Our History 

The history of the Texas Educational Theatre Association (TxETA) is, at its heart, the story of educational

theatre's fight for recognition in Texas. Since its founding in 1951, the organization has consistently

championed theatre as an essential component of education, shaping state policy, establishing professional

standards, supporting educators, and creating opportunities for students across Texas.

The Beginning: A Need Becomes a Movement

In 1950 and early 1951, theatre educators from across Texas began meeting to discuss a common concern:

educational theatre lacked the recognition and support afforded to other academic disciplines. As state

leaders considered revisions to secondary school curricula and teacher certification requirements, these

educators realized that waiting was no longer an option.

In October 1951, the Texas Educational Theatre Association was officially founded to advocate for

theatre education and secure its place within Texas schools.

From the outset, TxETA embraced an ambitious mission. It sought to strengthen theatre programs in

colleges and universities, advocate for qualified theatre teachers in public schools, encourage the creation

of new works about Texas and the Southwest, promote the exchange of theatrical knowledge and

production practices, foster student participation in quality theatre, and increase public understanding of

both commercial and educational theatre. Those founding principles continue to define the organization,

even now, more than seven decades later.

Building Standards and Influencing the Nation

TxETA quickly became far more than a state organization. During its early years, it emerged as a national

leader in establishing educational theatre standards and developing the original Minimum Criteria Policy,

which was later adopted without revision by both the Southwest Theatre Association and the American

Theatre Association. Those standards ultimately became the foundation for what evolved into the

National Association of Schools of Theatre's Minimum Criteria Policy.

TxETA members also spent years developing a comprehensive Play Selection Policy. Approved by major

play publishers, the policy was subsequently adopted by regional and national theatre organizations,

further demonstrating Texas' leadership in educational theatre across the country.

At the same time, TxETA expanded its influence beyond theatre education itself. Through years of

advocacy with state officials, TxETA played an instrumental role in the establishment of the Texas Fine

Arts Commission, created by the Legislature in 1966. Members of TxETA served in key leadership roles

during the Commission's formative years and helped shape its inaugural statewide convention.

Transforming Theatre Education in Texas

Perhaps no accomplishment better illustrates TxETA's impact than its work with the Texas Education

Agency during the 1960s.

Since its founding, TxETA's Committee on Academic and Production Standards had worked tirelessly to

elevate the status of theatre education. When the Texas Education Agency sought assistance in revising

educational policy, TxETA helped develop proposals that fundamentally transformed theatre education in

Texas.

The recommendations adopted in 1966 established formal theatre teacher certification programs at Texas

colleges and universities, requiring substantial coursework in theatre and creating pathways for currently

certified teachers to meet new standards.

The reforms also established Fine Arts programs that included theatre alongside art, music, and dance;

transferred drama courses from the Language Arts curriculum into Fine Arts; and eliminated the

requirement that students complete a speech course before enrolling in Drama I.

These changes made Texas the first state in the nation to establish secondary theatre teacher certification

and recognize drama as an independent Fine Arts discipline within public schools. TxETA continued this

work decades later. When Texas created the Examination for Certification of Educators in Texas

(ExCET), a committee composed primarily of TxETA members designed the Theatre Arts examination,

first administered in 1988.

TxETA also developed statewide course outlines in subjects including Acting, Directing, Technical

Production, Voice and Diction, Stage Makeup, Introduction to Theatre, and Theatre History. Regularly

revised by committees of educators, these curricular standards allowed students at institutional member

schools to transfer theatre coursework among participating colleges and universities without losing credit.

Expanding to Serve a Growing Profession

Recognizing the growing number of secondary theatre educators, TxETA welcomed the Texas Secondary

Theatre Conference in 1964 as an affiliate organization. Eight years later, the Texas Creative Dramatics -

Children's Theatre Conference joined TxETA, reflecting increasing interest in elementary and children's

theatre education.

By 1977, TxETA had grown enough to require a new organizational structure. Rather than maintaining

separate affiliate organizations, TxETA reorganized into four representative sections:

•  University/College
• Community/Junior College
• Secondary School
• Child Drama

Each section elected leadership to represent its interests on the Board of Directors, ensuring every

educational level had a voice in shaping TxETA's future. During this period, the Constitution and

By-Laws were revised, and minimum criteria for secondary schools were updated and adopted.

Refining the Mission

As educational theatre evolved during the 1980s, TxETA again reassessed its role.

A Strategic Planning Committee convened in 1988 to evaluate the organization's future. The result was a

revised Constitution and By-Laws, adopted in 1989, that clarified and modernized TxETA's mission.

Rather than focusing solely on advocacy, the revised mission emphasized supporting, promoting, and

expanding educational theatre through professional development, networking, advocacy, standards,

programs, and projects that celebrate the importance of theatre arts in the human experience.

The objectives broadened as well, affirming TxETA's commitment to sustaining quality theatre programs,

advancing scholarship, encouraging new works and research, supporting educators, promoting public

appreciation of theatre, and securing resources to ensure continued growth.

The organizational structure was also streamlined into two primary divisions:

• K-12 (Kindergarten - Grade 12), representing elementary, middle, and secondary theatre

education in public, charter, and private schools; and

•  Higher Education, representing community colleges and institutions of higher education.

These sections continue to provide representation on the TxETA Board of Directors.

Continuing the Mission Today

Throughout its history, TxETA has continually expanded the ways it serves theatre educators across

Texas. TxETA supports statewide professional development through engagement with thousands of

teachers annually. The Teacher Training Network collaborates with colleges and universities to strengthen

preparation for future theatre educators.

In partnership with the University Interscholastic League, TxETA established the Adjudicators

Organization in 1989 to train and evaluate judges for UIL One-Act Play competitions, helping ensure

consistency and excellence in one of the nation's most respected educational theatre programs. In 2014,

that effort evolved into an independent nonprofit organization with the creation of the Texas Theatre

Adjudicators and Officials (TTAO). While TTAO now operates independently, its roots remain firmly

planted within TxETA's longstanding commitment to educational excellence.

Beyond advocacy and policy, TxETA remains active through publications, scholarships, auditions,

workshops, research initiatives, and professional development opportunities. Its annual TheatreFest and

SummerFest conventions continue to bring together theatre educators, students, artists, and advocates

from across the state.

More than seventy years after its founding, TxETA continues the work envisioned by its founders:

advancing educational theatre, strengthening theatre programs, supporting educators, and ensuring that

theatre remains a vital part of the educational experience for generations of Texans.