Our mission:

Summer Break Theatre aims to engage in events that serve the overworked and under-resourced Austin area teaching community. Through productions and events that provide creative outlets and celebrate their work, SBT helps foster the mental health of teachers while raising funds that support them both inside and outside the classroom.

 

Summer Break Theatre began as a simple focus: Teachers work hard, and we all know this. We can sometimes take for granted, however, how much time educators from all disciplines focus on others throughout the year – from their students, to school functions and responsibilities, add that to trying to balance family and friends and it can become challenging for educators to find a creative outlet for themselves. In the fall/spring of 2017-2018, a small group of Theatre Directors (and friends) began conversations with the goal to produce a play that consisted entirely of teachers in the cast/crew, since we had the time. From here, ideas were developed to form a collective, where all teachers were welcome to join in and express themselves creatively through performance. This company is not just for Theatre teachers! Any teachers can join us.

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Hyde Park Theatre generously agreed to let us rent their space for the first, limited run of the inaugural production: Cul-de-Sac, by John Cariani. This piece is particularly timely and special. It is by the same critically acclaimed author of Almost, Maine; a terrific play widely produced with success by both high schools and middle schools. Additionally, the revision of this play is only about a month old, and therefore, we are lucky to work on a play that comments on the sometimes shockingly accurate sense of how we grapple with our busy, overworked lives as spouses and parents.

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We are so pleased to support and work with Hyde Park Theatre as our summer home; expanding our audience base, and we are planning future outreach opportunities for teachers.

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Thanks to Max Langert and Cinnamon Path Theatre for the production help. Scrappy and well-intentioned, Cinnamon Path Theatre likes site-specific work and does little things when they can.