Financial aid is available for those who qualify – apply here
Tuition discounts available if you sign up for multiple classes:
2 classes – 10% off
3 classes – 15% off
4 classes – 20% off
Discount automatically applied in your cart
New Works Writers Lab
In our “New Works” experience, Backlight students get to try their hand at being a playwright and writing their own original play. Instructors help to guide students into formulating their vision as they learn essential elements of storytelling. When the student plays are completed, professional actors then perform the plays in a live performance as our playwrights get to see their new works come to life!
- Dates: February 2023-June 2023
- Date/Time: Thursdays 5pm-7pm
- Cost: $120/month
Private Lessons
Beauty and the Beast – Closed
Backlight Productions presents, Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”! This well-loved musical is full of magical characters for performers of all abilities to play. This production rehearses once a week for the entire season until the final performance in late April/early May 2023. We are excited to welcome this season a team of Speech and Pathology students from TN State University, who will help assist with line delivery and memorization in our weekly rehearsals for this performance opportunity!
- Dates: September 2022-May 2023
- Experience Level: Beginner-Intermediate
- Rehearsal Date/Time: Mondays from 11am-1pm (Cast 1) or 1:30pm-3:30pm (Cast 2
- Cost: $140/month
*students will be pre-assigned roles and informed which Cast they will be part of and rehearsing with. If your student can only make one of these rehearsal times, you may make a request in the “Notes” portion at checkout and we will do our best to accommodate those needs.
Class is full for 2022-2023 season. Click the button below to be put on a waiting list.
Singing in the Rain – Closed
Backlight is excited to add a SECOND Broadway musical to its Season lineup, specifically for students who are looking for a challenge and/or wanting to perform in multiple musicals each year. This cast will give more seasoned performers the opportunity to perform larger roles and musical numbers while still providing ensemble opportunities for performers who want to participate in musical numbers without having to memorize lines. “Singing in the Rain” will be an audience-interactive performance experience featuring beloved songs, big laughs, and toe-tapping dance numbers performed at the historic Franklin Theatre.
- Dates: September 2022-January 2023
- Experience Level: Intermediate – Advanced
- Rehearsal Date/Time: Thursdays 5pm-7pm
- Cost: $140/month
Class is full for 2022-2023 season. Click the button below to be put on a waiting list.
GLEE Club – Closed
Join us in learning songs and/or dance routines in this new glee club rehearsal format. While receiving education in both Music and Dance, students will learn material from the classic tale, ‘The Polar Express.’ And at the end of the semester will have the opportunity to participate in one of our city’s most beloved traditions by performing in the Franklin Kiwanis Christmas Parade! “All aboard the Polar Express!”
Apprenticeships – Closed
Backlight Apprentices will join Executive Director, Melissa Smith, in going through various lessons in our Masterclass Film Series in order to learn the basics of theater production. Students will have the opportunity to put those lessons into practice by putting on their Producer hats. Over the course of the program, participants will select an original script (previously written by a Backlight New Works playwright), work together on the various production elements, cast/direct local professional actors who will perform in the show, and work as members of the production/tech team in a final performance. This experience is perfect for anyone interested in pursuing a job within the Arts industry or for someone who would like to learn other elements of theatre production and be part of a production team.