Since 1945, the California Educational Theatre Association (CETA) has been a strong force in shaping quality theatre education. CETA’s visionary approach to meeting challenges has made it a nationally recognized organization. CETA supports and represents theatre educators throughout the state with its innovative programs and activities for theatre teachers, artists, and students.
CETA boasts an insightful and dedicated Board of Directors made up of teachers and theatre professionals. Under the direction of its leadership, CETA sponsors exemplary programs, including:
High school and middle school theatre festivals
Stand Up 4 Arts Day at the state capitol in Sacramento (SU4AE-CA Youth In Theatre Day.)
The state’s premier theatre educator conference in October
Our strong political advocacy includes the award winning CETA Position Paper. This concise, full color document puts research data and theatre program guidelines at your finger tips.
We encourage you to take advantage of all that CETA offers. Our website is currently under renovation, but please have a look around and familiarize yourself with our news and information. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or the appropriate board member listed on the board member page. We look forward to working with you to create a bright future for theatre education in California.
CETA Celebrates 80 Years supporting Educational Theatre is California!
On behalf of the CETA Board, welcome to the California Educational Theatre Association’s Ruby Anniversary – Celebrating 80 years of your professional theatre teacher organization!
The formation of the CA Educational Theatre Association began as SCETA in 1945.
SCETA – the Southern CA Educational Theatre Association’s first president was Ralph Freud from UCLA and most of the first 20 years were led by College and University professors. Theatre Educator Conferences like this have been a priority since the very beginning of our organization.
In the 1960s, a small group of teachers responded to the need for an organization that spoke for CA theatre teachers from all across the state. In 1966, and championed by the first statewide president Charlotte Motter, CETA was established. As a unified CETA, they were finally able to work with Sacramento heavyweights.
In 1970 the CA theatre credential (and dance credential) was lost. It was a battle that lasted decades – which is all documented on our website.
The CETA HSTF began in 1971-1972 for the past 55 years students have gathered to celebrate HS Theatre in the South, viewing top achieving full productions, scenes and experiencing workshops.
In 1992, building more northern educational theatre opportunities, Carol Hovey and other passionate teachers created CETA North, which brought the NorCal Festival and often hosting this annual educator conference. Both NCETA and SCETA continued to operate under the umbrella of CETA.
CA Youth in Theatre Day (CYIT), founded by Gai Jones in 1998 is our Theatre Advocacy Day in Sacramento. Over 3,000 students and teachers have participated in this empowering event where students perform and meet with their legislators to advocate for highly qualified theatre education each spring. And more recently, CETA’s CYIT joined with the other 3 state arts organizations (Dance, Music and Visual Art) for Stand Up 4 Arts Education.
The Middle Stage Fest, founded by Carolyn Elder in 2002 is held in the Sacramento Area. Hundreds of Northern CA middle school students participate in this now hybrid festival each spring - submitting filmed performances weeks prior and then gathering for a day of bonding, workshops and awards.
In 2007, CETA wrote a position paper on the future of theatre education in CA that received the Lin Wright Award from the American Alliance for Theatre Education.
In 2007, under the presidency of James Bailey, SCETA and NCETA abandoned their affiliated status to become members of one organization – The California Educational Theatre Association - the unified statewide voice for CA. This was again to strengthen our position and power.
In 2015 CETA joined with the other 3 statewide arts organizations to create the 4Arts Org
Coalition.
One of our most extraordinary accomplishments of CETA is the reinstatement of the theatre credential, and in 2022, the first candidates received their CA Teaching Credential in Theatre!
In 2022/2023 CETA assisted with the passing of Proposition 28 which provided yearly historic funding for VAPA programs statewide.
