THEATRE ARLINGTON INC

ACT UPS was developed as a partnership with the Arlington Independent
School District. The ACT UPS program targets culturally diverse, at-risk students
within AISD. Instead of focusing on talent and performance techniques, ACT
UPS teaches spontaneous creative problem solving of everyday situations using
performance activities and skills as teaching tools. ACT UPS was designed to
break through participants’ emotional armor and encourage students to undertake
the risk that both performing and life can bring.

For sixteen
years, Theatre Arlington’s teaching artists have led the ACT UPS students in
twice weekly sessions and guided them through various creative exercises
dealing with social and family stresses, drug abuse, violence, conflict
resolution and financial independence. The ACT UPS program is currently at Crow
Elementary and Thornton Elementary where teaching artist Jacque Wahl works
closely with the schools’ fourth grade teachers to incorporate curriculum
materials into their lesson plans. The teachers also incorporate ACT UPS
material into their classes, allowing them to meet their TEKS (Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills) in a creative and interesting way. Ms. Wahl also focuses
on creative dramatics, movement, confidence and each school proudly produces a
musical production at the end of the school year to celebrate all they have
learned.  The Act Ups program now reaches approximately 1,500 at-risk
children each year, either through class or by performance. Theatre Arlington
looks forward to the continued growth and expansion of the ACT UPS program.