Theta Alpha Phi
{{Short description|American theatre honor fraternity}}
{{Infobox fraternity
| name = Theta Alpha Phi
| letters = {{lang|grc|ΘΑΦ}}
| coat of arms = The_Crest_of_Theta_Alpha_Phi.jpeg
| image_size = 180px
| founded = {{Start date and age|1919|12}}
| birthplace = Chicago, Illinois
| affiliation = Independent
| affiliation2 =
| status = Active
| type = Honor
| emphasis = Theatre
| scope = National
| mission =
| motto = "The purpose of playing is...to hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to nature"
| member badge = 90px
| colors = {{color box|#442084}} Purple and {{color box|#FFFFFF}} White
| symbol = Comedy and Tragedy masks
| flag =
| flower =
| jewel = Ruby
| publication = The Cue
| chapters = 21
| colonies =
| nickname = Thetas, Thetans, TAPs, and Taffies
| members =
| lifetime = 23,000+
| address = 500 East Beechwold Boulevard
| city = Columbus
| state = Ohio
| ZIP code = 43214
| country = United States
| website = {{url|http://www.thetaalphaphi.com/}}
}}
Theta Alpha Phi National Theatre Honors Fraternity ({{lang|grc|ΘΑΦ}}) was an American honor society for theatre. It was established in 1919 by members of the National Association of Teachers of Speech. Membership was available to undergraduates and graduate students at member institutions.
As of 2024, Theta Alpha Phi appears to have ceased operations, leaving Alpha Psi Omega as the sole remaining national theatre honor society in the United States.
History
Theta Alpha Phi was organized in December 1919 at a National Association of Teachers of Speech meeting in Chicago, Illinois.Shepardson, Francis Wayland, ed. [https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b3119647?urlappend=%3Bseq=610%3Bownerid=9007199274501863-686 Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 12th edition]. Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press/George Banta Publishing Company, 1930. pp. 578-579. via Hathi Trust. It was formed as an amateur dramatic society that would encourage interest in dramatics and bring together students, instructors, and alumni for social purposes.
Its first chapter, Oklahoma Alpha, was chartered on {{dts|1919|12|22}} at Oklahoma A&M College, now Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma.{{cite book |title=Baird's Manual of American Fraternities |publisher=Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. |year=1991 |isbn=978-0963715906 |editor1-last=Anson |editor1-first=Jack L. |edition=20th |location=Indianapolis, IN |page=VII-57 |editor2-last=Marchenasi |editor2-first=Robert F. |origyear=1879}}{{Cite web |title=About Us |url=https://qdigger.wixsite.com/thetaalphaphi/about-us |access-date=2025-02-21 |website=Theta Alpha Phi |language=en}} By 1930, it had established 66 chapters and had initiated 4,212 members. However, many chapters went inactive during the Great Depression. In 1991, it had 54 active chapters and 32 inactive chapters, along with 22,800 initiates.
As of 2021, Theta Alpha Phi has 21 active chapters.{{Cite web |title=Chapters |url=https://qdigger.wixsite.com/thetaalphaphi/chapters |access-date=2025-02-21 |website=Theta Alpha Phi |language=en}} The society's national headquarters is at 500 East Beechwold Boulevard in Columbus, Ohio. It is governed by an executive council and a national convention.Robson, John, ed. (1963). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (17th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press, George Banta Company, Inc. pp. 702.
Symbols
Theta Alpha Phi's motto is "The purpose of playing is...to hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to nature", which is a reference to the "advice to the players" speech in William Shakespeare's Hamlet.
The fraternity's gold badge is shaped like the comedy and tragedy masks, long associated with the theatrical arts. It is crowned with four rubies and bears the black enameled letters {{lang|grc|Θ}}, {{lang|grc|Α}} and {{lang|grc|Φ}} on the left eye, nose and right eye, respectively.
Its colors are purple and white. Its members are called Taffies, TAPs, Thetans, and Thetas.
Activities
Membership
Theta Alpha Phi is restricted to four-year or graduate colleges and universities and admits to membership only students of sophomore standing or above. Students become eligible after having successfully met a prescribed minimum of experience in directing, writing, acting in, or managing plays. Originally, this was specified as having performed two major or four minor roles or having demonstrated proficiency in another aspect of the dramatic arts.
Chapters
Notable members
- Maud Babcock, faculty member at University of Utah[https://www.natcom.org/sites/default/files/pages/Womens_Leadership_Project_Babcock.pdf Maud May Babcock, President of the National Communication Association, 1932]
- Ruth Moench Bell, a teacher at Utah Agricultural College{{cite book|last1=Binheim|first1=Max|last2=Elvin|first2=Charles A|title=Women of the West; a series of biographical sketches of living eminent women in the eleven western states of the United States of America|date=1928|pages=[https://archive.org/details/womenofwestserie00binh/page/171 171]–172|url=https://archive.org/details/womenofwestserie00binh|accessdate=8 August 2017}}{{PD-notice}}
- Keene Curtis, actor{{cite news |title='U' Dramatists Wait Honors |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23027189/salt_lake_telegram/ |newspaper=The Salt Lake Telegram |date=June 3, 1943 |page=15 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=August 21, 2018}}
- Margaret Draper, actress{{cite news|title=Chekhov Stage Group Holds Utah Actress|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5036991/the_salt_lake_tribune/|agency=The Salt Lake Tribune|date=August 11, 1940|location=Utah, Salt Lake City|page=59|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = April 23, 2016}} {{Open access}}
- Florence Kirk, opera singer{{cite book|title=The Eleusis of Chi Omega|volume=47|issue=1|year=1945|page=108}}
- Conrad Prebys, developer and philanthropist
- Eva Marie Saint, actress{{cite journal |title=Bee Gee News May 30, 1945 |url=https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bg-news/740 |journal=BG News (Student Newspaper) |access-date=24 July 2020 |date=30 May 1945}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.thetaalphaphi.org/|Theta Alpha Phi National Website}}
- [http://archives.lib.byu.edu/agents/corporate_entities/1887 Archival materials related to Theta Alpha Phi], in the L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University
{{authority control}}
Category:Theatrical organizations in the United States