PLATINUM2023

EDUCATIONAL THEATRE COMPANY

Changing Lives Through the Arts

aka ETC   |   ARLINGTON, VA   |  http://www.educationaltheatrecompany.org/

Mission

Founded by five dedicated Teaching Artists in 1998, ETC\u0027s mission is to unlock the potential of children and adults through immersion in theatre arts. Rooted in our \u00224 Cs\u0022 \u2013 creativity, confidence, collaboration, and community - ETC\u0027s artistic focus has always been on student-created work. In our programs, we foster opportunities for students of all ages to create their own characters, write their own dialogue, and tell their own stories. For ETC, the process of how students arrive at the work they share is just as vital as the products they create.

Ruling year info

1999

Executive Director

Mr. Stan Kang

Managing Director

Ms. Ashley Hammond

Main address

PO BOX 4760

ARLINGTON, VA 22204 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

52-2081464

NTEE code info

Arts Education/Schools (A25)

Youth Development Programs (O50)

Human Services - Multipurpose and Other N.E.C. (P99)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Participation in theatre can truly change a life - it gives the participant a voice, a place to tell their own story, and the confidence to share their life. Not everyone is given access to theatre education - it\u0027s often regulated to schools that can afford it, families who can spend the money, and ages that seem \u0022dramatic.\u0022 At ETC, we bring high-quality theatre education to EVERYONE no matter where they are, what age they are, or what they can afford. Our programming is for ages 3-103, meeting our students where they live, learn, and grow.\nOur most recent strategic plan focuses ETC\u0027s work on racial equity and strengthening diversity and inclusion, because we know that the arts are for everyone.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Devising Hope

ETC partners men and women who have or are experiencing homelessness, and teenagers in theatre workshops. Participants engage in theatre devising exercises and exchange personal reflections about their lives. The adults and teens then create scenes and monologues from those exercise and conversations that culminate in two public performances of staged readings.

Population(s) Served
Adolescents
Homeless people

Half-Day to three week offerings for ages 3 - 18. Skills taught at camp include acting, script writing, directing, choreography, improvisation, sketch comedy, cinematography, vocal techniques, all incorporating fun themes.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth

These engaging theatre classes for preschoolers grow motor skills, sensory, intellectual and social development through games, movement, storytelling and more

Population(s) Served
Infants and toddlers

This extracurricular drama program offered through area public schools and community centers provides arts education enrichment for students of all ages. Past offerings include Creative Play, Improv, Shakespeare, Film Production and more.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth

Students discover how the world works by combining theatre with science and math. By improvising, collaborating, and acting, students take science theories off the page and into their bodies.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth

Working with students for whom English is not a first language, this program builds K-5 language arts objectives through the exploration of theatre arts. ETC ESOL students build vocabulary, and improve reading proficiency and public speaking skills while having fun!

Population(s) Served
Children and youth

Students shine in their own page-to-stage production. Participants begin with timeless tales and develop original musical production OR begin with standards of learning to create a straight play, each with the guidance of professional theater artists. This program culminates in two community performances.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth

Through performance, workshops and residencies, this outreach program makes Shakespeare and other classical works accessible to Washington area metropolitan area students. Through highly physical staging, neutral costuming, and workshops that bridge classical text to modern meaning, students make direct connections to the universal themes of Shakespeare’s works.

Population(s) Served
Adolescents
Children and youth

Dedicated to life-long learning, ETC partners with low income senior centers, and assisted living communities to provide engaging arts programming for senior citizens. Through academic lecture, readings, storytelling and more, participants explore material and share stories about their lives connected to the themes of the plays.

Population(s) Served
Seniors

Where we work

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of donors lending

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Input - describing resources we use

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

This is the number of households donating to ETC within a calendar year.

Number of donor-advised funds

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Input - describing resources we use

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

Individual donors often choose to give larger amounts to ETC via their own donor-advised funds

Number of participants engaged in programs

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Decreasing

Context Notes

This is the total number of participants, ages 3-103 directly involved in ETC programming each year as participants

Total number of performances

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

This is the total list of free-to-the-public performances and sharings presented by ETC each year; in 2021 we were not back to in-person performances - many 2020 and 2021 performances are online

Total number of audience members

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

This demonstrates ETC's audience with a count of the total number of audience members for all performances and sharings throughout the year including viewing totals for online performances

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

As ETC faces the continued pandemic in 2021, we are continuing to find new ways to reach all members of our community, by diversifying our programming to include both virtual and in-person learning, working directly with partner organizations to breakdown technology barriers for our participants, and continuing to adapt our lessons to meet the needs of all learners. The ETC community is vast, covering ages and locations beyond other similar organizations. Our goal is to reach more students ages 3-103 where they are - by increasing our offerings at more schools, more community centers, more senior living homes, and continuing our virtual programming even as we begin to meet in-person again. By focusing our administrative work for the limited number of staff we have, ETC aims to diversify our funding, bring in increased donations, and in turn re-expand our dedicated staff of teaching artists to pre-pandemic employment levels.

