“I became a passionate writer, a determined social activist, a multi-disciplined theater artist, and a leader at the Albany Park Theater Project. I joined APTP as a high-school freshman and, during my four years there, I created eleven complex characters and helped transform more than thirty stories into plays. I facilitated post-show conversations; discussed world politics, social inequality, and education reform with my fellow artists; participated in writing, dance, puppet, improv, and music workshops; led theater workshops for my peers; raised thousands of dollars as a member of the Board of Directors; and performed for more than 15,000 people. Today, I am a proficient writer, an accomplished theater artist, a curious and critical thinker, and a social activist on a mission. I am about to be the first in my family to go to college.”
- Elizabeth Cobacho, Ensemble Member

In its ten-year history, APTP has become known for the exceptional achievement of its youth artists off the stage. The inspiration for this kind of ambition and success begins with art-making. By becoming artists and witnessing the impact that their artistic work can have on people, teens discover that they can play an active and significant role in shaping the world in which they live. This discovery inspires them to envision and yearn for lives in which they continue to do the kind of meaningful work that they begin at APTP.

APTP nurtures and supports the ambitions of our teen artists through mentoring, a book discussion group that develops reading and critical thinking skills, an annual artistic retreat, and our intensive and highly successful college guidance program. There are also countless informal ways in which APTP functions like a community or family, with adults and teens providing support and services to one another. Ensemble members typically commit to APTP long-term, often arriving as freshmen in high school and remaining through graduation or beyond. APTP ensemble members create together, learn together, grow together, take care of one another, set goals together, and together determine and take responsibility for the direction of their company.

More than 90% of APTP ensemble members are the first in their families to go to college.

APTP provides a compelling example of the impact that becoming an artist can have on the life of a young person. In Chicago, almost half of the students who enter a public high school never make it to graduation. At APTP, 90% of our ensemble members graduate from high school (or earn a Graduate Equivalency Diploma) and matriculate into four-year colleges. Moreover, APTP alumni stay in college and graduate in record numbers compared to their peers in Chicago's public high schools. According to the Consortium on Chicago School Research, only 8% of Chicago public high school students will graduate from college within six years after high school. APTP ensemble members are 8 times more likely to earn a college degree by the age of 25 than their peers.

More than 90% of APTP ensemble members are the first in their families to go to college. To date, 40 APTP alums have attended or graduated from Beloit, Carleton, College of Wooster, Connecticut College, Denison, DePauw, Earlham, Monmouth, Northeastern, North Park, Pomona, Ripon, Santa Cruz, Smith, Swarthmore, Triton, UIC, University of Illinois, and Wright. They have been awarded millions of dollars in scholarships and grants.

Just as impressive as the college placement record of APTP's youth artists is their commitment to effect social change using the concerns that they develop and the knowledge that they gain as artists at APTP. We started our college program to insure that APTP would be just the beginning for our youth artists and that they would be able to look back on APTP as a place where they took their first steps on a lifelong journey of making a difference in the world. We are proud that, by providing a place where young people create meaningful artwork for a diverse audience, discover their talents, develop their skills, and engage critically and compassionately with their world, APTP starts a ripple effect that extends well beyond the youth artists in our ensemble.

Annual Artistic Retreat Read about this meaningful APTP tradition and see photos from recent retreats.

The Olympic Peninsula & Seattle Click the thumbnails to view photos from our 2007 artistic retreat.