Theatre Action Project began in 1997 as a sponsored project of the Austin Circle of Theatres. We earned our non-profit status in November, 2001, and we were ranked in the top 5 of 35 theatre companies in Austin for three years in a row. TAP has served thousands of children and adults with a wide range of social programs, collaborating with a variety of agencies serving youth in Austin, including Safe Place, Lifeworks, Juvenile Court/Gardner Betts, and The Girl Scouts, to name just a few.

TAP is the only provider in Central Texas to combine high artistic standards with “issues-based” interactive theatre programs designed to meet the needs of children—and the adults who live and work with them—who are facing violence among peers, prejudice and racism, child abuse, substance abuse, and/or other challenges. We are one of a handful of regularly producing, professional theatre-in-education companies in the United States.

Theatre Action Project’s growth and success is founded on our ability to recognize and meet the needs of Central Texas youth, from the 530 youth we reached in our first year to the more than 14,000 youth and adults we will serve in the 2006-2007 school year.

1997
Theatre Action Project founded by Lynn Hoare as part of M.A. Thesis for the University of Texas at Austin’s Drama and Theatre for Youth Program. Travis County Crime Victims Fund supports 20 performances of “It’s In Your Hands,” a theatrical violence prevention program; 530 students in Austin are served.

08-00
Theatre Action Project becomes a sponsored project of Austin Circle of Theatres (ACOT). “It’s In Your Hands” is performed 95 times for over 2000 students in two years.

2001
Theatre Action Project receives the IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and expands programming, recruits a Board of Directors, and acquires office space. Company members create counter-bullying program “The Courage to Stand,” TAP’s first five-day interactive performance residency.

02-03
TAP collaborates with SafePlace, Austin’s domestic violence and sexual assault survivor center, to create “The Changing Lives Youth Theatre Company,” a teen theatre company that tours their original interactive performance about healthy relationships. Partnership programs and independent projects serve up to 800 people.

03-04
TAP develops “TAP After School” and implements 20 classes per week by the end of the school year. Staff expands to one full time, two part-time staff and ten contracted teaching artists. TAP founds the “Alternative Solutions” program, an interactive conflict resolution workshop for students on alternative learning campuses and expands their teen theatre program. Partnership programs and independent projects serve up to 3,000 people.

04-05
TAP develops interactive performance residency, “The Heroes/Los Héroes,” a bilingual, musical puppet show that teaches conflict resolution skills toK-2nd graders. TAP offers 35 after school classes a week, an expansion funded in part by a $25,000 grant from the A Glimmer of Hope Foundation. Partnership programs and independent projects serve up to 7,000 people.

05-06
In response to demand for programming, TAP increases organizational capacity by creating six full time positions in addition to 21 part-time teaching artists. TAP offers 75 after school classes per week, and performs “The Courage to Stand” and “The Heroes/Los Héroes” 20 times per school semester. The Webber Family Foundation grants $25,000 to fund the creation of peer mentoring performance “Courage In Action,” a sequel to “The Courage to Stand.” The Changing Lives Youth Company is joined b youth-for-youth company “The Georgetown Stars.” A Glimmer of Hope renews funding and provides additional funds for long-term Katrina youth evacuee program. TAP develops new “artist-in-residence” after school model and is awarded 19 contracts bringing projected 06-07 numbers served up to 14,000. Partnership programs and independent projects serve more than 11,000 people.