MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University’s College of Education and Gaylord Opryland Resort partnered to bring the magic of reading, storytelling and live performance to local students Thursday, Oct. 22, through a special holiday-themed literacy event at Homer Pittard Campus School, featuring a live reading of “POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEumstance.”

Held in the gymnasium of Campus School on Lytle Street next door to the MTSU campus, the special event gave students a unique behind-the-scenes look at the magic of live theater and cirque performance. The program featured a live reading of the award-winning children’s book by Broadway director Neil Goldberg, which inspired the holiday cirque production returning to Gaylord Opryland Resort for its second Nashville residency from Nov. 24 through Dec. 31. 

Students also had the opportunity to meet cast members from the “POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEumstance” production, enjoy a special preview performance showcasing cirque-inspired artistry, participate in an interactive Q&A session with Goldberg and performers, and receive a complimentary copy of the book, courtesy of Goldberg.

Homer Pittard Campus School is a public elementary school in Rutherford County Schools and a teaching laboratory for MTSU’s College of Education, providing hands-on teacher-training experiences for students preparing to become professional educators. The partnership with Gaylord and “POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEumstance” came during October’s National Read a Book Month and ahead of the holiday season, allowing students to experience a children’s story beyond the page through reading, performance and interactive activities.

“At MTSU’s College of Education, we believe that developing strong readers extends beyond the classroom,” said Katie Schrodt, professor in the college’s Womack Department of Teaching, Learning and Innovation and an event organizer. “Through our longstanding partnership with Homer Pittard Campus School, we are committed to creating meaningful literacy experiences that bring children, families and educators together.”

Thursday’s experience connected literacy with imagination and the performing arts while showing Campus School students how a children’s book can become a live theatrical production like “POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEumstance.” The live production transports audiences into the world of best friends Pomp, Snow and Cirqueumstance as they discover a world of music, magic and circus arts.

“As a storyteller and creator, I’ve always believed that imagination is one of the greatest gifts we can give a child,” said Goldberg. “To see the characters and stories I created inspire young readers and then watch their eyes light up as those same stories come to life through live performance is incredibly rewarding. I’m grateful to MTSU and Gaylord Opryland for helping us create an experience that celebrates literacy, sparks creativity and reminds children that anything is possible when they dare to dream.”

For Campus School and MTSU, bringing a slice of a production like “POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEumstance” provided a special collaboration that those young students won’t soon forget.

“At Campus School, we cherish our ability to provide unique and memorable learning experiences for our students. We want our students to see reading as more than something they do at school. We want them to discover the joy, imagination, and possibilities that come from a great book,” said Sherry King, principal of Homer Pittard Campus School. “Bringing a story to life through a live performance is such a wonderful way to spark that excitement. We are grateful for our partnership with MTSU and Gaylord Opryland and for opportunities like this that help foster a lifelong love of reading.”

“There’s something special about seeing children get excited about reading. When we can take a story from the pages of a book and bring it to life in a way that captures their imagination, we’re creating an experience they will remember,” said Neporcha Cone, dean of MTSU’s College of Education. “We’re grateful to Gaylord Opryland for partnering with us to make this possible for the students at Campus School.” 

The Nashville production features circus acts, illusions, musical storytelling and larger-than-life storybook visuals. Last year’s show at Gaylord Opryland was recognized with a prestigious 2026 Telly Award for best “Immersive Holiday Show,” underscoring its commitment to exceptional storytelling and innovation. The holiday cirque production returns to Gaylord Opryland as part of the resort’s 43rd annual “A Country Christmas” celebration, running Nov. 6, 2026, through Jan. 2, 2027. 

MTSU’s College of Education also supports family literacy initiatives throughout the school year, hosting Family Literacy Nights at schools across Rutherford County Schools and Murfreesboro City Schools, often in partnership with local nonprofit organization Read To Succeed. These events encourage families to read together, support literacy development at home and help children build home libraries with books of their own.

Schrodt said providing children with books of their own and opportunities to experience reading as a family are central to the college’s literacy efforts. The events also give MTSU pre-service teachers valuable opportunities to work with students and families while developing skills to support literacy beyond the classroom.

“Reading is about so much more than words on a page; it is about imagination, storytelling, and making meaningful connections,” Schrodt said. “We are thrilled to partner with Gaylord Opryland to bring this unique experience to Campus School, where children can interact with an author, see a story come to life through performance, and take home their very own copy of the book. These are the kinds of experiences that inspire a lifelong love of reading and remind us that literacy development is a shared effort between schools, families, and communities.”

For tickets and more information about “POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEumstance,” visit CirqueAtGaylordOpryland.com.

— Karli Sutton ([email protected])