TeCo Theatrical Productions receives major funding

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

By Shawn Parikh

TeCo Theatrical Productions seems to be raking in the dough recently, and it's a good thing since they are planning to build their own TeCo Theater by January 2008. The new performance space will be located at 215 South Tyler Street near the Bishop Arts District in Oak Cliff. Construction will commence October 2007 with an anticipated completion date of January 2008. It will include a 208-seat proscenium theatre with dressing rooms, balcony area and a learning laboratory. This facility will be a neighborhood resource center, a safe haven for youngsters to study an array or arts programs and a home to several arts organizations where they will present multicultural performances.

On September 5 at the Latino Cultural center, $45000 in unrestricted grants were given to Dallas-area arts groups. The Stanford Financial Excellence in the Arts Award was created to recognize and reward local arts organizations that demonstrate exemplary fiscal management responsibility of their resources. Only three grants were awarded to small, medium and large arts groups, based on the size of the organization's operational budgets and TeCo Theatrical Productions, Inc. was the recipient of a $10,000 grant.

The Eugene McDermott Foundation gave a $20,000 gift in support of their building campaign. Mary McDermott Cook was so impressed by their accomplishments with the building, chidlren's programming in Oak Cliff, and their "commitment to make TeCo Theatrical Productions Inc. not only a viable organization but also an exemplary organization."

And moreover, The Moody Foundation awarded a $15,000 grant in support of TeCo's school tour production, Succeeding Beyond The Limits. The play dispels the misconceptions associated with children who have learning differences and features a multi-cultural cast, original music and creative dance.