Impact Arts Announces Streamline Launch

After more than 15 years creating and growing theatre education programs in Central Texas, steward Ginger Morris along with Victor Villalobos and Donelvan Thigpen have created non-profit Impact Arts designed to ensure education is at the forefront of art experiences.

Current programs Summer Stock Austin (SSA) and Texas Arts Project (TAP) will now be housed under the umbrella of Impact Arts, offering arts training and experiences that empower young artists through education, performance and celebration along with sponsorship.

"This new non-profit will combine the talents and passion of local artists and educators who share common values: educational experiences should be challenging, inspiring, and affirming and artistic experiences should be surprising, entertaining, and uniting," said Impact Arts Co-Founder and Artistic Director Ginger Morris. "Summer Stock Austin and Texas Arts Project are key programs of the new non-profit, and with this shift to one overarching organization, we look forward to bringing the Austin community even more diverse programming, untold stories, and unmatched training opportunities."

Going into its 17th season, Summer Stock Austin is uniquely a production company and educational training program in one. It offers high school and college students an opportunity to train, perform and engage in all aspects of theatre and film production in a fast-paced professional atmosphere. Summer Stock Austin culminates with full-staged musical productions and original musicals for family audiences - all tuition-free.

Summer Stock Austin will return for the 2022 season with three offerings; an original movie musical, How to Musical Theatre created and co-written by Emmy Award-winners Allen Robertson and Damon Brown, the regional premiere of a new musical for family audiences Alice's Wonderland co-written and directed by Hamilton star and Summer Stock Austin mentoring alumni, J. Quinton Johnson, and Lin-Manuel-Miranda's In The Heights co-directed by Ginger Morris and Michael Avila.

In Partnership with Texas Performing Arts, Summer Stock Austin 2022 will present live performances on the McCullough stage July 22 - August 8, 2022. Tickets on sale now and are available at impactarts.org/summer-stock-austin.

"The 17th Season is one like never before: an original movie musical, a regional premiere, and a fan favorite mainstage production," said Morris on the upcoming Summer Stock Austin season. "We are producing our second annual movie musical: How To Musical Theatre with creative geniuses Allen Robertson and Damon Brown. We get to welcome back Hamilton Broadway star J. Quinton Johnson to direct a new musical, Alice's Wonderland. Co-written by Quinton himself, this new musical for all ages is a modern take on the Lewis Carrol classic, featuring out-of-this-world characters and an original score inspired by Hip-Hop, Pop, Gospel, and contemporary musical theatre. I am looking forward to co-directing In The Heights, by Lin Manuel-Miranda, with the incomparable Micheal Ávila. From the creator of Broadway phenomenon Hamilton and last year's offering, Bring It On, we look forward to bringing Washington Heights to life on stage. You definitely won't want to miss this season!"

Casting and additional details for Summer Stock Austin 2022 Season will be announced later this month.

Education components of Impact Arts include TAP Camp, Private Lesson Studio, Digital Learning Series, along with In-School Workshops and Teacher Development.

TAP Camp will take place in person at St. Stephen's Episcopal School June 6-11, 2022, for ages 9-17 with the final showcase performance is on Saturday June 11th at 5pm in the Helm Theatre on St. Stephen's School campus. Teaching staff for 2022 includes Adam Roberts, Ginger Morris, Donelvan Thigpen, Matt Kennedy, Peyton Calhoon, Jessica O'Brien, and St. Stephen's Head of Theatre Focus, Lindsay Brustein. More information can be found at impactarts.org/tap-camp.

Offering one-on-one virtual coaching sessions supporting audition and performance needs for all levels of talent, Impact Arts' Private Lesson Studio works with each student to match and schedule them with a teaching artist. Coaching varies from Song/Monologue selections and consultation, monologue coaching, resume coaching, dance coaching, and more. More information can be found at impactarts.org/private-lessons-studio.

The Digital Learning Series in an innovative and accessible program bringing musical theatre education into the classroom. With a standards-based curriculum, lessons are made by teachers and artists - for teachers and artists including extension activities and student accommodations. The current offering is award-winning "Scout: An Original Movie Musical" from Emmy Award-winners Allen Robertson and Damon Brown which premiered as part of Summer Stock Austin 2021 and stars middle and high school students. More information can be found at impactarts.org/digital-learning-series.

