Guest Blog: Changing Lives Retreat

by Susie Gidseg, Managing Director of Changing Lives

Photo credit Victor O’Brien

When I was notified by SafePlace and Theatre Action Project that they wanted us to take our Changing Lives students on a retreat this year, I was nervous. I’m not much of an outdoorsy person. I vaguely remember retreats in middle school and high school being in nicely air-conditioned bunks— food cooked and prepared for us. The idea of taking a bunch of teenagers out to the middle of nowhere— was, to be said, a bit daunting.

Learning in Italy

by Karen LaShelle, Executive and Artistic Director

It has been a busy 12 months…and I am just now finding the time to write about what I did last summer!

Last June I was given an incredible opportunity to learn more about a passion of mine: large scale puppetry and pageantry.  I traveled to Morinesio, Italy to work with some of the best large scale puppeteers in the country, Alex Kahn and Sophia Michahelles of Processional Arts Workshop a.k.a. Superior Concept Monsters.  Sophia and Alex have been the lead artists for the New York City Halloween Parade since 1998 and their imaginative, ambitious and inventive work has been a part of festivals and events all over the world. 

Summer Play

by Mary Alice Carnes, Community Relations Manager

The heat of the summer should not deter anyone from connecting with some “cool” activities. Our summer camp kids are currently in the midst of Theatre Action Project’s summer camp and they are having so much creative fun including making plays, being heroes and legends, and singing for the stage.

HACA Summer Camp Volunteers Needed

by Cassie Swayze, After School Programming Associate VISTA

Theatre Action Project needs superstar volunteers for our Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) Summer Camp!

The camp is taking place August 1st – August 11th; Monday – Thursday. We need volunteers at the Goodrich (Manchaca Village), Shadowbend, and Meadowbrook HACA sites. Program times vary – either 12-3PM or 3-6PM daily. This is a unique opportunity to gain hands-on teaching skills in the classroom. Volunteers will lend a hand, help create performance, play games, and generally act as fabulous assistants to our talented Teaching Artists!

Gearing Up for the Fall

by Brian C. Fahey, Program and Marketing Coordinator

Summer may be in full swing but fall is shortly upon us. Summer for Theatre Action Project is definitely all about camps but behind the scenes our full-time staff is busy preparing for the upcoming school year. Consider this: