Theatre Staff & Talent

Producing Artistic Director of Theatre

Pacer Harp - A Kentucky native, Pacer has been employed with The Renaissance Center in Dickson, TN. since it opened in 1999. His TRC credits total over 50 and continue to mount. He has worn many hats over the years, including Actor, Director, Producer, Choreographer and Playwright. His current position affords him the opportunity to oversee all of the department's programming, including the M.E.T. Series (Mind Enriching Theatre), the Y.E.S. Series (Young Entertainers on Stage), The Renaissance Players and The Gaslight Dinner Theatre. He has also enlightened over 100,000 school children in The Michael Faraday Science Theatre. His 6 one man shows continue to be highly requested by Educators. Acting credits representative of his career include King Lear (Lear's Fool), The Elephant Man (John Merrick), Greater Tuna/A Tuna Christmas (Thurston Wheelis/Bertha Bumiller/Aunt Pearl/et.al.), Smoke On The Mountain/Sanders Family Christmas/Smoke On The Mountain Homecoming (Rev. Oglethorpe). Directing credits include Oklahoma!, My Fair Lady, Guys And Dolls, A Chorus Line, Anything Goes, Tuesdays With Morrie, Driving Miss Daisy. Outside of  work, he is a Tennessee Arts Commission Teaching Artist for the Arts 360 Program and a Tennessee Arts Commission Teaching Artist for Poetry Out Loud, a National Endowment of the Arts initiative. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Nashville in Motion and the Tennessee Theatre Association.Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Bryan J. Wlas (Associate Director, Resident Choreographer)

A native of Illinois, and a graduate of Millikin University with a BFA in Musical Theatre and Dance minor, Bryan has been involved with the Renaissance Center's Theatre Department since 2005. He has directed several shows here, including Bye Bye Birdie, Hello, Dolly!, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Once Upon a Mattress, Night of the Living Dead and Annie Jr. Bryan has choreographed and performed in over 35 productions for the Theatre Department. Favorites include A Chorus Line (Bobby), A Grand Night for Singing (Martin), Cats (Mistoffelees), and Babes in Hollywood (Man 2). He has directed, choreographed and performed in shows for regional theatres around the United States, including Bigfork Summer Playhouse (MT), Round Barn Theatre (IN), Lees-McRae Summer Theatre (NC), Bearcreek Farms Resort (IN), Tweetsie Railroad (NC) and McLeod Summer Playhouse (IL). Bryan has taught theatre and dance classes for the Renaissance Center since 2006, and is a licensed Zumba instructor. 

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Nathan W. Brown(Associate Director of Theatre, Resident Music Director)

A native of Sterling, IL, Nathan is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. For The Renaissance Center, Nathan has worked on more than 45 productions, including Hello, Dolly!, Anything Goes, A Chorus Line, Cats, Oklahoma!, Annie, The Music Man and Once Upon a Mattress. Favorite Directing credits: Into the Woods, Church Basement Ladies, A Year with Frog and Toad, Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Carol: The Musical and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Jr. Favorite Music Directing credits: All Shook Up, Seussical, The Will Rogers Follies, Married Alive!, Forever Plaid and Jekyll & Hyde, at theatres including Bigfork Summer Playhouse (MT), The Round Barn Theatre at Amish Acres (IN), Stage Door Theatre (FL), Bearcreek Farms Resort (IN), Cornwell's Dinner Theatre (MI), Houston County Community Theatre (TN) and Illinois Wesleyan University (IL). He also teaches Voice and has given private voice lessons to more than 45 students in Dickson and Houston Counties.

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Charles Young (Technical Director)

Originally from Dickson County, Charles Young is elated to be working in the field of Technical Theatre in addition to running the Cybersphere Digital Theater. Charles came to the Renaissance Center after working for Georgia Shakespeare and before that attending Austin Peay State University. Charles’ credits include Assistant Technical Director for Georgia Shakespeare’s summer production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Scenic Carpenter for Georgia Shakespeare’s 2012 summer season, and several different positions at APSU including scenic designer, sound designer, scenic carpenter, sound board operator, fly rail operator, and stage hand. Occasionally he can be found onstage, but it has become a rare occurrence.

Some of Charles’ favorite opportunities include The Tempest (Assistant TD), Little Shop of Horrors (Orin), Guys & Dolls (Sky Masterson/ Master Carpenter), The Werner One Acts (Scenic Designer)

Rachel Gallup (Costumes)

Ray Dryden (Sound)

Ray grew up in Nashville and quickly became interested in performing. While singing was his favorite activity early on, he later focused on behind the scenes technical interests. Even before high school Ray was already running sound for local plays and local singers performing around town. In college Ray began creating sound effects for theater performances and continued live audio support as the stages got bigger and bigger. In 1979 He started touring with Dottie West mixing stage audio for her many performances in nearly all 50 states. One year there were more than 250 shows over the span of 300 days on the road. Ray spent nearly 5 years working for Dottie and one more year was spent working with Tammy Wynette. Ray mixed house sound for Tammy and added more world famous venues to his travels including 6 countries in Europe and one he is most proud of Carnegie Hall. After all of the road travel Ray worked locally doing audio and stage tech work for many more shows. Realizing the change from an analog to a digital world Ray returned to school and studied computer programing. In 2000 Ray went to work at The Renaissance Center as Assistant Technical Director. During 8 years at The Renaissance Center there was something new to learn everyday. Hundreds of shows and events later in 2008 Ray set out on his own to continue searching for that elusive perfect show. Today, Ray still sings for fun, while spending much of his time at The Renaissance Center helping support the Arts by remaining behind the scenes.   

Alaina Runions (Dance/Choreography)

Britney Smith (Production Manager)

A Louisiana native, Britney attended Austin Peay State where she studied Theatre Performance and Production. She has worked in many capacities both on and off the stage including performer, designer, manager, and even director. Some of her favorite opportunities have been with Molissa Fenley and Dancers, The Second City on Tour, and The AP Playhouse. Some of her favorite productions include Cabaret (Kit Kat Girl), The Bald Soprano (Stage Manager), Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey), The Pillowman (Production Manager/Props), Philo (Assistant Director/Production Manager), Proof (Claire), Wiley and the Hairy Man (Makeup/Production Manager), and The Adding Machine (Mrs. Zero/Scenic Designer)  She joined The Renaissance Center last year to work on Into the Woods, A Velveteen Rabbit Christmas, A Christmas Carol and This Wonderful Life.