Franklin resident, Sherri Leathers, says her work at the
Tennessee Performing Arts Center is a blessing that has enriched her life, as
well as the life of her children.
However, all who know Sherri and what she does for the TPAC, say that
she is the blessing and responsible for enriching the lives of many children
statewide and beyond. She is able to do
this through her role as the director of program services for the education
program of the TPAC, and she serves on the board of directors of the
International Performing Arts for Youth (IPAY), an organization dedicated to
advancing stage productions for children. 
Starting at the TPAC, as an intern right out of college,
Sherri worked her way to programming for the education program, where she found
her home. “In Tennessee, at
TPAC, and within IPAY, Sherri’s earned a reputation for her high standards and
her ability to recognize performances that are well suited for arts education,”
said Roberta Ciuffo West, TPAC’s Executive Vice President for Education and
Outreach. “She’s a visionary in that
respect. She has a gift for seeing how a
performance will connect with young audience—how it will entertain, uplift, or
inspire children at the same time it meets classroom learning goals.” TPAC’s privilege to present to young
artists their first art experience is impactful and meaningful to Sherri. She loves the day-to-day work of researching
art, meeting companies and working with artists of all kinds, and she
especially loves being at the TPAC on show day.
Sherri’s enthusiasm for this program radiates through her and inspires
all who are a part of it.
Sherri has brought many incredible opportunities to the
education department of the TPAC over the years and what has been happening
this summer is no exception. The
department collaborated with a Montreal theatre company to present the English
version of Pinocchio, which will
premiere in Nashville on November 4, 2013.
Based on Carlo Collodi’s novel, published in Italy in 1883, the play is
written and directed by Hugo Bélanger, the artistic director of Théâtre Tout à
Trac. Inspired and impressed by the work
of TPAC Education during their Nashville run of Alice in Wonderland in 2011, Bélanger made the invitation to
collaborate, believing Nashville is the best place to bring Pinocchio to life for English-speaking
audiences. A five-person acting work
group gave feedback to the theatre on its translation. “It is exceptional and such an honor,” said
Sherri, “that everywhere the show plays in English, the TPAC will be credited.”
Sherri is excited about the upcoming 2013-2014 season for
the education program, which will include A Christmas Carol, put on by
Franklin’s Studio Tenn. She plans to continue to bring the best work
to the young audiences and do anything she can to impact the artistic
community. She feels that it is
important to create artistic exchange with artists from other places with a
balance of local, national, and international work.
When anyone comments on all the work that Sherri Leathers
has done with the TPAC and how unbelievable it is, Vice President of
Communications and Community Relations, Lori Ward, will tell you, “That’s our
Sherri.” To find out more about the
education program at the TPAC and the upcoming season, go to
www.tpac.org/education.
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