North Texas Performing Arts announces its 2022 NTPA Stardust Award recipients for Leadership and Education. The Distinguished Performing Arts Leader award will go to Gregory Arp, Plano ISD Theatre & Speech Coordinator. Mr. Arp has led Plano ISD’s theatre and speech program strategy for the past eight years and has been a professional educator for almost three decades.  

Gregory Arp began teaching in the Plano school system in 1996 at Wilson Middle School where he was named “Teacher of the Year” in 2000. He then went on to Vines High School and later Plano Senior High where he was the Director of Theatre and Performing Arts Chair and named Teacher of the Year in 2012.  In 2014 he went on to serve as Plano ISD’s Coordinator for Speech and Theatre. He is an Associate of Arts Theatre Performance graduate of South Plains College, Bachelor of Arts Theatre Performance graduate of West Texas State University, completed post graduate work in Education at the University of North Texas and completed his Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a minor in Teacher Leadership, Concordia University, Portland.

Greg has left an extraordinary legacy on the performing arts in Plano and across North Texas, and our Selection Committee couldn’t have chosen a more deserving honoree for our inaugural Distinguished Performing Arts Leadership Stardust Award.” says NTPA Chief Executive Officer Darrell Rodenbaugh.  “I am in awe of his efforts in support of Plano ISD performing arts students and the hundreds of personal hours he dedicates to attending their productions across the city.

I am thankful to NTPA for their support for performing arts education and promoting leadership across the region” says Gregory Arp.  “I have enjoyed working with this organization over the years and value their contribution to the performing arts across North Texas.

 

Greg Arp headshot

Hailing from the west Texas town of Levelland, Greg serves as the Coordinator for Speech and Theatre at Plano ISD.  He is an Associate of Arts Theatre Performance graduate of South Plains College, Bachelor of Arts Theatre Performance graduate of West Texas State University, completed post graduate work in Education at the University of North Texas and completed his Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a minor in Teacher Leadership, Concordia University, Portland.   

Greg’s career as an educator began immediately after completing his student teaching with a move to Dumas, Texas where he was the theatre and speech teacher for two years.  He began his career with Plano ISD as the Speech and Theatre teacher at Wilson Middle School where he was named Teacher of the Year in 2000.  After five years, Greg continued his PISD career with a move to Vines High School to teach speech and theatre to ninth and tenth graders and served as the Fine Arts Assistant Team Leader.  

After teaching at Vines High School for three years, Greg moved to Plano Sr. High School to serve as the technical theatre teacher for two years and the Director of Theatre for eight years.  His productions garnered many state and local awards including Dallas Summer Musicals High School Musical Theatre Awards Best Musical, Best Technical Execution and Best Actor in 2013.  Greg was selected by his peers as the Plano Sr. High School Teacher of the Year and subsequently Plano ISD’s Secondary Teacher of the Year for 2012.  After ten years at Plano Sr. High, Greg moved into an administrative role as the Coordinator for Speech and Theatre for Plano ISD in 2013 where he now leads teachers in curriculum and instruction for the district.  Greg was recently named District Administer of the Year by the National Speech and Debate Association for 2021.  

Greg serves as a University Interscholastic League One Act Play Adjudicator through Texas Theatre Adjudicators and Officials (TTAO) and has served as the Program Director and Co-Convention Director for the Texas Educational Theatre Association (TxETA) TheatreFest Convention from 2015 to 2018.  He serves as the Vice Chair of the Texas Theatre Administrators Conference (TTAC) and is recent graduate of Leadership Plano Class 38.  You can see him on the stage in his second season of Chamberlain Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” playing the role of Drosselmeyer.  

NTPA is also recognizing three area educators with Stardust Awards including Distinguished High School Performing Arts Educator Carmen McElwain with Shepton High School in Plano. Distinguished Middle School Arts Educator Awards are going to Taylor Coffin with St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School in Dallas, and Joshua Batty with Armstrong Middle School in PISD. Mark Mullino will be honored as the North Texas Performing Arts Distinguished Collegiate Performing Arts Educator. These honorees were selected from over a hundred nominees from across North Texas.

Carmen McElwain headshot

Carmen McElwain
Distinguished High School Performing Arts Educator
Shepton High School in Plano

Taylor Coffin headshot

Taylor Coffin
Distinguished Middle School Arts Educator
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School in Dallas

Joshua Batty headshot

Joshua Batty
Distinguished Middle School Arts Educator
Armstrong Middle School in PISD

Mark Mullino headshot

Mark Mullino
Distinguished Collegiate Performing Arts Educator

These distinguished honorees will be recognized at the Annual NTPA Stardust Awards Ceremony taking place on October 15 at the historic Southfork Ranch. The evening’s program features recognition for performing arts leadership in ten different categories including instructors, artists, organizations, leadership, business support, and others. NTPA will also be recognizing its own leaders and volunteers during the event featuring entertainment from the Emerald City Party Machine Band, the NTPA Repertory Theatre and other performers. 

The honorees for the arts community leadership awards are nominated by the public and award determinations are made by a committee of judges including performing arts leaders, educators, and professionals from across Texas.

 

NTPA Stardust Awards logo

You are invited to a
HUGE CELEBRATION EVENT

NTPA Stardust Awards

Saturday, October 15

Southfork Ranch – Lonestar Atrium
3700 Hogge Dr, Parker, TX 75002

with entertainment from Emerald City presents Party Machine Band!

Learn More and Purchase Tickets Today!