Take Note Troupe

Reviewed by the Sacramento Region Community Foundation

$30,780 raised by 152 donors

100% complete

$30,000 Goal

TNT is a bunch of committed enthusiasts striving to change the world through uplifting productions, improv, PLAY THEORY workshops, and award-winning adaptations of Shakespeare. Over the years TNT has mentored hundreds of youth and served thousands more in the community. TNT strengthens society by providing young people a safe environment to develop valuable life skills and an opportunity to serve through theatrical performance.

In 2003, two teens asked their mothers to teach them about Shakespeare. They gathered a small group of their peers and committed to staging a scaled down production of The Tempest for friends in the backyard, which led to what has become an annual community tradition of Shakespeare in the Park. In 2023, TNT will celebrate its 20th anniversary of Shakespeare in the Park, by giving nine Free-To-The-Public performances of Romeo and Juliet in Roseville, Auburn, Rocklin, and Folsom. Our reach expands each year, both with participants as well as audiences.

TNT's founder, LaRee Florence, developed PLAY THEORY as set of principles and skills to help both on and off the stage. Truly, PLAY THEORY principles teach the skills needed to choose happiness - Be Present, Let Go and Play, Say Yes And, Look Outward. These PLAY THEORY principles help give those who practice them greater resilience, the ability to collaborate, and tools to combat the overwhelming plague of anxiety and depression in society today.

TNT's participants, by nature of their exposure to the community, become examples. TNT strives to provide "ambassador training" that emphasizes gratitude and humility, and a "look what I have prepared to share with you as a service" not a "look at me" attitude in performance. This is achieved through coaching, inspirational teachings, and training. Self-aggrandizement is not encouraged.

Through the years, TNT has expanded its offerings to include improv classes, a musical each fall, workshops, and musicals for elementary and middle-school aged participants, summer camps, and a "varsity" Improv team, On The Spot, which performs monthly for the public. Additionally, TNT offers PLAY THEORY workshops in the community. For many years, TNT members have given a free, weekly Cognitive Behavioral Therapy workshop using PLAY THEORY for at-risk youth in Koinonia foster programs. These workshops, although supervised by an adult, are youth-led, which benefits both the youth giving the workshop and those learning in the workshop.

TNT seeks to change the world, one participant and performance at a time.

You can learn more about PLAY THEORY on our website, or by listening to the PLAY THEORY podcast by our founder, called The Happiness Playbook

Giving Activity

Mission

Take Note Troupe (TNT) teaches positive paradigms that cultivate generosity and joy through validation of self and others on stage and off. TNT's family-friendly, principle-based productions, workshops, and classes provide positive peer interaction where participants gain confidence, discover talents and develop leadership skills while serving in the community.

Needs

Funds needed to hire a program director to oversee new space and growth and particularly our junior program offerings.

Scholarships for kids in financial need.

Workshops available for the community. Donations can make these accessible to schools and non-profits at a reduced price or free of charge.

Shakespeare in the Park is an expensive endeavor. Because it is free to the public, we rely on donations to fund the production, from costuming and makeup, technical needs, marketing, and facility rentals.

Funds needed for On the Spot Improv coach. This is a part time position, about $5,000 annually.

We always need new mics and improvements to our sound system and lighting.

Organization Data

Summary

Organization name

Take Note Troupe

other names

TNT

Year Established

2003

Tax id (EIN)

20-1651216

Mission Category

Youth Development

Operating Budget

$100,001-$250,000

Organization Need

Funding: Unrestricted, Funding: Program, Volunteers, Technology

Local Counties Served

Placer, Sacramento

Address

5176 Covenant Court
Loomis, CA 95677

Service areas

Placer County, CA, US

Sacramento County, CA, US

El Dorado County, CA, US

Phone

916-220-0402

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