Tacoma Actors Repertory Theatre

Intimate Theatre, Accessible Art

About TART

Tacoma Actors Repertory Theatre’s mission is to present extraordinary theatre in an intimate space, emphasizing the use of classical technique, in rotating repertory with a resident company of artists.


Who's That Lady?

The woman at the center of the TART logo is Sarah Siddons. Sarah (1755-1831) was a Welsh-born actress and the best known tragedienne of the 18th century. At a time when women performing in theater was still a relatively new phenomenon, Sarah established herself as the pre-eminent interpreter of such roles as Lady Macbeth, Desdemona, Rosalind, Ophelia and Catherine in Henry VIII. She had a rocky start. In fact, she was banished from the Drury Lane Theater after the manager there deemed her “a worthless candidate for fame and fortune.” But her perseverance and commitment to her craft eventually proved him wrong.

It is that perseverance, pioneering spirit, and outright tenacity in the face of extreme skepticism that we applaud, and it’s why she is the guiding spirit of TART. The drawing is done in the style of Al Hirschfeld, renowned New York theater caricaturist, and was created for us by Liza Brown.

Why Repertory?

Repertory theater, at its most basic level, synthesizes a variety of technicians and performers together to create distinct works that rotate two at a time throughout the season. We see repertory theatre as a win-win-win situation. Technicians, actors, designers and directors are able to work together over the long term, developing meaningful relationships over the years rather than contributing to frenetic, short-lived collaborations that come and go in bursts.

Performing artists are given a multitude of opportunities to hone their craft, take chances, and build a following of supportive fans. They are able to more deeply master their skills within a network of like-minded performers while enjoying working on a variety of role types.

Designers and technicians get a "full body workout" when they must use the same performance space again and again but make it an interesting playground for actors and audiences to explore and discover anew. Audiences can never be fooled so it's an additional challenge to mine the nooks and crannies and odd spaces to create vastly different landscapes that can switch between works in repertory.

Patrons can see many different types of work throughout a season, but more importantly, they are engaged to observe and comment on two rotating productions in a short space of time. With rotating productions, patrons can be on the cutting edge of what’s new in theatre and also enjoy familiar or traditional works in the theatrical canon.

Vacancy to Vitality: Spaceworks Tacoma

TART is a proud participant of Spaceworks Tacoma. Spaceworks Tacoma is a joint initiative of the City of Tacoma and the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber designed to activate empty storefronts and vacant space in Tacoma. The initiative makes low-cost temporary space, training, and technical assistance available to artists, creative entrepreneurs, organizations, and community groups who are transforming Tacoma into a stronger, more active city.