About Us
“Changing the world for the better
one participant and performance at a time”
What is TNT?
Take Note Troupe is a bunch of committed enthusiasts striving to change the world through uplifting productions, PLAY THEORY workshops, and award winning adaptations of Shakespeare. Over the years TNT has mentored hundreds of youth and served thousands more in the community. TNT strengthens society by providing young people a safe environment to develop valuable life skills and an opportunity to serve through theatrical performance.
Fundamental to our programs is PLAY THEORY. Developed by our founder, LaRee Florence, the PLAY THEORY principles are based on improv rules and cognitive behavior therapy and teach participants to Be Present, Let Go and Play, Accept and Build, and Look Outward. PLAY THEORY changes lives and helps those who apply it to choose happiness. In a world where teenagers struggle with depression, anxiety, and a lack of empathy, PLAY THEORY helps them learn to find joy and to spread it. Read more about PLAY THEORY here.
mission Statement
Our Mission
Take Note Troupe (TNT) teaches positive paradigms that cultivate generosity and joy by encouraging validation of self and others on stage and off. TNT produces family friendly principle-based productions and PLAY THEORY workshops. TNT provides an uplifting environment with positive peer interaction where participants gain confidence, discover talents, develop leadership skills and provide service in their community.
Vision Statement
Our Vision
TNT participants develop confidence and poise in performance while strengthening interpersonal skills as they engage in uplifting activities with positive, proactive peers. Every effort is made to establish a supportive environment where opportunities to discover and develop talents abound. TNT’s high standards of conduct produce the fruits of self discipline enjoyed by those who follow through on commitments. TNT provides opportunities for service in the community and leadership in youth while also increasing appreciation and enthusiasm for the performing arts and the classics through principle based productions. TNT’s original methodology, Play Theory, instills a positive paradigm, or mindset that cultivates hope, generosity and validation of self and others while combating the negative cynicism prevalent in current culture. Application of these principles builds capability in individuals, encourages effective communication, strengthens leadership skills and facilitates creative collaboration. Individuals who view the world through this paradigm gain confidence, recognize the potential in self and others and understand that happiness is a skill not a circumstance.
Listen to our weekly Podcast, The Happiness Playbook, to practice Play Theory anywhere and up your happiness game.
You Can Go Around Again – The Happiness Playbook
Visit the Podcast Site
Subscribe with your favorite podcast app
History of TNT
In 2003, two teens asked their mothers to teach them about Shakespeare. They gathered a small group of their peers and committed to staging a scaled down production of The Tempest for friends in the backyard, which led to what has become an annual community tradition of Shakespeare in the Park. In 2017, TNT gave eight Free-To-The-Public performances of The Taming of the Shrew in Meadow Vista, Auburn, Lincoln, Roseville, Rocklin, and Folsom, as well as a ticketed performance to benefit the Auburn Placer Performing Arts Center, and a field trip performance for middle school students. In all, nearly 5,000 people in our community saw the show. Our reach expands each year, both with participants as well as audiences.
TNT’s founder, LaRee Florence, developed PLAY THEORY as set of principles and skills to help both on and off the stage. Truly, PLAY THEORY principles teach the skills needed to choose happiness – Be Present, Let Go and Play, Accept and Build, and Look Outward.
TNT’s participants by nature of their exposure to the community become examples. TNT strives to provide “ambassador training” that emphasizes gratitude and humility, and a “look what I have prepared to share with you as a service” not a “look at me” attitude in performance. This is achieved through coaching, inspirational teachings, and training. Self aggrandizement is not encouraged.
Through the years, TNT has expanded its offerings to include improv classes, a musical each fall, workshops, and musicals for elementary and middle-school aged children, summer camps, and a “varsity” Improv team, On The Spot, who perform monthly for the public. Additionally, TNT offers PLAY THEORY workshops in the community. For the last four years, TNT members have given a free, weekly Cognitive Behavioral Therapy workshop using PLAY THEORY for at-risk youth in Koinonia foster programs. These workshops, although supervised by an adult, are youth-led, which benefits both the youth giving the workshop and those learning in the workshop.
TNT seeks to change the world, one participant and performance at a time.
TNT is a not for profit 501(c)(3).
Listen to the Play Theory Podcast Episode 89 “How it All Began” for more on the founding of Take Note Troupe.
Sponsor
Become a Sponsor of Our 21st Annual Shakespeare in the Park
For 21 years, TNT has brought free, family friendly, high quality Shakespeare performances to communities in our area. In 2023, over 4,000 attendees came to our 8 shows. Your business can be a sponsor of this exciting community event, with Shakespeare as he meant us to experience it– with music, dancing, costumes, humor, and energy!
The Arts cannot survive without your help! Click below to learn more about how you can become a sponsor…
or click below to make a donation.
Keep in the Know
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