irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $2KTHE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN THE THEATRE COMMUNITY.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Advocacy Toolkit
Provides theatre educators with resources to advocate for theatre programs in their local schools and communities.
Professional Learning Workshops
Workshops for theatre educators on topics such as self-tape auditions, healthy belting, improvisation, and technical theatre, offered in-person and virtually.
Student Conference
Intensive three-day theatre conference for students in grades 10–12 from across New York State, featuring workshops and performances led by theatre professionals and educators.
Student Playwriting Program
Reads, scores, and selects student-written plays for performance at the Student Conference; includes mentorship for finalists.
activities · 10 groups
What they do
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Arts Education Professional Development 2 activities
- Offers curriculum and instructional resources for theatre educatorsProvides curriculum support and gathers curricular resources for teachers and high school theater directors across New York State. Compiles monologue resources for students and teachers and offers coaching and feedback on monologue and scene work.
- Provides professional development workshops and events for theatre educatorsConducts in-person and virtual professional development opportunities for theatre educators, including workshops on healthy belting techniques, creating professional self-taped auditions, and other pedagogical topics led by field professionals. Hosted events include a Day of Professional Learning in Manhattan, a virtual PD day via Zoom offering eight hours of CTLE credit, and regional theater tours such as the Belasco Theater.
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Youth Writing Contests & Recognition Programs 1 activity
- Administers student playwriting competition with mentorship and performanceOrganizes an annual Student Playwriting Competition that includes reading, scoring, and selecting student plays for public performance at a conference. Finalists receive mentorship and support for script development, casting, technical production, rehearsal, and post-performance talkbacks.
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Education Policy Advocacy & Reform 1 activity
- Develops and distributes advocacy tools and resourcesCreates and provides an Advocacy Toolkit for theatre educators to support local advocacy efforts for theater programs. Conducts broader advocacy initiatives including contributing to the development of the New York State Learning Standards for Theatre and supporting certification pathways for theatre teachers.
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Theatre Awards and Honors Administration 1 activity
- Hosts annual membership meetings and recognition eventsHosts an annual general meeting, breakfast, and awards ceremony for members, including recognition of contributions to theatre education. Also hosted an Annual Meeting at the Drama Book Shop and conducts events such as keynote sessions featuring industry professionals like Daniel Goldstein.
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Youth Theater Arts Education 1 activity
- Hosts annual student theatre conference with scholarshipsOrganizes an annual three-day theatre conference for high school students across New York State featuring workshops and activities led by theatre professionals and educators. Provides full scholarships to the conference for high school juniors and seniors planning to pursue a degree in Theatrical Arts or with a major interest in technical theatre, supporting student attendance through financial assistance.
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Public Awareness and Educational Outreach 1 activity
- Produces communications and educational outreach materialsReleases monthly communications from the board of directors and organizes educational outreach such as tours (e.g., Open Jar Studios) and keynote sessions on empowering performers through authentic storytelling.
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Recognition and Awards Programs 1 activity
- Promotes membership and recognizes community achievementsOffers membership enrollment through an annual form and payment process, promotes NYSTEA membership at conferences and events, and recognizes accomplishments of members, students, administrators, and volunteers—such as awarding recognition to Coral Crosman in 1991 and Gene Connor in 2024.
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Nonprofit Retail and Merchandise Sales 1 activity
- Sells theatre-related merchandiseSells theatre-related merchandise to members and students as part of its programming and outreach.