In 2020, ETC made the aggressive decision to pivot to online learning almost immediately during the COVID-19 shutdown, offering free online ETC-on-Film discussions by the end of March 2020. The experiences of changing our programming during the pandemic have shown that our reach can increase by working with students both in-person and online. As things begin to return to \u0022normal,\u0022 we recognize that not all of our students will have the interest or ability to meet with us in-person. ETC plans to continue to offer virtual programming even as we return to in-person programming as well, continuing in our commitment to eliminate the transportation barrier to high-quality theatre education.

At the beginning of 2021, ETC\u0027s Board of Directors is working at capacity with a group of active and engaged community members providing time, money, communication, and leadership for the company as a whole. Movement within the board has been made to increase our goal number of board members, opening up more positions for members of our community to better diversify our leadership. ETC\u0027s Executive Director and our Board Governance Committee are working with outside partners to identify and recruit a broader group of board members moving forward. By listening to new voices, and with the ongoing support of our senior staff, ETC is prepared to follow the extreme work we did in 2020 to continue to connect with our community in a variety of ways moving forward.

What began as a small company offering in-school Shakespeare programming, has spent the years growing into a year-round theatre education organization. Each summer, we offer upwards of 30 summer camps for ages 3-18 while providing work for 40-50 artists in the community, including teenage interns and counselors who gain both work experience and gainful employment. Throughout the school year, ETC is in schools throughout the National Capital Area providing after school classes and in-school programming. Our partnership with McKinley Elementary in Arlington was identified three years ago as the longest running arts partnership in Arlington Public Schools\u0027 history, and it continues to this day. Our STEAM (Science-Technology-Engineering-ARTS-Math) programming has grown beyond after school classes to include in-school partnerships designed to reach learners of all styles using theatre to teach core subjects often overlooked by other arts programming. Throughout it all, ETC has remained committed to supporting teaching artists in the area, providing work, support, and education to our staff whether a one-week employee or a core staff member with us for years.\nIn March of 2020, ETC pivoted nearly immediately to online programming, offering our first free ETC-on-Film online discussion by the end of the month. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have successfully moved all of our programming online - 28 summer camps, our Main Stage Residency program, Shakespeare-in-the-Schools, STEAM classes, after school classes, ETC-on-Film, and Creative Age - while adding a new weekly class for adults. The time working from home has opened up the ability for our senior staff to better address the diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility needs of the company, working directly with the Board to create a new three-year strategic plan with DEIA at the center. We continue to seek partners in this work, knowing that our own education and work is ongoing and will continue indefinitely.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We demonstrated a willingness to learn more by reviewing resources about feedback practice.
done We shared information about our current feedback practices.
  • Who are the people you serve with your mission?

    We collect feedback from partner organization representatives (teachers, school administrators, site coordinators) and from the families and participants that we serve.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • What significant change resulted from feedback?

    We have found additional funding for two programs to provide participants with food or with more nutritional options for food. In one case, we were already providing food for elementary students to participate in their performance at dinner time so that they could stay with us at school. Each time, the students would ask to bring home for food their families who don't have enough to eat and we found that our funding mostly covered pizza. We have found additional funding to provide more food (so leftovers can be brought home) and more nutritous options, including vegetables and fruits. At another location, the adults being asked to participate and share their stories are joining us around dinner time. We are providing food and childcare as needed thanks to additional funding.

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We act on the feedback we receive

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time

Financials

EDUCATIONAL THEATRE COMPANY
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

EDUCATIONAL THEATRE COMPANY

Board of directors
as of 01/20/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Brian Smith

Katie Robbins

Darla Gonson

Claire Ruggiero

Tara Claeys

Katie Greer

Sarah Egge

Stacey Schwartz

Robert Fischer

Samantha Foti

Tonya Murphy

Elena Velasco

Catherine Jordan

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? No
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 1/20/2023

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
Asian/Asian American
Gender identity
Male, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

The organization's co-leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.

Equity strategies

Last updated: 01/20/2023

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
  • We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.