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The historic Franklin Theatre has seen a lot in its 80-plus year history. It has had glory days and days spent in disrepair. There have been world-class performances, red-carpet premieres, non-profit galas, family movies and private events. It has been called the “home of first kisses” by locals, and it has also faced uncertain days when its screen almost went dark permanently.

But thanks to the theater’s parent organization, the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County, TN, and the generosity of the community, the theater was given another chance to serve as the gem of downtown Main Street – with millions raised so the rich history could be preserved and the theater renewed to its most glorious state in history. After reopening to the public in 2011, our beloved theater has once again become a central hub for the local community with live events, music, movies and a key factor in the economic vitality of our beloved Main Street.

This year was set to mark yet another milestone with a new live Performing Arts Series and a lineup of live music that would rival some of Nashville’s greatest venues.  But our theater, along with our downtown festivals and local Main Street retailers, felt the impact of the pandemic and had to temporarily close our doors to the public.

Everyone at the Heritage Foundation is focused on 2021 and reopening The Franklin Theatre, hosting our downtown community street festivals, supporting visitors and vibrancy along our Main Street, and preserving the rich history of our community. Would you help us? When you support the Heritage Foundation and our end-of-year annual fund, you support the theater and our beloved downtown Franklin – and so much more.  Your contribution is completely tax deductible and so much appreciated.

From the hearts of our teams at the Heritage Foundation, The Franklin Theatre, Downtown Franklin Association and Franklin Grove Estate and Gardens, we thank you for your support and wish you a happy and healthy holiday.

Sincerely,

Bari Beasley

Heritage Foundation CEO

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The Franklin Theatre is more than a marquee in photographs. It’s a community, it’s tradition and it is history

You inspire us to bring the performing arts to Downtown Franklin.  As our patrons and supporters, you bring life to the “Crown Jewel of Main Street” and make our programming possible.  We are excited to come back in 2021 with an incredible lineup of live performances, concerts and movies.

Please consider making a donation that will ensure we can continue our mission and bring you the programs, traditions and memories that make The Franklin Theatre so special to you and our community.

DONATE HERE

Thought leaders in entertainment, marketing and non-profit industries unite to support Franklin’s beloved historic theatre.

The Heritage Foundation of Williamson County, TN has appointed a new Advisory Board for The Franklin Theatre with 16 board members representing a rich portfolio of experience in entertainment, marketing and non-profit industries, announced Bari Beasley, Heritage Foundation CEO.  The Advisory Board will work with The Franklin Theatre and the Heritage Foundation teams over the next several years to support long-term vision and planning.

“We couldn’t be prouder of this group of talented people who have stepped up to serve and support our beloved historic downtown theatre and the Heritage Foundation. The combined experience, talent and passion of these 16 people will be a key factor in our strategic planning, fundraising and programming for long-term vision of The Franklin Theatre. With this talented team rallying for us, the sky’s the limit for the possibilities,” says Beasley.

THE FRANKLIN THEATRE ADVISORY BOARD, August 2020

CHAIR Jennifer Parker.  A resident of Franklin for more than 20 years and owner of Parker Haven Interiors, Jennifer Parker brings more than a decade working in the Nashville music industry with artist labels, management companies, recording studios, and branded artist events and marketing. A Leadership Music graduate, she serves on the Heritage Foundation Board as the VP of The Franklin Theater, as well as the Board of Studio Tenn.

Trey Bruce.  An Emmy Award-winning American songwriter, Trey Bruce has written eight Billboard Number One singles with songs performed by Randy Travis, Diamond Rio, Lee Roy Parnell, among others. He has also co-written numerous Top 10 singles for artists including Faith Hill, Leann Rimes, Trisha Yearwood, Trace Adkins, Reba McEntire and Carrie Underwood.

Ramon Cisneros. A specialist in marketing and engagement for Latinos in the U.S. and Latin America, Ramon Cisneros is also a consultant for corporations nationwide. He has served on the boards of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, the Nashville Arts & Business Council, Nashville Symphony, Nashville Opera, Cheekwood, W.O. SMITH School of Music, Sister Cities of Franklin & Williamson County, Williamson Medical Center Foundation and many others. He is a graduate of Leadership Music.

