North Texas Performing Arts is honored to have been selected by the North Texas Business Council for the Arts as their 2021 Distinguished Arts Educator. NTPA joins 11 North Texas arts organizations, businesses, and individuals as a recipient of one of this year’s NTBCA Obelisk Awards, which in their 33rd year, honor businesses, nonprofits and individuals for their extraordinary support of arts and culture in North Texas.
NTPA was selected in recognition for its contribution as the largest producer of youth performing arts programming in the country, and for its work to employ the performing arts to guide young people on a path to be better citizens within their communities using the guiding principles found in the 10 Characters of NTPA.
“It is an honor to be selected for this prestigious award,” says NTPA Chief Executive Officer Darrell Rodenbaugh, “especially in such a significant year as we celebrate NTPA’s 30th anniversary, and the hard-fought road to keep the arts alive in North Texas throughout a global pandemic. Thank you to NTBCA for recognizing NTPA with this honor, and thank you to the of hundreds of board members, staff, and volunteers who enabled our organization to adapt to new and continually changing challenges. Through your support over the last two years, we pivoted to online learning and performances, developed industry-leading safety protocols and strategies, and empowered thousands of students to take the stage live and in-person once again in a safe and deliberate manner.”
Darrell Rodenbaugh (right), Chief Executive Officer, accepts the 2021 Obelisk Award for Distinguished Arts Educator on behalf of NTPA, joined by (left to right) Elly Marsh, Governing Board 2nd Vice President; Sara Akers, Plano Children’s Theatre Founder and Vice President of Community Outreach; Michelle Hoffman, Governing Board Vice President; Lindsey Lederer, Vice President of Youth Theatres; Lauren Boykin, Vice President of Sales and Marketing; Jackie Miller, Vice President of Finance and Administration; and Patricia Gregory, Senior Director of Development.