Austin's Summer Break Theatre premieres TEACHER CONFESSIONS, July 30 and 31, 2021
Summer Break Theatre launched in Austin just three years ago to be a company of teachers, and for all teachers. We launched to provide a creative outlet for educators and to support them through much-needed social and classroom support resources; such as supplies or teacher-themed events. Our inaugural production at Hyde Park Theatre in summer 2019 featured an ensemble of teachers from school districts in Austin, Round Rock, Georgetown, Hutto, and Jarrell for John Cariani's newly revised comedy Cul-de-Sac.
Since then, SBT has produced more original work that centers on the life of teaching; while using funds raised from these productions to directly support teachers. In 2020, SBT gave away over 200+ in gift cards from HEB to teachers! SBT is proud to now call Hyde Park Theatre (HPT) our performance home.
Last year (2020), when SBT had a production planned for our late July slot at HPT, plans shifted abruptly (along with those of all other theatre companies). Our company had the unique opportunity to turn this into a show focused on experiences during the pandemic, emphasizing the arts, teaching, and the relevance of sharing this with the community. SBT created Going the Distance, an online ensemble play featuring company members using true-to-life dialogue and improv (similar in fashion to Curb Your Enthusiasm) about Covid's impact on teaching. Through Zoom. Oh, the irony.
Josh Frank, owner of The Blue Starlite Drive-In, supported this show through sponsoring it at the Mueller location; and SBT became the first Austin theatre company to premiere a play on a movie screen in 2020, when most live theatre was dark.
With the advances of vaccines and rising number of people vaccinated, a year later in summer 2021 the arts in Austin are still feeling the impact of Covid. While Hyde Park Theatre will open soon for limited runs of small-cast plays, the company of SBT needed to find yet another opportunity for an original production, in lieu of the planned full-length and fully produced show on the stage.
Out of this came this year's production: Teacher Confessions. Inspired by Austin Secrets but different in format, Teacher Confessions collects anonymous stories (or titles/blurbs) directly from teachers about their...adventures, and Austin actor/teachers will perform them on the stage through narrating the stories along with improv sketches. Whether sad, funny, bittersweet, or downright provocative, teachers have stories to tell; and this show will reveal several good ones! Hey: teachers have things to confess too - so hear what they have to say. SBT is excited to provide this as not only an opportunity for a night of diverse material, but an important way for teachers' voices to be heard in a confidential manner (since their stories are anonymous) and for the community to see first-hand what we go through.
We are thrilled to produce this show at the Alamo Drafthouse's corporate office home, The Baker School - at 3908 Avenue B; Austin, 78751. Tickets are on sale now through our home-page. We'd love to see you there!
All of this will help us to continue raising the good word, and money, toward helping teachers and celebrating them. So: Thank you, Austin. Thank you for supporting us, the arts, and educators everywhere.
More info:
https://www.summerbreaktheatre.com
Class Dismissed!