Carla Denham. Carla Denham is a passionate brand campaign producer and marketing strategist with decades of achievement with major product, service and non-profit organizations globally. A veteran in the brand business, she has led and/or grown brand marketing agencies in the South, California and Hawaii and represented brands ranging from Philips Electronics, Chick-fil-A and Gymboree to World Vision, Soles4Souls and Feed the Children.

Fletcher Foster. One of the most connected music industry leaders serving on Nashville’s Music Row, Fletcher Foster has worked with almost every record label and publishing company across the nation, as well as artists that span genre and generation including Keith Urban, Garth Brooks, Kelsea Ballerini, Whitney Houston and Annie Lennox. Currently president/CEO of F2 Entertainment Group, he serves on numerous boards including the Academy of Country Music, Leadership Music, Make-a-Wish of Middle Tennessee and the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau Council.

David Garrett. A Franklin native and prominent family law attorney who manages the Franklin office of Cheatham, Palermo & Garrett, David Garrett serves as the current president of the Heritage Foundation Board. He also served as president of the Foundation’s board from 2007-2011 during the acquisition, restoration and reopening of The Franklin Theatre. Garrett also served on the Board of Trustees for Battle Ground Academy and is a recipient of the Heritage Foundation’s Patron’s Award and Franklin Tomorrow’s Anne T. Rutherford Exemplary Community Volunteer Award.

Dan Haseltine. Dan Haseltine is primary singer/songwriter for 4x GRAMMY AWARD winning band, Jars of Clay, and alt-synth pop trio, The Hawk in Paris.  Dan has written 17 #1 radio singles and is the Composer for the highest grossing crowdfunded television show in history, The Chosen. He is the Founder and Sr. Development officer of the non-profit organization, Blood:Water and co-founder of local non-profit, The PUBLIC. Dan is also author of two acclaimed children’s picture books, “The One, The Only, Magnificent Me,” and “Lulu & the Long Walk.”  He is a music producer, commercial jingle creator, speaker, songwriting coach and marketing consultant. and has lived in Franklin for 25 years with his family.

David Haskell. With more than 40 years of experience in the production business, David Haskell has served as a tour manager, production manager, front of house engineer and producer for several of the biggest names in the music industry. He began his storied career with the band Nantucket in 1978 and then went on to work with artists like Alabama, Kenny Chesney, Hall & Oates, Jim Nabors, Keb Mo and more. Haskell currently serves as president of Morris Light & Sound, a production partner of the Heritage Foundation and The Franklin Theatre.

Paul Jankowski. Paul Jankowski is a recognized expert in entertainment branding, and a thought leader, speaker and Forbes contributor on marketing and creating culturally relevant messaging in the New Heartland. His expertise in all aspects of global brand development is reflected as the founder of Nashville-based New Heartland Group and entertainment agency One Bullet Entertainment. He has served in leadership positions at Elvis Presley Enterprises, SFX Entertainment (Live Nation), Gibson Guitar Corp., MCA Records and SBK Records, and was a co-founder of the T.J. Martell Foundation.

Sherri Leathers.  Sherri Leathers has more than 20 years of experience in arts programming, with an emphasis on performances for school and family audiences. She joined Shaw Entertainment Group in 2017 and is now working as the agent for the Southeast region and supporting other aspects of its operations including artist acquisition, development and retention and a variety of special projects.

Debbie Schwartz Linn. Debbie Schwartz Linn currently serves as Executive Director of Leadership Music and spent her early career with Sony Music in both New York and Nashville. Linn has developed brand partnerships for more than 20 artists including Kenny Chesney with JC Penney; Sara Evans with Libby’s, Maytag and Johnson & Johnson; Jake Owen with Lucky Jeans; Miranda Lambert with Vanity Clothing; and the Country Strong movie and soundtrack with Pepsi and Arby’s.

Matt Logan. A Tennessee native, Matt Logan worked on Broadway for years in costuming and casting for productions like The Lion King, The Phantom of the Opera and Spamalot. In 2009, he returned to the South and founded Studio Tenn in Franklin with Emmy Award-winning producer Philip Hall and Broadway actress Marguerite Hall. Since then, he has worked in the creative space with Reba McEntire and on many other special projects.

