Taproot Theatre Company
This page is a profile of the theatre company. Venue profiles forthcoming.
Brightening the spirit, engaging the mind and deepening understandings through theatre.
Founded: 1976
Artistic leadership: Scott Nolte (Producing Artistic Director) & Karen Lund (Associate Artistic Director)
Website: www.taproottheatre.org
Primary venue: Taproot Theatre (Jewell Mainstage), Taproot Theatre (Isaac Studio)
The below information is provided by the theatre company. (All material is condensed & edited for clarity.)
Overview: Mission / Vision
Taproot Theatre Company creates theatre experiences to brighten the spirit, engage the mind and deepen the understanding of the world around us while inspiring imagination, conversation and hope.
– We value faith.
– We respect people.
– We celebrate theatre.
Key Initiatives
Taproot Theatre Company is the largest of the mid-sized professional theatres in Seattle, and is one of the only professional theaters located in a neighborhood. Taproot’s Jewell Mainstage and Isaac Studio theatres offer a mix of comedies, improv, dramas and musicals that range from world premieres to Broadway hits.
In addition to the Jewell Mainstage and Isaac Studio theatre seasons, Taproot has the following key programs:
Touring: Taproot has an extensive touring program that includes a Road Company, Christmas touring and improv touring. Since 1985, the Road Company has toured dynamic social-issue plays to more than 1 million students throughout the Pacific Northwest. The touring Road Company performs bullying prevention plays for K-12 students. The Christmas touring shows typically tour between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve and perform between 85-95 times.
Acting Studio: Taproot’s year-round Acting Studio saw more 5,600 students in 2018, ranging from Pre-K through seniors experiencing early stage memory loss (ESML) and their care partners. Budding thespians develop their acting skills and learn how to work together as a group in classes that range from imagination building and comedy to two-week intensives studying musicals and Shakespeare.
ESML: Since 2011, Taproot has offered improv classes for those experiencing early stage memory loss (ESML) and partnered with Momentia Seattle.
History
Taproot Theatre Company was founded in 1976 by six friends, five of them graduates from Seattle Pacific University. From its humble beginnings as a touring group, the company is now Seattle’s largest mid-size theatre company. Today Taproot Theatre serves over 150,000 people annually throughout the Pacific Northwest with its Jewell Mainstage season, Isaac Studio Theatre season, Touring programs and Acting Studio.
Recent and upcoming shows include:
2018/19 seasons:
Necessary Sacrifices
Bright Star
Kim’s Convenience
Always … Patsy Cline
We Will Not Be Silent
Arsenic and Old Lace
Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery
Sherla Clomes: An Improvised Twist on Sherlock Holmes
Statement of centering underrepresented voices & stories
Does your company center underrepresented voices and stories in the work your company puts on? If so, how?
Yes, for many shows. Most recently Taproot produced Kim’s Convenience, featuring a predominantly Korean-American cast.
Does your company center underrepresented voices in your decision-making processes? If so, how?
Representation is considered in play selection as well as casting.
Statement of financial accessibility
Taproot Theatre Company offers tickets at various price points, including a pay-what-you-can performance for every Jewell Mainstage Theatre show and select shows in the Isaac Studio Theatre; $10 industry rush tickets 30 minutes before all performances; reduced price “obstructed view” tickets for all Jewell Mainstage performances; and other discounts. Info here (PWYC) and here (discounts).