Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater and Academy Welcomes New Education Director, Taylor Bogan
(Huntsville, AL) - After a nationwide search, Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater & Academy is excited to announce that Taylor Bogan has been hired as FPCTA’s new Education Director. She will join FPCTA starting July 3, 2023.
“We are incredibly excited to have Taylor joining us at FPCTA.” said Karen Mockensturm, Executive Director. “Her decades of experience in the classroom and background in theatre for young audiences will undoubtedly bring new and exciting educational offerings to our families and our region.”
“I am thrilled to join the FPCTA team on their mission to enrich the lives of children and families through arts education.” stated Taylor Bogan. “I am excited to share my knowledge and passion for the arts with the greater Huntsville community. I am honored to continue a legacy of high-quality arts education experiences at FPCTA.”
Taylor Bogan is an actor, singer, director, and arts educator who grew up at the New Jersey Shore. She began her career at seven, auditioning for film, tv, and theatre in New York City before attending the Performing Arts Academy High School as an acting major. In 2013, Taylor received her B.A. in Theatre and Minor in Musical Theatre from Monmouth University in Long Branch, New Jersey. In the following years, Taylor toured as a vocalist with Australian music artist Turk Tresize, Co-hosted a video blog series, worked as a freelance voiceover artist, and performed at various theatres in the tri-state area. While continuing to audition and perform, Taylor co-founded the JoiStar Summer Intensive, a triple-threat summer arts camp for students of all ages, which ignited her passion for teaching. In 2016, Taylor became the Vocal Director of Manasquan Music & Dance Academy, where she coached the award-winning children’s vocal team, The Vocal Stars, taught various voice and acting courses, and served as Studio Manager. In 2022, Taylor received a Dual Track M.F.A. in Theatre for Young Audiences (Directing concentration) and Acting from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. While studying in Hawaii, she was an Acting Lecturer at the university, teaching Intro to Acting, World Theatre, and Acting for TV & Film. Taylor was a Jim Rye Fellow at the International Performing Arts for Youth Conference and has been an invited presenter at the Hawaii Book and Music Festival, and Artists Meet Early Years, Italy. Taylor has received the John Young Scholarship in the Arts, the Glenn Cannon Award for Excellence in Acting, and the Tara Montgomery Award for Excellence in Theatre for Young Audiences. Most recently, Taylor was teaching middle school theatre arts courses in Las Vegas, Nevada. Favorite productions include Interstellar Cinderella (Director/Cinderella), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Olive Ostrovsky), and Eddie Wen Go (Assistant Director). Taylor’s passions in the arts include social-emotional learning, devised theatre, and accessible arts education for everyone.
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FPCTA’s 63rd Season of four productions features three world premieres, A Christmas Carol, Rapunzel & the Beanstalk, and Space Monkeys! The Adventures of Baker and Able, and The Jungle Book. Season subscription packages and renewals for the 63rd Season are on sale and can be purchased online at: fantasyplayhouse.org/ticket-information or by calling the main office at 256-539-6829.
Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater and Academy (FPCTA) provides theatre arts access through production, education and outreach, reaching more than 31,000 residents annually, including 21,000 children and youth. FPCTA enriches the lives of children and families through theatre and arts education, encouraging students to become self-confident, academically successful, creative-thinking citizens who are more likely to invest in their communities as adults. FPCTA’s core programs include live children’s theatre productions, classes, camps, private lessons, workshops, and educational outreach through after school theatre classes and In-school touring programs. Recognizing the transformative power theatre arts can have in the life of a child, FPCTA prioritizes theatre arts access for all by engaging local underserved communities.
FPCTA is supported in part by the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the City of Huntsville Arts and Cultural grant program. Season support by Redstone Federal Credit Union and The Daniel Foundation.