Tarrant Actors Regional Theatre Exits Fort Worth Community Arts Center; Mainstage Productions Shutter

After seven years of producing live theatre in Fort Worth, Tarrant Actors Regional Theatre (TART) has announced their plan to cease operations on all mainstage productions, effective immediately. With a mission to "entertain, inspire, challenge, and educate its audiences through live theatre," TART has produced both plays and musicals at The Fort Worth Community Arts Center since 2013.

"Due to the loss of our primary source of funding and recent staffing changes, not to mention the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects, this season has been the 'perfect storm' for our organization, from which we simply are unable to recover at this time," said Allen Walker, TART President and Artistic Director.

This season, TART presented 'Night, Mother by Marsha Norman and Hay Fever by Noel Coward. Their summer musical, Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party, announced cancellation during pre-production due to Covid-19 related health and safety concerns: "While we regret the necessity of this decision, the health, safety, and well-being of our actors, musicians, volunteers, patrons, and audience members must take precedence," TART announced in a statement on March 28th. All ticket holders were refunded in April.

Along with President and Artistic Director Allen Walker, Tarrant Actors Regional Theatre has been managed by Alex Krus (Executive Vice President), Karen Matheny (Director of Development), Charles M Gatlin, Jr. (Board Secretary), and Nicole R. Dobbins (Board Member). Although the group will no longer produce full scale productions, the Board of Directors is committed to continue their established collaborations in the Fort Worth Fringe festival and other local arts events.

Year after year, TART grew bigger and better thanks to the support of loyal patrons and dedicated volunteers. Stipends for performing artists and creative staff were provided per production, a structure many theatre companies of TART's size were unable to duplicate.

"It has been a fantastic seven seasons and I am very proud of what we've accomplished," Walker commented. He and the Board of Directors wish to thank the many performers, designers, staff members, volunteers, and patrons whose steadfast support has carried TART throughout the years. An archive of TART's previous productions can be found at www.TheTART.org.

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