My Nonprofit Reviews

On October 16, 1999, I attended Alley for Educators, a workshop for teachers that included a pre-show discussion of the production "A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE", lunch, the play, and a post-show TalkBack with the actors and artist team. From that date on, the Alley been part of my Houston family. The annual series of workshops for teachers was soon renamed Between the Lines and I moved between the lines of audience member and financial supporter to giving my time and energy as a volunteer for the Alley's Education and Community Engagement Department and for the activities the Alley offers free to the public during the annual Theatre District Open House. Why is the Alley worthy of my support? The Alley has a long history of enhancing curiosity, imagination and insight in Houston audiences. The company of actors are professionals that give consistently believable performances in a wide variety of productions by well-known and newly-discovered playwrights. As an audience member participating in real-time storytelling, I am given opportunities to consider "Who am I?" and "What is my place?" in an interesting and increasingly diverse world. The theater stretches my understandings of the important concepts that I teach elementary students in Houston ISD and adds depth to my teaching. I feel joy as I watch my students use their imaginations and gain confidence through their work with an Alley teaching artist in a school residency and as they join other Houston area children and Alley teaching artists to create and perform original stories as part of the Young Performers Studio. I feel pride in Houston and the Alley as I watch the show "I, BARBARA JORDAN" performed as a touring production in schools and the full-stage productions of the season's plays that are offered to students in Alley matinee performances. I feel hope in the future of our human community as I read scripts sent to the Alley's Houston Young Playwrights Exchange (HYPE), follow the top teenage writers as they revise their plays with professional help, and then watch a readers' theater production of the still-in-process growth of the play. Understanding, Joy, Pride, Hope -- what a gift to life I receive from the programs of the Alley Theatre!

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