Tara Demmy Email & Phone Number

ASAP provides free arts and comedy classes to veterans, service members, military family members, and caregivers. Currently lead a growing programs team to deliver ASAP’s impact nationally. Duties include program strategy, development, volunteer management, and survey-based research tracking how comedy builds confidence, resiliency, and sense of belonging within the military community. Coordinate ASAP's annual Teaching Artist Training, including sessions on trauma-awareness, military cultural competency, and creating inclusive classrooms.

Teach long-form improvisation and clowning at Washington Improv Theater’s training center, including 8-week, 4-week, and one-day workshops. Level One: Foundations of Improv, Level Three: Game, Level Four: Ensemble, Introduction to Red Nose Clown.

Supported this international grant funding program by updating call for proposals and applications, drafting grant award letters, and maintaining the grant awardee website.

Taught and developed curriculum for online and in-person classes at the University of Maryland, for theatre majors and non-majors. Courses include: The Art of Communication and Presentation (uses theatre skills to teach public speaking)Text and Context in Western Theatre (stresses practical applications of script analysis and dramaturgy)Introduction to the Theatre (part of UMD's Academic Achievement Programs (AAP) for first generation and/or low-income high school seniors).

Dissertation on soldier sketch comedy during World War II includes research from five archival collections with support from ample secondary sources and testimonials from the present-day military community. Worked closely with archivists, consulted finding aids, navigated different archive processes, and developed strategies of categorizing scans to implement into my writing. Collections include: Army Special Services Division Records (National Archives II – College Park, MD)Writers’ War Board Records (Library of Congress – Washington, D.C.)John C. Becher Soldier Show Collection (George Mason University – Fairfax, VA)Veterans History Project (Library of Congress – Washington, D.C)Papers of Dorothy Rodgers (Radcliffe Institute, Schlesinger Library, Harvard University – Cambridge, MA).

International Federation of Theatre Research (IFTR) ConferenceAmerican Society for Theatre Research (ASTR) ConferencePacific Ancient and Modern Language Association Conference

Taught and developed curriculum for core class titled "Principles, Plays and Performance." Recommended by Dr. Faedra Carpenter, based on expertise and teaching record at University of Maryland.

Taught introductory long-form improvisation classes at Armed Services Arts Partnership, an organization dedicated to providing free comedy, storytelling, and art classes to military veterans and their families.

Winner of the 2018 Barrymore Award for Evolving Theatre Company. Tribe of Fools creates original plays by engaging actors, circus artists, comedians, designers, directors, and writers in a process that embraces play, raw theatricality, and kinetic storytelling. Performed in 5 world-premieres including 2017 Philly Fringe hit "Fishtown- A Hipster Noir," which garnered a Barrymore nomination for Best Ensemble. Administrative duties include designing show programs, developing marketing plan, negotiating space rental contracts, drafting artist and designer contracts, creating institutional documents like company membership guidelines, and organizing the annual fundraiser.

Created educational study guides, curriculum, and taught workshops and classes to contextualize Villanova Theatre season shows for subscribers and students.

Philadelphia Theatre Research SymposiumGender and Women’s Studies Student Research Conference

Responsible for promoting program events and poster design, website updates and layout, distributing course lists and descriptions, and organizing and facilitating the annual GWS Student Research Conference.

Taught long-form improvisation at the Philly Improv Theater Training Center. Curriculum focused on character development, relationship, group play, and object work. Workshops included Red-Nose clown and Grotesque Characters.

Taught theatre, storytelling, and comedy to grades K-12. Encouraged active imaginations and collaboration through the development of theatrical skills. Previous position: Arden Apprentice (2010-2011).

Negotiated artist contracts, scheduled performances, organized front of house logistics, designed show programs, facilitated local casting, programmed ancillary events, and arranged artist travel and housing for Philadelphia’s premier contemporary arts festival. Prior to this role, served as Volunteer Coordinator (2011), Development Assistant (2012), Marketing Coordinator (2013).

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Theatre And Performance Studies

Dissertation: "The Comedy Propaganda Machine: The Soldier Sketch Writing Contest of World War II" Service: Advisor, Punchbowl.

Master Of Arts - Ma, Theatre/Theater

Thesis: The Funny Ladies of Chekhov (FLOC): Unleashing the Comedic Potential of Chekhov’s Female Characters.

Education record

Under the direction of master movement teacher Giovanni Fusetti, Helikos is a conservatory of physical theatre based in the pedagogy.

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba, Theatre/Theater

Awards: David Rounds Award for Most Promising Theatre Major (2010), Denison Distinguished Leadership Award (2010), Vail Scholarship.