$9,531 raised by 48 donors
19% complete
$50,000 Goal
Tara is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving youth through immersive education, rigorous academics, travel, and the performing arts. The Nomad Playhouse, founded in 1951, continues the legacy of engaging the general public in theatre, including providing a community stage for all of Tara High School's performances.
Will you join the visionary individuals who donate to Tara Performing Arts? Focused on the performing arts and world travel, this substance- and electronic-free education builds critical thinking skills and fosters compassionate, empathetic community members.
This act of generosity will support young people who long for a creative, youth-driven education by removing financial barriers that would otherwise exclude them.
This is how YOU can help heal our broken world.
"I love all of the unique experiences offered at Tara. How many other teenagers can drop everything for two weeks to delve fully into the experience of performing on the stage? Or sing in a choir with the whole school in such a supportive and inclusive environment? Or go on an immersive and transformational class trip? Or sing to each other on birthdays, do Irish dance, dip candles, and start the day in a circle with the whole school every morning! I love Tara’s approach, where teaching comes alive through the capable and multitalented individuals who are our teachers. I believe that if every teenager had access to such high-quality, multifaceted experiential education as we are fortunate to have at Tara, the world would be a better place. ~12th grade student, Class of 2026
"Tara’s teachers truly care for us and they love what they teach! When you feel close to your teachers it is easy for you to do your best work. The small class size and the Socratic style of teaching helps me to think critically and independently. And then there are the plays and the festivals. If I could talk to a donor, I would say, “Come to the Candlelight Festival and watch us heal the world.” 11th grade student, Class of 2027
“Tara isn’t your average school. We are a family, and every person is a crucial part of the community. Just a year into attending Tara I realized that I was able to talk about subjects that other schools do not teach, and how deeply we are asked to think as we learn. I love Tara and hope it thrives for many years to come.”10th grade student, Class of 2028
“An exceptional school that embraces the individual … Encourages young people’s growth in mind and spirit … And promotes the welfare of all humanity –” Sue and Joe Williams, Friends of Tara
“I've worked closely with teenagers for over 30 years, and the most impressive group I ever sat with was a senior class at Tara. ... They're clearly doing some things at that school that others are not.” Michael Vladeck, Owner, Conscious Parenting in the Digital Age
“College has shown me how much my education at Tara, especially the performing arts, has prepared me to be able to work with others effectively – as both a leader and a follower – and to collaborate to solve problems. The collective focus that Tara students have to create something meaningful and beautiful is truly special, and I aim to carry it with me through the rest of my life.” Maggie Lynch, Class of 2023
“Travel at Tara is exciting, eye-opening, and profoundly humbling. From the striking awe of the San Juan River, to the rich culture and history of the Native Americans, to the impactful and ever-surprising theater, art and music we were exposed to in New York and Europe – these experiences shaped who I have grown to be today, and I am forever grateful.” Alum, Class of 2019
“Some might balk at the idea of giving a teen choir Mozart’s Coronation Mass, but the lessons contained in this brilliant piece and others like it served my musical understanding and fed my soul. If we are not shown the best of what human beings are capable of then we may never dream of what we ourselves can aspire to.” Natalie Simpson, Class of 2006
Our mission is to awaken students' minds and hearts, foster their sense of connection to each other and the world, engage them in meaningful work and activities, and excite them about life itself. Accordingly, we provide an educational path that asks students to step into the light as individuals and to learn to take the kind of risks involved in being truly human.
Tara is dedicated to providing opportunities for emotional growth and renewal through deep involvement in the performing arts and celebration of the cycle of the festival year. In addition to supporting lively intellectual development through a demanding experiential Waldorf academic curriculum, the school cultivates world citizenship through travel and immersive study. At Tara, students engage in life with full consciousness, free of substance use and addictive distractions, allowing them to be truly present in their education and to participate in the artistic process to explore the challenges of living in our complex age.
Since 1994, when Tara began an as after-school musical theater program while the founders prepared the curriculum and planned what we believe is the only Waldorf performing arts high school in the world, Tara’s rich offerings – in drama, music, travel and cultural exchange in addition to immersive, experiential academics – have been refined and enhanced while remaining true to the original belief in what Steiner's curriculum enriched by the performing arts could offer young people. This vision shines on in the brave educators who are carrying the school into the future, bringing their individual talents to this unusual and compelling program.
All Tara performances take place at the historic Nomad Playhouse. In 1951, a volunteer group of thespians incorporated in Boulder County for “the promotion and advancement of legitimate drama for enjoyment by the general public.” With the idea of traveling to other Colorado communities, they dubbed themselves “Nomads” and invested in a circus tent, which they set up on borrowed land “just a little off Broadway” in the northern part of town. In over 50 years of activity, the Nomads never actually performed at any other location. The first season, a critical and popular success, was hampered by rainfall, windstorms and excessive heat. A more permanent structure was clearly in order, and the people of Boulder rallied to provide the necessary means to build the Nomad Playhouse.
Due to the low cost and simplicity of construction, a design reminiscent of the Quonset Hut, the half-cylindrical, metal-sided structure developed by the Navy for quick deployment during WWII, was chosen. Groundbreaking took place in August 1952. Some lumber and sheeting was salvaged from an abandoned mine, and footlights, scenery, flats and curtains were constructed by members of the group. Seats for the audience were borrowed from a nearby mortuary.
In 1994, the aging building, which did not meet current life/safety codes, was closed by the fire marshal. In order to meet the costs of updates, the Nomads sold two thirds of their 1.44 acre parcel for development as co-housing and launched an aggressive funding campaign in the hope to “keep the playhouse going for a couple more generations.” The following year, the site was granted individual designation as a landmark on the basis of the historical significance of its association with the Nomad Players, Boulder's longest running theatre group, as well as its architectural significance. A decade later, due to various reasons including financial difficulties and a decline in volunteerism, the Nomads disbanded and the playhouse went dark.
In 2006, Unicomm Productions, LLC (owned in part by John Kelly, a faithful Waldorf school supporter) bought the historic playhouse, intending both to hold the theatre until Tara Performing Arts High School was in a position to buy it, and to support the longstanding tradition of community theatre on the site. Tara made the purchase in 2015 and is working to rehabilitate and revive the theatre to a vibrant community venue.
Organization name
Tara Performing Arts & The Nomad Playhouse
other names
Tara Performing Arts High School, Tara
1994
Tax id (EIN)
84-1274823
Category
Education
Organization Size
Large Organization
Address
4180 19th StreetHeadquarters
4180 19th StreetBoulder County, CO, US