Cookeville is a Theatre Town!
- Kathleen Gilpatrick
- Jul 21
- 5 min read
Welcome to our first ever blog! We want to use this space to talk about all things theatre. We hope to educate and encourage all those who are interested in the performing arts.
In this installment we are discussing the abundance of theatre in our little community (if I didn’t include your group, we apologize, let us know who you are). Future blogs will address how to become involved, tips and tricks for auditioning and important information about theatre etiquette. We will discuss how to navigate the audition, rehearsal and performance process with basic theatre knowledge for the newbie. We hope you will join us in our journey to educate, inspire and engage.
See you at the theatre!
Kathleen Gilpatrick
If you are a theatre person and you live in Cookeville, you hit the jackpot!
If you are new to the area, pull up a seat, I’m about to blow your mind.
This little town has 6 theatre groups. You would be hard pressed not to find something going on at all times. Here is a list of the groups and their offerings.
Let’s start with us:
Cookeville Theatre Company
We are a small but mighty little non profit theatre company founded in 2019.
We currently produce two shows a year.
For the past 3 years we have produced a Black History Month show that is performed at the Wesley Foundation Arena Theatre. In 2023 we produced I Am My Ancestors Wildest Dream created by myself and Lori Jackson Strode. It was the first Cookeville show with an all black cast in 50 years! The show’s been a hit every year and is growing. The talent! Our next show will be in March of 2026 and is a scripted musical. In the past we have produced Rabbit Hole, Steel Magnolias, On Golden Pond as our main stage shows, in June of 2024 we embarked on our first foray into a big summer musical, Fiddler on the Roof. Fiddler taught us many lessons, but the biggest was that this town wanted a big musical! Oy! They came in droves to audition and to see the production. It was then that we knew that our focus would be on families. Multi generations participated in all aspects of the show. The musical director’s 9 year old son was in the show, a mother and son had two of the principal roles, a husband and wife team were in the chorus, sisters played in the pit while the other was on stage. It was glorious. No phones, no distractions, just hard rewarding work. Being in the moment and listening. We are continuing to do the hard (and very expensive) work of doing a musical in 2026. With community support, enough money (fingers crossed) and hard work, we will bring families and community members of all ages together once again for an experience no one will ever forget. We will be announcing this summer 2026 musical on Friday, July 25th at 6pm at Taverna on the Green in Cookeville. Come join us for good food, fun and karaoke! Watch our website and social media pages for all the deets!
Cookeville Children’s Theatre: https://www.ccttheatre.org
Since 1976, CCT has self-sustained and grown, producing over 40 seasons of award-winning productions. Their mission remains the same: to nurture young talent, foster creativity, and inspire future generations of performers and arts enthusiasts. Through our programs, we engage the community, celebrate the arts, and empower young people to dream big. Jennifer Welch is the Artistic Director of Cookeville Children’s Theatre, where she has been a guiding force for over 20 years. CCT is known for their workshops, school performances and musicals. Most of their shows are performed at the Cookeville Performing Arts Center (CPAC).
Cookeville Performing Arts Center (CPAC): https://www.cookeville-tn.gov/331/Now-Showing
Located at 10 East Broad Street, Cookeville. The Cookeville Performing Arts Center (CPAC) is a 456 seat live performance theatre owned by the City of Cookeville and operated by the Department of Leisure Services. The facility was built with Model Cities grant money and opened in August 1979. CPAC houses the Margery Hargrove Auditorium, named in 1989 for the First Lady of Theatre in the area.
Under the leadership of Cultural Arts Superintendent Rachel Wingo, the facility is rented out for use by theatre groups, dance studios, schools and music producers.
The City of Cookeville also produces their own shows through their Backstage Series: https://www.cookeville-tn.gov/457/Backstage-Series
For 31 years Backstage productions are selected especially for presentation in the intimacy of the backstage theatre setting. Playgoers are seated on stage where the action is, near enough to hear every word, every sigh, to see every comical expression and gesture, and to feel part of every scene. The staging and seating arrangements change with every Backstage show. You can see their past productions for over 30 years here: https://tn-cookeville.civicplus.com/559/Backstage-Past-Productions
The Dogwood Park Pavilion is home to Shakespeare in the Park produced every fall: This is a free event, see their past history here: https://www.cookeville-tn.gov/560/Dogwood-Shakespeare-History
Other than Shakespeare the pavilion is home to community band concerts, movie nights, as well as festivals of all kinds. More about Dogwood Park can be found here: https://www.cookeville-tn.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Dogwood-Performance-Pavilion-35
To purchase tickets for events taking place at CPAC go to https://www.cookeville-tn.gov/333/Online-Tickets
Backdoor Playhouse at Tennessee Tech University https://www.tntech.edu/fine-arts/theatre/tickets.php
Currently doing two shows a year. For over sixty years, thousands of actors and technicians have contributed to hundreds of productions from playwrights ranging from Sophocles and Shakespeare to Ensler and Kushner, and the Backdoor Playhouse is still considered by many to be the best kept secret on the Tech campus. As a community of faculty, staff, volunteers and students, they are committed to theater education that combines art and scholarship. “We seek to foster creativity, critical thinking, excellence, and professionalism through the integration of courses, productions, workshops, and other activities. We seek to understand theatre not only as a means of artistic expression and a form of entertainment but as a window into history, a way to examine the question of what it means to be human, and a vehicle for social change.”
They invite you to join in this mission. The English major with a theatre concentration combines drama study and theatre training in a comprehensive curriculum in a liberal arts tradition. The performance and production program offers opportunities for majors and non-majors alike to gain valuable skills and memorable experiences working onstage or backstage.
Storyteller House
Storyteller House is a for profit company owned by Laura Holloway. This group performs original work written by Laura Holloway. The company uses various venues to perform their work. The theatre company is known for their short rehearsal periods for those who can’t commit to a lengthy rehearsal schedule. Ms Holloway’s work includes, An Evening of Bite Sized Theatre in addition to her shows The Cabana, The Kitchen, The Lounge and the Bathroom.
Ramsey Productions
This new company is under the leadership of Aaron Ramsey, Ramsey Productions is a small, theatrical production company based out of the Upper Cumberland Region in Middle Tennessee. Whether it be a murder mystery or a raucous comedy, they do it all!! Their most recent production at CPAC was A Night With Molière with critical acclaim. We look forward to seeing what they do next.
Theatre in the Schools
The Upper Cumberland is blessed with wonderful theatre programs in our schools. These productions are led by dedicated teachers with a commitment to presenting quality performing arts experiences to their students. Supported by parent volunteers these productions are quality productions. Each fall and spring you can experience shows by Upperman High School, Cookeville High School, Prescott Middle School and Algood Middle School to name a few.
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