About TFP
The Franklin Playhouse (TFP) offers a high-quality, hands-on theatre experience that is both educational and fun—designed to help every student fall in love with performing. Students explore acting, singing, movement, and age-appropriate backstage basics, building a well-rounded foundation in musical theatre.
TFP is about more than the final performance. We focus on the whole child—confidence, kindness, collaboration, and courage—alongside performance skills. As our programs grow, we’re proud to perform in multiple theatres and venues throughout the Nashville area, giving students real-world experience adapting to different spaces and learning what it means to show up professionally on any stage.
At TFP, every student is supported, every voice is heard, and every performance becomes a moment to remember.
Meet Our Team
Our talented, dedicated team brings decades of experience to provide an exceptional theater arts experience.
Blandina Vergara-Cruz
Founder & Artistic Director
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Originally from Las Vegas, Blandina Vergara-Cruz brings over 30 years of experience in the entertainment industry, including 12 years of directing and producing shows in Williamson County. Her impressive career includes serving as Program Director at Expression City, Board Member for Pull Tight Players, and Director of the Youth and Teen Actors Guild, where she directed numerous musicals. For more than five years, Blandina also directed the renowned Kids on Stage Summer Academy in Leipers Fork and led several children’s programs for Williamson County Parks and Recreation, such as Rising Stars, Stars to the East, and Starbright Players.
Outside of teaching and directing, Blandina oversees three businesses: Dreams Do Come True Princess Parties, Riley’s Salon, and Party Venue. She also dedicates her time to community projects, including serving as a committee member for the Tennessee Kids Arts Festival. Most importantly, she leads her family’s non-profit, the Ray of Light Foundation, in honor of her late son, Raymond M. Cruz. The foundation supports seven initiatives benefiting Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital and continues Raymond’s legacy of love and compassion.
Blandina is also deeply involved in her community. She serves on the bereaved parent advisory council for Vanderbilt Children's Hospital and was honored as one of Williamson County 2022 Philanthropic Heroes. She strongly believes in the importance of giving back, recognizing that it fosters belonging, addresses social challenges, facilitates personal growth, strengthens community resilience, and inspires future generations. She encourages individuals to embrace their responsibility to contribute to the betterment of their community. lies in its ability to foster belonging, address social challenges, facilitate personal growth, strengthen community resilience, and inspire future generations. As individuals, we have the opportunity and responsibility to contribute to the betterment of our communities. She finds great joy in collaborating, creating, and working with a team of creative souls to fully realize that the product we create helps everyone in some way.
Blandina is thrilled to finally own her own studio and looks forward to building the future of The Franklin Playhouse.Her goal is to develop a thriving creative community, nurture the nex generation of talent, and create memorable productions for years to come.
Lauren Case- Private Vocal Instructor and Music Director
Lauren Case is a performer, music director, and vocal instructor from Brentwood, TN. She graduated from the Eastman School of Music and the University of Rochester with degrees in Vocal Performance and Neuroscience, and is currently pursing her Master’s of Science in Human Genetics at the University of Michigan. A versatile musician, she enjoys working in and coaching a variety of musical styles including opera, choral singing, and musical theatre. Though she started as a performer, she quickly found she enjoyed putting her musical skills to work as a music director. Over the past 6 years, Lauren has had the opportunity to music direct a number of youth and young adult productions including Annie Jr., The Little Mermaid Jr., Matilda Jr., 13, Legally Blonde, Something Rotten, Spring Awakening, and Falsettos. She is passionate about helping young people to grow in their confidence and to realize their abilities as performers through the productions she helps to lead.
Ellie Nyquist Dance Instructor and Choreographer
Ellie Nyquist is a dedicated dance educator and performer with a lifelong passion for the arts. She began her training in ballet, tap, and jazz in Enumclaw, Washington, and joined the Plateau Ballet Repertory Theatre at age 12—eventually graduating as the company’s principal dancer.
Ellie continued her dance studies at the University of Montana, where she discovered a deep love for teaching. While there, she performed in Giselle, presented original choreography, and danced at the American College Dance Association.
For the past three years, Ellie has taught and choreographed ballet, tap, and jazz on the Big Island of Hawaii, sharing her enthusiasm for movement with students of all ages. She is excited to share her passions with the greater Franklin community.
Lillian Brown- Choreogrpher
Lillian received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre at Lipscomb University, and her dedication to her craft shines through in her work both on and off the stage. Lillian was a company dancer for Lipscomb’s Foundation Dance Theatre for four years, where she has honed her skills and developed a deep understanding of movement and expression. Her most previous credits include Demeter in Cats and Beth in Little Women at Lipscomb University, choreographer for Heathers, Beetlejuice, and others at The Franklin playhouse, and she recently spent the summer working as a theme park performer at Kentucky Kingdom.
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Britton Bath- Choreographer
Britton Bath. A dancer at DC Dance Factory. With 9 years of competitive dance . BrittonI will be teaching a beginner hip-hop class. The main goal is to have fun and learn some great hip-hop fundamentals. Dance has become a very special part of Britton's life and he is grateful to have the opportunity to help people find their own love for dance.
Ainsley Isbell- Choreographer
Ainsley has been a dedicated student of Blandina Vergara-Cruz for several years and just recently graduated from high school. We're thrilled to welcome her to our creative team as one of our newest choreographers! Her passion, energy, and love for the stage make her a perfect addition to the Franklin Playhouse family. We can't wait to see the magic she brings to our upcoming productions.
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Alexander Nick (Music Director)
Alexander is thrilled to be working on his first production with Franklin Playhouse. Alex is a graduate of both the Eastman School of Music (BM in Vocal Performance and Music Education) and University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance (MM in Vocal Performance), and has spent a great deal of time in both opera and musical theatre. As a music director, he has worked with several theaters throughout New England, including Peacock Players (Nashua, NH) and Pepperell Community Arts (Pepperell, MA), as well as numerous schools and universities.
As a singer, Alex performs a wide variety of classical repertoire, with a passion for Bach cantatas, cabaret music and modern opera. Favorite rolls include Matteo Borsa (Rigoletto, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra), Paul (Paul’s Case, Ad Astra Music Festival), Albert Herring (Albert Herring, Harrower Summer Opera), Miles Zegner (Proving Up, Eastman Opera Theatre), and Peter Quint (Turn of the Screw, University of Michigan). He has also soloed with choirs, orchestras and oratorio societies across the country. Alex has also played piano for upwards of twenty years, a regular collaborator and accompanist for composer and clarinetist Joe Clark and his partner and fellow (local) singer Lauren Case.
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Claire Hamblen- Choreographer
Growing up in Franklin, Claire found a love for theatre at a young age. Community musical theatre helped her come out of her shell and discover her love of dance. Claire spent her afternoons at rehearsals for various shows as well as studying ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, modern, and hip hop. Throughout high school, she danced on the Centennial High School dance team and on a company at the Hargest Academy. Her summers were spent training at Oklahoma City University and in New York at the Rockettes Summer Intensive. She now has choreographed 12 different shows with Blandina Vergara-Cruz at Expression City and Williamson County Parks and Recreation. Currently living in Brooklyn, New York, Claire is on her fourth year as a first grade teacher. She is passionate about connecting with people of all ages and sharing her love of dance and movement as a form of expression and healing. Claire is thrilled to be working alongside Blandina and the community to create another memorable production.
Our Vision
Every Artist has a light, here we grow it.
Our vision is to produce quality productions showcasing the unique and richly diverse talents in the surrounding communities.
The Franklin Playhouse welcomes all backgrounds and skillsets to participate in variety of programs and performing arts opportunities. We value diversity and strive to provide opportunities that are safe, equitable, and inclusive.
Our Mission
The mission of the Franklin Playhouse is to engage, inspire, entertain and challenge audiences with theatrical productions that range from the classics to new works; we train and support the next generation of theatre artists; we provide arts education programs that promote life-long learning to a diverse community; and we celebrate the essential power of the theatre to illuminate our common humanity.
Our Values
QUALITY in everything we do
COMMUNITY by providing a welcoming and inclusive environment
PERSONAL GROWTH & DISCOVERY through shared learning
ARTISTIC EXPRESSION through creativity and collaboration
ACCESSIBLE & AFFORDABLE entertainment and theater arts education
Community Partners
The Franklin Playhouse would like to extend a special thanks to our community partners!
