Tennaissance Productions, Inc. was formed from a theatre company founded in 1995 by Tamara Trexler-Motley and John Guerra to help celebrate and participate in the Tennessee Bicentennial. Tennaissance's troupe of professional actors and singers performed historical productions on-stage across the State of Tennessee and even into the Blue Grass State of Kentucky to bring the voice of America's history to young adult and family audiences at schools, churches, colleges and special community events.  Other performances have included the John F. Kennedy Center, the U.S. Capitol, the Tennessee Bicentennial Train and Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C.

When Tennaissance writers began penning original productions, they used Tennessee's Artist-in-Residence, Michael Sloan's painting, "The Pride of Tennessee" as their inspiration.  Tennaissance produced four one-hour musical dramas.  Playwright Lynda Drewry wrote the famed Dearest Heart, a love story about Rachel and Andrew Jackson, played by actors Robinson and Gary Beaty, former announcer for the "Ralph  Emery Show" and has served as announcer on television shows such as Video PM, Nashville Now and the CMA, ACM and TNN Music City Awards shows.

Sequoyah, inventor of the Cherokee alphabet was played by Nashville actor, Wes Motley who, along with Tamara Trexler-Motley, co-owned Tennaissance Theatre.   The vignette entitled Sequoyah, the Storytelling Sage was of particular educational entertainment to children.  Sequoyah also joined W.C. Handy, played by internationally known jazz and classical trumpeter, Leonard Foy and Ida B. Wells-Barnett portrayed by actress/vocalist, Vanessa Smith as triumphant figures over prejudice and injustice.  Role models for students of all ages as they describe their separate journeys toward equality, enlightenment and discovery in A Tale of Three Triumphs.

Legendary frontiersman, Davy Crockett joined his son, John Wesley Crockett, on-stage as they discussed "bar killin" and life as legislators and pioneers. As the Tennaissance actors performed Tennessee's Music and Heritage and America's Music and Heritage,Tennessee and American history came alive!

Tennaissance Theatre continued to bring the voice of Tennessee to everyone even after the Bicentennial festivities had all been concluded.  Tennessee's rich heritage will continue to live in the hearts and minds of the people of this great state.  We combined a creative team of talented performers all working together to bring historical characters to life with original, colorful and imaginative scripts. You might have even found a United States Congressman lending a hand on occasions!

We felt that the greatest gift is education and the greatest joy is to entertain.  We hoped we accomplished both, like Davy Crockett, as we rode on a rainbow into the future.