Other programs of Impact Arts include In-School Workshops, clinics, and master classes conducted by experienced artists and educators and tailored to the needs of each school and class. Each instruction can be conducted as a one-time workshop or multi-session series covering subjects such as Shakespeare, musical theatre, auditions, truthful acting, costuming for theatre and tech tune-up. More information on in-school workshops, clinics and master classes can be found at impactarts.org/inschool-workshops.

For teachers looking to develop their arts curriculum, guidance is offered in the areas of Shakespeare, musical theatre, directing for the stage, curriculum building, and topics for teachers-directors. Teacher Development can be arranged through the district and for a single school, multiple schools, across that district, or including additional districts. More information for teacher development can be found at impactarts.org/teacher-development.

Additionally, the Heller Awards for Young Artists (HAYA) is a Tony Awards style program that brings together over thirty schools, shining the spotlight on hard work and excellence of thousands of students and teachers involved in arts education in the Greater Austin area. Produced each Spring by the Long Center, in partnership with Impact Arts, the HAYA's celebrate young artists and excellence in musical theatre. More information on the Heller Awards can be found at impactarts.org/heller-awards.

About Impact Arts Impact Arts is a 501c3 nonprofit with Summer Stock Austin, Texas Arts Project, Digital Learning Series, In-School Workshops, Teacher Workshops, and Private Lesson Studio all under the organization. Created by Ginger Morris, Victor Villalobos and Donelvan Thigpen, Impact Arts is committed to lifelong learning. Creating experiences that impact students, audiences, and communities, Impact Arts believes in quality arts training and mentorship; work that surprises, inspires, and entertains audiences; and uniting individuals and cultivating a passion for the arts.

About Summer Stock Austin Summer Stock Austin has been stunning audiences since 2005, bringing true musical theatre repertory experiences to Austin's summertime entertainment scene. Running two to three professional-caliber musicals in rep each summer, SSA is integral to the local arts community. Every year SSA brings together Austin performers, designers, directors, and artists with those from across the country to create theatre magic in the ATX. Through two pandemic years, Summer Stock Austin didn't quit, wowing online audiences with the award-winning CyberStock, a curated collection of original short films, presenting a powerhouse production of Lin Manuel-Miranda's Bring It On (in partnership with Texas Performing Arts), and premiering an original feature film, Scout (now winning awards on the film festival circuit!). This summer SSA is back better than ever, ready to welcome audiences to unforgettable performances!

About Texas Arts Project Texas Arts Project (TAP Camp) offers summer sleep-away camps for performing and media arts geared towards ages 9-18. Beginning in 2003, TAP was led by Ginger Morris, John Howrey, and Cory Cruser as a program of St. Stephen's Episcopal School. Through outstanding teaching, direction, and performance experiences TAP Camo helps to enhance skill, encourage cooperative work, and nurture self-confidence. Each summer college professors join regional and national working artists as part of TAP Camp striving for excellence through an artistic program where students are actively encouraged to find the place where process meets product. Becoming a home away from home for talented young artists from across the country (and sometimes across the world) for over two decades, Texas Arts Project will continue this tradition through Impact Arts and the partnership with St. Stephen's. With the program on hold for two summers due to the pandemic, TAP is back this year with a weeklong musical theatre day camp for ages 9-17. Teaching staff includes Adam Roberts, Ginger Morris, Donelvan Thigpen, Matt Kennedy, Peyton Calhoon, Jessica O'Brien, and St. Stephen's Head of Theatre Focus, Lindsay Brustein. The final showcase performance is on Saturday June 11th at 5pm in the Helm Theatre on St. Stephen's School campus.

About Digital Learning Series In cooperation with our original films, Impact Arts is reaching students and teachers in Elementary, Middle, and High school with an engaging, challenging, and accessible digital curriculum in theatre arts, all delivered in an easy-to-use online streaming platform. Each year, as a new film is conceptualized, a new, standards-based theatre curriculum is created to align with the concepts and themes of the movie. The digital segments are created with our professional artists and filmmakers as well as some of our high school cast members from the film and summer musical - bringing immediate relevance and relatability to student learners.

Shaped by certified theatre arts educators and professional artists, the Digital Learning Series reaches beyond the classroom walls to bring artists and ideas directly to students and their teachers - in an affordable, flexible, innovative, and adaptable program.

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