2026-06-01T16:27:45-07:00 2025-12-31 822203995 618 Consulting PLLC 2416 Oak Shadow Ct Arlington TX 76017 990 2025-01-01 751626595 Pocket Theatre Inc POCK 8172469775 PO Box 136758 Fort Worth TX 76136 Holly Ellman President 8172469775 2026-06-01 1 Melanie Wilson P01989102 8179039805 2026-05-18 2025 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z HIP POCKET THEATRE Holly Ellman PO Box 136758 Fort Worth TX 76136 422230 0 X www.hippocket.org X 1976 TX Hip Pocket Theatre, as both experimental playhouse and environmental visual installation, has a long-standing outreach program comprising community based events and enriching healing arts programming. It is dedicated to bringing guest artists from around the globe and throughout Fort Worth to collaborate on projects each season. 18 17 5 181 0 0 312518 362820 66189 47950 0 0 0 9461 378707 420231 0 0 0 0 66736 145768 6900 0 67976 304443 283414 378079 429182 628 -8951 262967 311220 2562 59442 260405 251778 Hip Pocket Theatre is an experimental theater ensemble rooted deep in the heart of Texas, committed to widening the vision and scope of theater, relying on the imagery of fantasy and fable, original adaptation, and scripts that mainly draw their inspiration from legends and history of Fort Worth and the Southwest. The performance focus is interdisciplinary, combining traditional theatrical elements with original score, drama, mime, dance, puppetry, as well as environmental and visual installations. 0 0 262279 0 47950 Season 49 opened not in the actual theater, but in the BackYard concessions area with a rough and tumble performance of Sam Shepard's The Mad Dog Blues, directed by Christina Cranshaw with original music written and performed nightly by Chris Curtis. Following, was a rousing rendition of Federico Garcia Lorca's play, The Billy Club Puppets, directed by Yvonne Duque-Guerrero with original acoustic music composed and performed by Darrin Kobetich. "The brilliance of The Billy Club Puppets lies in the way it buries so much bruising misery under verbal high jinks and physical comedy. Hip Pocket's production creates just the right balance between the silly and the darkly thought-provoking." - Manuel Mendoza, The Dallas Morning News. After this, Old Mother West Wind "came down from the purple hills to the green meadows" to share her homespun wisdom. Adapted from the Thornton Burgess short story by Johnny Simons, Lake Simons took over the directing duties this time around. Original music was written by Douglas Balentine in 1979, when this play was originally offered at the original Hwy. 80 location. For this performance, Douglas' music was transcribed and re-created by Joe Rogers and John Dyers, who shared music directorship as well as performing duties each night. Emily Scott Banks returned again in 2025 to adapt and direct George Bernard Shaw's Heartbreak House. "Director Emily Scott Banks uses the high-energy cast to great effect: conversations are full of bluster, posing, quips, digs, an declarations. But too, Banks takes care to show us the layers of the play...."- Jan Farrington, Onstage NTX. In place of the fifth and final show, Hip Pocket hosted internationally-acclaimed Bread and Puppet traveling theater for a one night only performance to great success. Although fewer performances were offered in 2025, HPT launched additional programming geared to local artists: Moonlit Readings and the Cowtown Puppet Slam, both of which offered up-and-coming artists an opportunity to present their work to the community and at the same time, allow the community to experience a new generation of local artistry, bringing new and varied audience members to Hip Pocket. 34705 0 36631 In the outreach department of the theater, Hip Pocket established The Diane Simons Mentorship Program in honor of co-founder Diane Simons who passed early in the 49th season. This program introduced 77 youths to the arts by way of a ticket give-away to high school and college age youth. This program allowed five technicians a golden opportunity to be mentored by professional theater technicians and to network with dozens of others in the area of stagecraft. Another branch of the outreach in 2025 was the continuation of the annual Twilight Soiree Puppet Pageant, having completed its third year in 2025. The program includes two weeks of free puppet-building workshops led by New York-based puppeteers Erin Orr and Chris Green, culminating in three days of performances. Nearly 50 community members participated this year; 18 