Our Team

Nashville Children’s Theatre is a community dedicated to bringing inspiring, educational, family-friendly programming to guests of all ages.

Nashville Children's Teathre Staff
Ernie Nolan

Ernie Nolan

executive Artistic Director

Ernie Nolan is an award-winning playwright, director, and choreographer. He received the Illinois Theatre Association’s 2014 award for Excellence in Theatre for Young Audiences.

 

As former Artistic Director of Emerald City Theatre, he helped create The Little Theatre, the nation’s first performance space dedicated exclusively to interactive and immersive theatrical experiences for early theatre goers ages five and under.

 

Nolan’s work as a playwright has been featured both nationally and internationally. He has adapted and directed such storybook favorites as If You Give a Cat a Cupcake, If You Take a Mouse to School, Mo Willems’ Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, and The Adventures of Doctor Dolittle. His work at The Broadway Playhouse includes A Charlie Brown Christmas, Fancy Nancy The Musical, Pinkalicious, The Cat in the Hat, Cinderella, Charlotte’s Web, and the world premiere of Hansel and Gretel: A Wickedly Delicious Musical Treat, written in collaboration with GRAMMY nominated recording artist Justin Roberts.

As resident artist of The Coterie Theatre in Kansas City, MO, Nolan has directed and choreographed world premieres by such Tony-nominated artists as Willy and Rob Reale, Stephen Schwartz, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, and Bill Russell and Henry Krieger. For Chicago Playworks he has directed The BFG, The Giver, The Witches, A Wrinkle in Time, Number the Stars, The Day John Henry Came to School, Peter Pan and Wendy, and The Kid Who Ran for President.

In March 2012, Ernie made his Off-Broadway debut as a choreographer with Lucky Duck at the New Victory Theatre.

Nolan is currently the International Representative for TYA USA to ASSITEJ, a global theatre for young audiences service organization. With his appointment at NCT, he departed his position as Assistant Professor of Theatre Studies at The Theatre School. He is a proud graduate of both the University of Michigan Musical Theatre Program (BFA Musical Theatre) and The Theatre School at DePaul University (MFA Directing).

Nashville Children’s Theatre Staff

Abby Baker

School Booking Manager

Michelle Taylor

Director of Business Services

Justin Gunn

Patron Services Associate

Belinda McSween

Director of Finance

Lake Summar

Grant Writer/Social Media Manager

Ben Shultz

Technical Director

Rachael Silverman

Director of Production

Matthew Hayes Hunter

Drama School Coordinator

Bob Roberts

Front of House & Box Office Manager

Abby Austin

ASM/Production Assistant

Jackie Komos

Education & Engagement Manager

Colin Peterson

Director of Education

Gretchen James

Director of Development

Teaching artists

Our education department has over 30 years of experience in educating theatre for youth. You’ll recognize many of our professional theatre artists from their performances in shows at NCT and from stages across Middle Tennessee.
Children and Puppets at Nashville Children's Teathre

Nashville Children’s Theatre Board of Trustees 2022-2023

As the nation’s oldest professional theatre for young audiences, Nashville Children’s Theatre has deep roots in and a long history with the community. Our Board of Trustees represent a diverse cross-section of Nashville and the surrounding areas. While many of our members either have children who participate in NCT’s programs, or grew up participating themselves, others simply share our belief that a cultural heritage is the right of ALL children.

Executive Committee

Perri duGard Owens, Chair
Amy Willoughby Bryant, Vice Chair
Karesse Small, Secretary
Joyce McDaniel, Treasurer

Members At-Large

Matt Chinn

Jamie Eskind*
Kim Honiball

Andrea Perry

Trustees

Hermica Alalade
Charles Avent
Julia Baker
Shauna Billingsley
Phillip Branch
Dr. Marti Cantrell
Tamara Baxt Clemmons
Reuben Coopwood
LaSalle Chapman-Curry

Kacy Fabie
Jocelyn Freimuth
Charlie Friedman
Kim Honiball
Allie Jones
David Jones
Davidson Lentz

Jan-Nee Sheats-Mathis

Samantha McCaskill^

Holden Mobley
Amy Pearl
Ryan Peters
Trayte Peters*
Tunisia Scott
Brian Sexton

Jim Shulman
Annette Sisson#
Emily Slattery*
Marie Sueing
Richard Tatum#

Yvette Brooks Thomas

Pecolia Tubb
Elizabeth Warren
Jayme M. Yeo

Work with NCT

From wiggly kiddos to special events, we’ve answered our guests’ most common questions on our FAQ page.
Young performers during show
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