Theatre and Music Classes for All Ages
Come learn from working actors who are knowledgeable in the art and business of acting. We work with students who are new to the craft as well as seasoned actors who want to perfect their skills. You’ll enjoy safe, non-judgmental coaching and encouragement to work authentically, make mistakes, and learn from honest feedback.
Meet Our Talented Instructors
Sarah Barberi
Jennifer Pelletier
Our Theatre and Music classes are
also a great opportunity to improve:
CONFIDENCE • FOCUS • TEAMWORK • COMMUNICATION • PUBLIC SPEAKING
Disney The Aristocats Kids
Ages 5-9
Rehearsals Thursdays 5:00-6:30 starting mid-August
Performances: Weekend of November 17th
Director: Jennifer Pelletier
Assistant Director: Sarah Barberi
In the heart of Paris, a kind and eccentric millionairess wills her entire estate to Duchess, her high-society cat, and her three little kittens. Laughs and adventure ensue as the greedy, bumbling butler pulls off the ultimate catnap caper. Now it’s up to the rough-and-tumble alley cat, Thomas O’Malley, and his band of swingin’ jazz cats to save the day.
Disney Finding Nemo Jr
Ages 9 -14
Rehearsals Mondays 5:00-6:30 starting mid-August
Performances: Weekend of December 8th
Director: Jennifer Pelletier
Assistant Director: Sarah Barberi
Marlin, an anxious and over-protective clownfish, lives in the Great Barrier Reef with his kid Nemo, who longs to explore the world beyond their anemone home. But when Nemo is captured and taken to Sydney, Marlin faces his fears and sets off on an epic adventure across the ocean. With the help of lovable characters such as optimistic Dory, laid-back sea turtle Crush, and the supportive Tank Gang, Marlin and Nemo both overcome challenges on their journey to find each other and themselves.
Class Registration Schedule
Elizabeth Melnikas
Aerial Instructor
Elizabeth got her Bachelors of Arts at UCLA for Classical Flute Performance. She has various personal training certifications–NSCA – CPT, USAW, and TRX Certification. She has been a personal trainer at UCLA for 10 years. She teaches group exercise classes and personal training sessions for the staff and faculty. In the last two years she has been programming for their virtual classes. Elizabeth has worked for Trapeze School New York in Los Angeles and New York as well as various other trapeze schools. She has her aerial silks teaching certification through Aerial Physique.
Emma Barberi
Aerial Silks Instructor
Emma has been practicing circus arts for ten years and teaching aerial silks, lyra, trapeze, and hooping for the last five years, with lyra being her favorite apparatus. She loves watching her students grow to their fullest potential as they become confident in their skills. Professionally, she performs lollipop lyra, waterbowl acrobatics, stilts, hooping, silks, and lyra. She feels that Expression City is the best place to come if you’re looking to grow your skills in a supportive community as Expression City is known for its encouraging environment. When she’s not working, her favorite hobbies are swimming, hiking, or playing video games. Her favorite quote is, “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.”
Ashley Smith
Circus Artist and Coach
Ashley formally started her education in arts in 2007 as a professional dancer and then made her way into the world of circus. She received a Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Colorado and then completed the Professional Training Program for Aerial Arts at Frequent Flyers. Ashley has performed all around the United States with MOTH Poetic Circus, Iluminar Aerial, Aerial Dreamworks, Frequent Flyers Inc, and Beyond Wings Circus. Alongside her duo trapeze partner Daniel Nolasco, she is the winner of the Best Artistic Award at the Aerial Acrobatic Arts Festival in Denver, CO. Ashley has performed solo and duo work on board the German cruise line, Mein Schiff TUI Cruises. In addition to her life as a circus artist she loves dancing, climbing, teaching, and exploring new places.
Madison Weiss
Aerial Silks Instructor
Madison teaches aerial silks in group youth and private lessons. She helps aerialists of all ages achieve their specific goals and challenge their bodies in new, artistic ways. She loves that Expression City offers a variety of aerial arts to cater to all levels and interests and that students have the opportunity to showcase what they’ve learned in a performance at the end of each semester. In her spare time, Madison enjoys hiking, attending concerts, photography, reading, watching TV, and cuddling with her cats.
Rebecca Hellemans
Aerial Instructor
Rebecca has been with Expression City and the Nashville Circus Center since
we first opened our doors and has spent 14 years in Circus and Aerial Arts.
Rebecca loves how Expression City and Nashville Circus Center fosters a
culture of community, growth, professionalism, and excellence in all
students. One of her favorite things about teaching is to see individuals
bust their own beliefs of what they can do and who they are. It brings her
so much joy to see their confidence grow as she helps them achieve
superhero status. When she’s not teaching our students, you may find
Rebecca traveling, sewing, woodworking or cooking.
Jennifer Pelletier
Jennifer has been in and out of performances for an amazing 25 years. She has worked both on stage and backstage in nearly every role. In addition to acting, directing, and covering hair and makeup departments and being a stagehand and a stage director, she served on the board for Old School Theatre in Spring Hill for nearly the entire existence of the community theater program.
Jennifer Pelletier
Jennifer has been in and out of performances over the past 25 years. With largely on-the-job training, she has worked on stage and backstage in nearly every role from her start in Huntsville Community Chorus as a singer, adult show choir member, various backstage roles, and even on-stage roles. In addition to acting, directing, and covering hair and makeup departments and being a stagehand and a stage director, she served on the board for Old School Theatre in Spring Hill for nearly the entire existence of the community theater program.
Jennifer loves working with students and is very excited to bring her experiences and open heart to Expression City and work and play with the students!
Jennifer Pelletier
Jennifer has been in and out of performances over the past 25 years. With largely on-the-job training, she has worked on stage and backstage in nearly every role from her start in Huntsville Community Chorus as a singer, adult show choir member, various backstage roles, and even on-stage roles. In addition to acting, directing, and covering hair and makeup departments and being a stagehand and a stage director, she served on the board for Old School Theatre in Spring Hill for nearly the entire existence of the community theater program.
Jennifer loves working with students and is very excited to bring her experiences and open heart to Expression City and work and play with the students!
Sarah Barberi
John Mauldin
Mr. Mauldin is pleased to return to Expression City by directing this production of Oliver! He previously directed Yipity Doo Revue, performed as Mr. Wormwood in Matilda the Musical, and as Bunsen/Mr. Jacobi in Newsies at Expression City.
John was last seen on stage as Lord Montague in Romeo & Juliet (Watershed Public Theatre).
Other local credits: Mr. Meeker in Inherit the Wind, Polonius in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (Nashville Repertory Theatre), Joe Benjamin in God’s Favorite, Dub Frye in Southern Fried Funeral, Waldgrave in The Nerd, Murray in The Odd Couple, Leonard Loftus Nobody’s Perfect (Chaffin’s Barn). Chebutykin in Three Sisters (Verge Theater Company), Lennie Small in Of Mice and Men, Reuben Soady in Escanaba in da Moonlight (Boiler Room Theatre), Joe Carden in The Children’s Hour, Sam Robish in The Desperate Hours (Street Theatre Co.), Valet in Amadeus, The Doctor in Roger’s Version, Thomas Putnam in The Crucible (Blackbird Theater), Thorn Bradshaw in Scarecrows will Never See the Sunset (Playhouse Nashville) and as Saul Kimmer in True West (People’s Branch Theatre).
Mr. Mauldin is also the Host/Producer of the Theatre podcast, The Inexplicable Dumb Show.