Ferdinand the Bull Visits the Kite Festival

by Alyssa Ely, University of Texas Tower PR

Hello from underneath the trees at the beautiful Kite Festival.

Thousands of Austinites flocked to Zilker Park this year, and among the crowd were families with small children who couldn’t resist the activities the Theatre Action Project tent had to offer. Face paintings and puppet shows were a huge hit, which you could tell from all the joyful smiles. The set inside of the puppet show tent was decorated to resemble the Spanish town of Madrid, where the legendary story of Ferdinand the Bull was being told.

At the beginning of the show, the main puppeteer had the children in the audience sing along with him a song that sets the moral of Ferdinand’s story. This incredible tale promotes nonviolence and tranquility, and this can be seen in Ferdinand’s gentle personality where he would rather sit amongst the flowers than buck and jump around like the other bulls.

The TAP volunteers did an exceptional job of playing the gentle bulls and the children were eager for their queue to yell “Oley!” The story became even more exciting when it took an unexpected turn. One day, Ferdinand was enjoying himself in the flowers as he always did until he sat on a bee and “Owww” screamed the bull as he kicked and snorted and tried to ease the pain. Meanwhile, there was an eager onlooker searching for the angriest bull for a fight and there he saw Ferdinand.

The children in the audience were eager to find out what the gentle bull was going to do in the fight. But Ferdinand’s true colors showed through. He remained calm and couldn’t help but smell the aurora of flowers all around him. The children and parents in the audience gasped with relief and cheered almost as if they were there amongst the stands on that very day.

The puppet show was a great success thanks to TAP’s talented volunteers who really know how to tell a beautiful story with a memorable message. We hope to see more bright and shining faces next year or even at our upcoming Spring Break or Summer Camps.

P.S. My favorite hairstyle is the classic Audrey Hepburn up-do from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. See you at TAP’s Big Hair Country Fair on March 24th at the Salt Lick Pavillion! To buy tickets visit: TAP Big Hair. Proceeds benefit Theatre Action Project.

Arts Opening the Doors for Passion

by Linda Huang, Tower PR, University of Texas

When I think about how arts education inspires students to do what they love, I can’t help but reminisce my own experiences and exposure to the arts. My first experience with fine arts was when I enrolled for piano lessons when I was 6 years old. I loved how I had the to make music with my own fingers. Little did I know, learning how to read music and listen to rhythm opened so many doors for me artistically. It became easier to pick up violin, which allowed me to participate in orchestra throughout middle school and high school.

However, I definitely think music opened the doors to my biggest passion yet: dancing. After my first ballet lesson at the age of 9, I knew I had found my passion. Dancing gave me the freedom to express myself through my movements. I also got exposed to different cultures when I learned different styles of dance, such as jazz, tap, Chinese folk, and modern. Through all of my different arts experiences, I learned the importance of dedication, teamwork and practice.

Arts education is a great opportunity find or own creative medium to express our thoughts and help build self-confidence. When we get involved in the arts, we also get the opportunity to meet people with the same interests and it gives us a sense of belonging.

Spreading the News

by Mary Alice Carnes, Community Relations Director

My goal for the New Year is to continue to sing out the good news about Theatre Action Project’s mission and impact. 2011 was a banner year for highlighting TAP’s work via the media–press and social media–who put the spotlight on  Sara Hickman’s The Best of Times CD to benefit TAP, Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell talking with the Courage in Action All Stars at Austin City Hall , or Nitra Gutierrez discussing how Changing Lives Youth Theatre Ensemble changes the lives of its young participants and audiences. TAP is spreading the news about how it inspires youth to be creative artists, courageous allies, critical thinkers and confident leaders, and my mission continues.

Shifting from serious to fun, who would have believed we would have a passionate “cupcake wars” on Twitter, Facebook and KEYE TV with last October’s Cupcake a Doodle Do! event? Austin proved it is serious about cupcakes and ardent about  supporting TAP.

I invite you to join the discussion. Send us your thoughts about arts education, ideas for stopping bullying in 2012, and tell us how creativity feeds your soul. Friend us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter (@TAPAustin), flip through our photo collection on Flickr, or sign up to be a TAP blog subscriber.

If you missed a TAP interview or article, check out our press page. In the meantime, here are a few highlights from 2011. Click on the links below to view, listen, or read:

• KUT Radio Arts Eclectic and O’Dark 30:Sara Hickman and Karen LaShelle on The Best of Times CD
• GivingCity Magazine:CD Release Benefit for TAP with Sara Hickman
• CultureMapAustin:Willie Nelson, Robert Earl Keen, Marcia Ball band together for Sara Hickman’s The Best of Times
• Inside Austin Radio:Anita Ashton and Sara Hickman talk about TAP and The Best of Times
• KXAN TV:Karen LaShelle talks about TAP’s spring fundraiser and TAP’s mission
• Austin Chronicle: Best of Times, It’s Good to Have Friends
• KXAN TV:Student play attacks bullying
• University of Texas blog: Theatre Action Project Turns the Organic into Artistic, Summer Pageant in the Park article
• Texas Tower PR blog:Spotlight on Theatre Action Project
• KXAN TV: Unique summer camp creates courage (Courage in Action All Stars)
• CultureMap Austin:This youth theater is Changing Lives: Advice crafted for and by teens, onstage at a school near you
• Cupcakes Take the Cake:TAP’s Cupcake a Doodle Do!

A Monumental Year

by Emily Watkins, University of Texas Tower PR

The Account Executives from Texas Tower PR

December is always thought of as a time for remembrance and wishful thinking for the New Year. As I remember back over the last year, so many Theatre Action Project memories come to mind. I have only worked with TAP for 18 months but I do believe this past year was monumental.

Following My Passion – Tower PR Guest Blog

by Ana Vargis, University of Texas, Tower PR

When I think of the arts and arts education, I immediately link it to passion. In my experience, passion has been the very thing the arts shown me and I believe has been the reason of why I am at this stage in my life; a senior at the University of Texas ready to graduate and follow my passion as my career, music.

I remember with clarity my first encounter with passion at the tender age of 10. I was in the fourth grade and during music class I was asked to sing in front of the whole entire class. So I did it. Little did I know that, after my little act, I would be asked to join the school choir. And so it began, after my first choir practice I fell in love with music. I started singing, then I started to learn how to play the piano, and before I knew it I was rehearsing for my first solo during our biggest concert.  I was hooked on music. Two years later, choir was cancelled and I had to move to a different town once again. But that didn’t stop me; new town meant new music challenge.