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| Today June 21, 2011 TAPstories makes the official move to WordPress. Come join all the fun at http://tapstories.wordpress.com/ Special Features on TAP's WordPress page include:
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Coming soon...
- Changing Lives blogs
- Guest blogs
June 21, 2011
It's official! TAP Blog Switch Today June 21, 2011
Recipe for a Yummy Summer Pageant in the Park
by Mary Alice Carnes, Community Relations Manager
Next Steps:
Dream, learn, and work.
Here are a few photos from our fun build day on Friday and the colorful Summer Pageant this past Saturday. To see more photos head over to our Flickr page (pictures by Mary Alice Carnes and Amanda Davis).What was your favorite part of this years Summer Pageant in the Park?
Ingredients:
7 Elementary schools
5 Teaching Artists
6 Staff
7 Volunteers
Family and friends
A bright sunny day
Next Steps:
Dream, learn, and work.
Mix well and add a dash of fun and excitement as you march in a grand procession at Republic Square Park at SFC Farmers’ Market Downtown Austin in celebration of the seasons.
Serves hundreds with delight.Here are a few photos from our fun build day on Friday and the colorful Summer Pageant this past Saturday. To see more photos head over to our Flickr page (pictures by Mary Alice Carnes and Amanda Davis).What was your favorite part of this years Summer Pageant in the Park?
June 20, 2011
Growing up with Theatre
By: Chelsea Gilman, Business and Development Associate
Theatre has played a huge role in my life, starting from the time I was born. I would always attend plays with my family and participate in youth theatre camps during the summer.
So as I was deciding on a major in college, I settled on theatre, simply because I wasn't sure what else made sense for me. I'd been performing in Dallas'Jr. Players: Shakespeare in the Park for 3 summers and in high school theatre productions, in addition to serving as President of my high school theatre department. Then, as I considered I'd need a job after college and perhaps moving to NYC to audition for roles wasn't for me, I decided to pursue a business minor.
Now, with a theatre major and a business minor, working in the office at Theatre Action Project seems like just the perfect fit. In a time when so many college graduates are looking at their degree and their current job with little to no correlation, I'm proud I was able to take my education and put it directly to use.
Eight years ago, I took a theatre-in-education class at The University of Texas because it was sounded like an interesting elective and I needed one more theatre elective to add to my last semester of school. But little did I know that years later I'd be back in Austin and working at the organization that my professor started. My group in the class took our touring show to some of the same places TAP tours today. I performed using many of the techniques we use to engage young audiences in an interactive art form aimed at bringing audiences in and allowing them to use their own creativity to express themselves, goals, struggles, and possible solutions to life's challenges.
Theatre has played a huge role in my life, starting from the time I was born. I would always attend plays with my family and participate in youth theatre camps during the summer. So as I was deciding on a major in college, I settled on theatre, simply because I wasn't sure what else made sense for me. I'd been performing in Dallas'Jr. Players: Shakespeare in the Park for 3 summers and in high school theatre productions, in addition to serving as President of my high school theatre department. Then, as I considered I'd need a job after college and perhaps moving to NYC to audition for roles wasn't for me, I decided to pursue a business minor.
Now, with a theatre major and a business minor, working in the office at Theatre Action Project seems like just the perfect fit. In a time when so many college graduates are looking at their degree and their current job with little to no correlation, I'm proud I was able to take my education and put it directly to use.
Eight years ago, I took a theatre-in-education class at The University of Texas because it was sounded like an interesting elective and I needed one more theatre elective to add to my last semester of school. But little did I know that years later I'd be back in Austin and working at the organization that my professor started. My group in the class took our touring show to some of the same places TAP tours today. I performed using many of the techniques we use to engage young audiences in an interactive art form aimed at bringing audiences in and allowing them to use their own creativity to express themselves, goals, struggles, and possible solutions to life's challenges.
June 17, 2011
TAP (There’s Amazing Puppets)
By: Brian C. Fahey, Program and Marketing Coordinator
When a new teaching artist, volunteer, or community partner enters the Theatre Action Project offices on Austin’s eastside for the first time, they usually exclaim the same excited remarks - “Look at all those puppets!” Indeed, covering a space approximately 1600 square feet there are dozens of puppets – hanging from the ceiling, packed in our storage loft, peaking out the windows and decorating office spaces. Visit our shed and you’ll find dozens more. Dynamic TAP staff and their students have created the majority, in a mish mash of styles – Bunraku, large-scale pageant puppetry, stick puppets, shadow puppets, hand puppets, marionettes, even lunch paper bags. Collectively they serve as a sort of visual history of our 15-year organization.
TAP has a deep and impactful presence in the Austin community and this upcoming summer is the perfect example. This Saturday, June 18, is our annual Summer Pageant in the Park where our student partners from Winn, Wooten, Barrington, Wooldridge, Hart, Reilly, and Brown Elementary Schools will take to the SFC Farmer’s Market at Republic Square Park at 11am for a free parade of song and spectacle. Come see what wonderful things these youth can do with puppets!
Then on July 18 – 22, it’s our Crazy Creature Puppets Camp for youth ages 5 – 12, hosted at Paragon Prep. Out of our exciting and packed schedule of summer camps, this one might be my favorite. The camp combines theatre, filmmaking and art to introduce youth to the wonderful world of puppetry. On Friday the campers will share the performances and films they’ve created using puppets entirely designed and built during the camp. And then they get to take them home! What’s more the camp is instructed by two dynamic artists: Caroline Reck, from the award winning Trouble Puppet Theatre Company and Lillie Hollingsworth, who, when she isn’t teaching for TAP, designs and sells marionettes.
See you this summer! Keep your eyes pealed for our puppets; you can’t miss ‘em!
When a new teaching artist, volunteer, or community partner enters the Theatre Action Project offices on Austin’s eastside for the first time, they usually exclaim the same excited remarks - “Look at all those puppets!” Indeed, covering a space approximately 1600 square feet there are dozens of puppets – hanging from the ceiling, packed in our storage loft, peaking out the windows and decorating office spaces. Visit our shed and you’ll find dozens more. Dynamic TAP staff and their students have created the majority, in a mish mash of styles – Bunraku, large-scale pageant puppetry, stick puppets, shadow puppets, hand puppets, marionettes, even lunch paper bags. Collectively they serve as a sort of visual history of our 15-year organization.Cesar Chavez sits beside a crocodile and a pig. Sadako Sasaki and her peace cranes watch over the kitchen. I, myself, have an owl sitting on my desk. It’s made entirely out of papier-mâché, like most of our puppets, and I found it during an office cleanup my first week at TAP.
In many ways it’s entirely fitting that our puppets serve as many peoples first introduction to our organization. They speak to our ingenuity, our thriftiness, and our creativity. A month ago I heard our development director, Anita Ashton, say to a room full of new TAP partners - “we do amazing things, and we do them cheaply.” One example: puppets!
See you this summer! Keep your eyes pealed for our puppets; you can’t miss ‘em!
From Trash to Treasures: Making Art
By: Emily Tindall, Program Manager
Watching these transformations from trash to treasure have been some of my favorite experiences working for TAP. I feel incredibly blessed to be surrounded by folks with a “can do” mindset, who never blink an eye at a difficult project. I truly believe that this is what is at the core of TAP, and it has propelled us forward to where we are as an organization now. I know that this will continue to serve us as we deepen our relationships in the greater Austin community, and I hope it inspires you as much as it does me!
Throughout my time here at Theatre Action Project, I have often thought …” wait, we’re making WHAT?” Never before have I been surrounded by such creative, capable, artists. This year I have seen TAP Staff create beautiful pieces of art, giant puppets, and about a zillion other things out of virtually nothing. This has been a truly impressive thing to watch because not only are they creating beautiful artwork, they’re making it out of what some might deem nothing more than trash, and using their intuition to guide them in their process. I have never heard a TAP staffer say “that’s just too hard,” or “I can’t make that, that’s just impossible.” An alligator out of foam and fabric? An owl out of a parasol? A full size bull out of Papier-mâché? You betcha!
Watching these transformations from trash to treasure have been some of my favorite experiences working for TAP. I feel incredibly blessed to be surrounded by folks with a “can do” mindset, who never blink an eye at a difficult project. I truly believe that this is what is at the core of TAP, and it has propelled us forward to where we are as an organization now. I know that this will continue to serve us as we deepen our relationships in the greater Austin community, and I hope it inspires you as much as it does me!
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