History

North Alabama’s modern love and support of theatre and arts education, like many things, go back to the German team of rocket scientists that arrived in the 1950’s and the German belief that arts & science go hand in hand. Created in 1961 by local parents wanting to provide a theater experience for their children, FPCTA has grown into the leading theater arts education organization in North Alabama. Today FPCTA continues operating as a community theater in an area of the state where the professional theater is limited to touring and presenting houses, FPCTA attracts the area’s highest caliber of volunteer artists, technicians, and performers to execute a production slate for thousands of families each year at the Von Braun Center Playhouse. 

FPCTA provides theater arts educational opportunities each year to students ages 3 – adult with classes, camps, school partnerships, and private workshops. FPCTA's newest offering is an In-School Touring Program, which brings professional theatre directly to the schools, introducing students to the art of theatre through age-appropriate, curriculum-based productions, which are socially relevant, entertaining, and exciting. 

Recognized by the State of Alabama Council of the Arts as a former Governor’s Award recipient and the Madison (City) Chamber of Commerce’s 2015 Award for Service and Leadership, FPCTA’s legacy is ever-evolving to meet the developing and changing needs of the community that epitomizes the innovation and creative thinking that launched men into space. Named the 2017 Huntsville/Madison County Nonprofit Organization of the year, FPCTA is a community treasure and vital contributor to the $89.9 million arts and culture industry in Madison County.