ETAP reaches beyond its stage to share the rich heritage of American Musical Theater with a variety of other organizations serving needy populations. It has hosted or participated in benefit performances to raise money for charitable causes including pediatric cancer, the World Trade Center Fund, and the Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Behind the Scenes

Rachel Leigh Dolan teaching students
about set design at Brookfield Elementary School

In December, 2007, ETAP launched the Behind the Scenes Outreach Program with Brookfield Elementary School in Chantilly, VA. The program integrates music writing, script writing, and science studies. In the Fall of 2008, ETAP Expanded the program to a full year. The Arts Enrich our Lives and ETAP is enriching the lives of second and third grade students at Brookfield by exposing them to the magic of Musical Theatre.  Working with the Music Program at Brookfield, ETAP was able to create a program that involves learning about the theatre from concept to performance.

The third grade students are taught lessons about putting on a production in two in-classroom sessions and attend the final dress rehearsal of ETAP's Christmas Show as a culmination of the fall program.

At the theatre, students are engaged in a Question and Answer session with the director and scenic artist, after going on a stage tour.  Students attend the Spring Show as a culmination of the full year long program.  

Brookfield Elementary School is located in a low-income area of Fairfax County with approximately 30% of students in the free or reduced lunch program. ETAP works closely with Brookfield Elementary School and Fairfax County Public Schools to make this program possible.

Girl Scout Special

Western Fairfax Christian Ministries

Since 1997, ETAP has partnered with Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (WFCM) in its mission to end poverty in Northern Virginia. Besides raising money for the Kids in Crisis program, ETAP has supported WFCM's outreach program in Fairfax County Public Schools. ETAP has also worked with the Fannie Mae Foundation, hosting a performance for an inner city public school to raise homelessness awareness.

Dorothy Fonow, former Executive Director of WFCM wrote:

“There are not enough words to encompass or do justice to everything you and your students achieved on June 9th. You profoundly touched the lives of 75 young people and earned the admiration of all the supporting adults that were there too.”