Our Mission

North Texas Performing Arts is dedicated to developing the character of youth through performing arts education and family entertainment.

Our Vision

NTPA’s vision is to light the passion of the performing arts for all, work to ensure everyone has the opportunity for the profound experience of taking the stage and having their voices heard.

NTPA’S TEN CHARACTER LEADERSHIP PROGRAM:

The NTPA Ten Characters were introduced ten years ago to serve as a guide for learning life lessons. These Ten Characters provide a guide to improvement and how the NTPA family works with one another. NTPA’s goal is to develop the “Character of Youth” by fusing the magic of theatre with the principles of our Ten Characters. NTPA employs the power of music, dance and drama to introduce young people to life’s lessons and experiences within the safety of its walls, before they experience it for real in the outside world.

NTPA MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE:

Since 2015 the organization’s operations have been led by Chief Executive Officer Darrell Rodenbaugh who serves NTPA full-time on a pro-bono basis. NTPA is comprised of 11 different “troupes” including five youth theatre troupes in Dallas, Fairview, Frisco, Plano, and Southlake. The other troupes include the NTPA Academy offering an innovative academic learning environment for grades 6-12, with an enhanced focus on the fine arts; NTPA Film Studios offering opportunities for youth to explore and create short films; NTPA Starcatchers, therapeutic arts troupe for individuals with disabilities; NTPA Deaf Theatre for the hearing impaired, the NTPA Repertory Theatre which is NTPA professional adult theatre company, and NTPA Community Theatre providing fun and family entertainment for the rising or amateur actor. The newest NTPA troupe is “Collegiate Pursuits” providing college-preparatory classes, workshops, private lessons, and collegiate-level performance experiences. Each of these theatre troupes has its own Board of Directors providing advise counsel and support.

Oversight of North Texas Performing Arts is provided by a diverse 24-member volunteer Governing Board of Directors made up of doctors, lawyers, educational and other professionals. NTPA’s 100+ Board Members across its family of theatres volunteer thousands of hours in support of the performing arts and youth arts education.

North Texas Performing Arts is the largest youth-dedicated theatre troupe in the country. NTPA provides a safe space for those from all walks of life and with all levels of ability to experience the magic of the theater, both onstage as performers and engaged as audience members and volunteers.

Each year, NTPA “Develops the Characters” through 11,000 enrollments of young people in over 200 major productions and over 1,400 performances on over a dozen stages across North Texas each year. NTPA’s roots go back to 1991 with the creation of the Plano Children’s Theatre by Sara Egelston Akers, and upon that foundation the North Texas Performing Arts was created in 2015.

The NTPA Governing Board of Directors, Management Boards, and NTPA Staff strive to create performing art spaces that are positive, safe and inclusive regardless of one’s race, creed, gender, religion, orientation, communication differences or abilities. We encourage our families and patrons to exhibit our “Ten Characters” taught at NTPA including Teamwork, Leadership, Responsibility, Respect, Self-Confidence, Integrity, Discipline, Gratitude, Positive Attitude, and most important of all, to Love One Another.

Historical Moments

Community Involvement

Because all the world truly is a stage, it makes it that much more important that the world’s players influence the community around them. NTPA maintains a giant footprint in the community and a strong reputation for giving back.

These are just some of the ways we’re making a difference in our community.

• Giving full-ride scholarships to talented and less privileged children
• Providing complimentary tickets to charitable organizations, teacher groups, and school fundraising events
• Offering free programming at local community centers
• Participating in more than 20 local events and festivals annually, promoting the creative arts

Awards

Financials

North Texas Performing Arts is dedicated to transparency and accountability. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit, NTPA is externally audited. Financial documents from recent years are available for download including Form 990s and full audited financial statements.