Dionne Lucas. Currently serving as the Director of Retail Marketing and Sales for the National Museum of African American Music, Dionne Lucas started her professional career in marketing with The Coca Cola Company. She has successfully launched and managed numerous brands and received multiple accolades for her work with RJ Reynolds’ subsidiary Lane Limited and Tantus Manufacturing

Emily Magid. Emily Magid is a Middle Tennessee native and longtime Franklin resident and community advocate. For the Heritage Foundation, she’s best known as one of our most tenured volunteers, past board member, donor and one of the Foundation’s biggest cheerleaders. She also serves and supports many other local nonprofits and organizations including the Harpeth River Watershed Association, Franklin Housing Authority, Habitat for Humanity, BrightStone, Alcohol & Drug Council of Middle Tennessee, Williamson County Animal Center, Land Trust of Tennessee and others.

T.J. Portis. T.J. Portis has lived in the Williamson County community for decades and serves other nonprofit organizations like the Williamson County Library as a board member. She was highly recommended to the Foundation to serve on the Franklin Theatre advisory board by African American Heritage Society of Williamson County leader Alma McLemore.

Dan Rogers. A 20-year veteran of the beloved Grand Ole Opry, Dan Rogers currently serves as vice president and executive producer managing more than 200 performances annually. Rogers got his start at the Opry as a graduate intern and in his words, “…just never left. I came in at minimum wage, and with a lot to learn. But fortunately for me I was given the opportunity to learn on the job.”

The Franklin Theatre, an operating division of the Heritage Foundation, has temporarily suspended all programming until 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions on live entertainment venues. The theatre continues to provide a platform for local philanthropic engagement and to offer diverse programming for all people in 2021 and beyond.

Visit FranklinTheatre.com for 2021 programming.

Shows and events are on sale now for the 2021 performing arts and live seasons

Before The Franklin Theatre will take an extended programming

break through the remainder of 2020, it will host two more live shows: The Gatlin Brothers Fan

Favorites on Saturday, July 25 and Mac McAnally, Friday, July 31. Both shows, which sold seats

at a greatly reduced capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing requirements, are sold

out. Each show will also be live streamed from the stage and tickets for the live stream

performance are available.

Paul T. Couch, executive director of The Franklin Theatre, said he and his team were

investigating doing a combination live show/live stream and these two artists seemed like a

perfect way to introduce this concept that may become the new norm for many live venues.

“We had been negotiating these dates specifically as live, socially distanced concerts with an

added live-stream audience,” Couch said. “Since the idea of a combination live show/live

stream from our theater is such a new and innovative concept, we felt that it was in the

theater’s best interest to try this format out as it may influence the theater’s ability to reopen.”

Both the Gatlin Brothers’ and Mac McAnally’s performances will be live streamed directly from

the stage of The Franklin Theatre. To ensure the broadcast is transmitted in a high-quality

format for the online audience, the live stream will be produced by video production veteran

Alan Reitano and his company, Cypress Creek Creative.

Rudy Gatlin, member of The Gatlin Brothers said he is looking forward to the ‘Gatlin Brothers

Fan Favorites’ concert, even though they won’t be playing to a full-house.

“We just finished rehearsing and it was so much fun playing with them,” he said. “I hope the

fans enjoy hearing the songs as much as we’re going to enjoy playing them. So, get your

tickets!”

In addition to having a virtual front row seat for each concert, live stream ticket holders will be

able to message the artists and the artists will acknowledge and respond to as many of those

during the concert as time permits. Couch said ticketholders will get details on how this portion

of the live stream will work prior to the day of show.

Admission to the live stream shows is limited. Both shows will begin at 8 p.m. Doors to the

theater, for those with tickets to seats in the venue, will open at 7 p.m. To reserve your ticket to

the live stream, visit www.franklintheatre.com, or call the box office at 615-538-2076. Box

office hours are Monday-Friday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Also, check out the theater’s 2021 season of shows, which contain new dates for many of the

performances in 2020 that had to be rescheduled due to changes in touring schedules and

other COVID-19-related issues. Most of the live shows and performing arts season were able to

be moved into the 2021 season. That schedule can be found at FranklinTheatre.com/All_Events