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Organizational Governance & Leadership Development 1 activity
- Supports organizational capacity through governance and operationsRelies on a volunteer board to support organizational functions, develops and maintains internal policies and procedures, coordinates communications and events across regions of New York State, and maintains the organization’s official website. Encourages organizational growth and maintains records of active members.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Advances policy and standards in theatre educationPlayed a key role in establishing Theatre Teacher Certification, developing certification exams, and advocating for performance credits as a graduation requirement in New York State. Collaborated in the development of the New York State Learning Standards for Theatre.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$244K
Contributions & grants$00%
Program service revenue$229K94%
Investment income$60%
Other revenue$15K
expenses
Total expenses$174K
Program expenses87%
Admin / overhead6%
Fundraising6%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$1K
Largest expense lineOther
balance sheet
Total assets$336K
Cash$336K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$336K
Liquid reserves23.2 mo
3 years on record · 2022–2024 · YoY revenue +1.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 4
- ADAM SHATRAW — PRESIDENT
- COLLEEN LAW-TEFFT — TREASURER
- MEGAN TEST — SECRETARY
- TONY RAVINSKY — VICE PRESIDE
relationships · 20
Who they work with
- Adam Shatraw Partner — Contact point for prospective board members.
- Broadway Cares Partner — Co-located events with Broadway Cares, including access to their Flea Market following the general meeting.
- Byram Hills High School Partner — Adam Shatraw taught theatre and directed productions for 11 years.
- Carlene O’Connor Partner — Chair of the Student Playwriting Committee, responsible for overseeing the competition and serving as primary contact.
- Drama Book Shop Partner — Hosted NYSTEA's Annual Meeting.
- East Syracuse Minoa Central School District Partner — Adam Shatraw previously served as Coordinator for Early College High School and Supervisor for Performing Arts.
- Liverpool Central School District Partner — Adam Shatraw serves as Director of Fine Arts.
- Marymount Manhattan Partner — Hosted NYSTEA's Day of Professional Learning event.
- NYFA Musical Theatre Partner — Collaborated with NYFA Musical Theatre for a keynote session on performer empowerment.
- NYSSMA Network — Adam Shatraw served on the NYSSMA Executive Council as Zone Representative for Zones 3 and 11.
- NYSTEA Network — Adam Shatraw serves as Co-Chair for the annual NYSTEA Student Conference.
- New York Film Academy Partner — Collaborates with faculty from the New York Film Academy to lead professional development workshops on audition techniques.
- Open Jar Studios Partner — Partnered with Open Jar Studios to provide a studio tour during the professional development event.
- Other nonprofit organizations in the theatre community Partner — Receives assistance from the organization in the context of theatre community programming.
- SUNY Potsdam - Crane School of Music Partner — Adam Shatraw earned a Bachelor of Music degree from this institution.
- State Education Department (NYSED) Government — Collaborated with NYSTEA on the development of the New York State Learning Standards for Theatre.
- Syracuse University Partner — Adam Shatraw earned a CAS in Educational Leadership and is currently a doctoral student.
- TANYS Partner — Offers discounted membership rates for current TANYS members.
- Teachers College at Columbia University Partner — Adam Shatraw earned a Master of Arts degree from this institution.
- The Q Center Partner — Collaborated with The Q Center for a closing presentation on best practices for creating affirming environments in school and theater programs.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Capacity Building for Educator-Led Advocacymethodology: capacity-building for local advocacyBy equipping theatre educators with advocacy tools, the organization strengthens local program support because decentralized, educator-driven efforts are more credible and contextually effective in influencing school and community decision-makers.
- Career Pathway Development Through Targeted Scholarshipsmethodology: career_pathway_developmentBy directing scholarships toward students focused on technical theatre, the organization encourages specialized career development in stagecraft and production because financial support aligned with vocational interest increases access and commitment to underrepresented theatrical roles.
- Experiential Pedagogy in Theatre Trainingmethodology: experiential pedagogyBy combining lecture, live demonstration, and hands-on masterclasses, the organization enhances learning retention and performance skills because experiential, multi-modal instruction deepens embodied understanding of vocal and theatrical techniques.
- Mentorship-Based Developmentmethodology: mentorship-based developmentBy pairing student playwrights with experienced mentors, the organization supports script development and artistic growth because sustained, personalized guidance fosters deeper creative engagement and skill mastery.
- Michael Chekhov’s Psycho-Physical Approachmethodology: Michael Chekhov methodBy applying archetypal gestures and psycho-physical techniques, the organization helps students make more committed acting choices because embodied imagination activates deeper emotional and character specificity in performance.