fans of them! Tickets are only $10 for general admission and 15 for reserved. But there is not a bad seat in the house. They only have one bar, I think, so the line can get kinda long. But no worries. They also have local restaurant that caters the event, but we have never ate there. This season it is Pucketts. I have heard great things about their food.

I got the attend the Blackberry Jam Music Fest and our group enjoyed it so much! Great local flair…read moreand some awesome bluegrass music and bands. BYOB and roll out a picnic blanket and you're all set. They have a slew of food trucks during the performances as well as Italian ice. Kids and dogs are welcome, and they have a few lawn games to play to pass any time between sets.