fter seven years of
producing live theatre
in Fort Worth, Tarrant
Actors Regional Theatre has
announced their plan to cease
operations on all mainstage
productions, effective immed-
iately. 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
September 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 March statement. All ticket holders were refunded in April.
Along with President and Artistic Director Allen Walker, TART has been managed by Alex Krus (Vice President of Operations), Karen Matheny (Vice President of Development), Charles M. Gatlin, Jr. (Board Secretary), and Nicole R. Dobbins (Board Member). Although TART will no longer produce full-scale productions, the Board of Directors is committed to continue the
group's established collaborations in the Ft. 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," said Walker. 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 is currently under construction, and can be found on the "Previous Productions" page of this website.