attended workshops and performed. Thirty-one performers, including nine children, took part, ranging in age from 3 to 73. Each free show drew 45-55 attendees, nearing capacity. To expand audiences, this year's event will feature staggered performances. A distinctive and vital component of Hip Pocket's legacy is our ongoing collaboration with hundreds of local musicians each year. These artists provide pre- and post-show entertainment at no additional cost to our patrons, enriching the audience experience while supporting regional talent. We are proud to remain one of the most affordable theater options in the DFW metroplex, despite our growing funding needs. Tarrant County College and HPT joined forces once again to offer ASL students the opportunity to interpret performances again in the 49th season with the goal of increasing visits from patrons who otherwise would avoid attending theater due to accessibility barriers. A new partnership with the White Settlement Chamber of Commerce expanded in 2025 to host the WSCC biannually with the goal of highlighting local businesses, encouraging more community involvement, and increasing visibility to the theater. 0 0 0 296984 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 45 0 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 18 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 X Peggy Kirby 8172469775 PO Box 136758 Fort Worth TX 76136 John T Simons Artistic Director 25 0 X 45950 0 7317 Nikki DeShea Smith Director 5 0 X 13068 0 0 Quentin McGown Director 1 0 X 0 0 0 Holly Ellman President 1 0 X 0 0 0 Lauren Ivy Chiong Director 1 0 X 0 0 0 Paul Hamilton Director 1 0 X 0 0 0 Thad Isbell Director 1 0 X 0 0 0 John Key Director 1 0 X 0 0 0 Marian Eastman Director 1 0 X 0 0 0 John Leach Director 1 0 X 0 0 0 Barbara Meece Director 1 0 X 0 0 0 Leslie Zvitt Director 1 0 X 0 0 0 Jesse Borries Secretary 1 0 X 0 0 0 Aaron Butler Director 1 0 X 0 0 0 Yvonne Duque-Guerrero Director 1 0 X 0 0 0 Brian Pierce Director 1 0 X 0 0 0 Tracy Bush Vice President 1.00 0 X 0 0 0 Jequari Moore Treasurer 1 0 X 0 0 0 59018 0 7317 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 750 0 14000 348070 362820 Ticket Sales 711110 35741 35741 0 0 Concessions 711110 12209 12209 0 0 0 0 0 0 47950 0 0 0 0 11460 750 1999 9461 0 9461 0 420231 47950 0 9461 X 45950 45950 0 0 0 81718 21926 12532 47260 7317 0 7317 0 10783 6442 1019 3322 20242 0 20242 0 150214 136373 225 13616 7368 6523 0 845 20635 3064 16410 1161 22982 20195 2787 0 18688 13949 2967 1772 4059 4059 0 0 723 0 723 0 Production Expenses 24385 24385 0 0 Concessions Expense 14118 14118 0 0 429182 296984 64222 67976 229377 277601 6205 6294 4000 226951 203626 27385 23325 262967 311220 752 6959 49818 1810 2665 2562 59442 X 259087 250159 1318 1619 260405 251778 262967 311220 -8951 0 0 0 324 0 X 0 0 0 X 203305 247923 229848 312518 362820 1356414 55261 78692 68622 66190 47950 316715 258566 326615 298470 378708 410770 1673129 120000 140000 140000 140000 145000 685000 120000 140000 140000 140000 145000 685000 988129 258566 326615 298470 378708 410770 1673129 0.59059 0.54212 0 0 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 204208 180883 23325 0 22743 22743 0 0 0 0 0 23325 0 Payroll Liabilities 2665 2665 Nikki DeShea Smith Board Member 13068 payment for lighting design services 0 Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 11b The Form 990 is made available to Board members for review before filing. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 12c Pocket Theatre, Inc. requires its Board members, Endowment Trustees, and key employees to disclose all interests that they or a family member has in other for-profit or nonprofit entities where it is foreseeable that the organization may enter into a contract or award a grant or have other business or financial dealings with the entity. Board members, Endowment Trustee, and key employees must disclose any actual or possible conflicts, and the nature thereof, to the Board President annually, or as such situations may arise. Board members and Endowment Trustees refrain from voting on a proposed transaction if in a conflict-of-interest situation and, if appropriate, withdraw from the meeting. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 15 Compensation is reviewed by the Compensation Committee using peer organizations to determine compensation levels, who make a recommendation to the Board of Directors. Compensation levels are discussed during the annual budgeting process and are presented for discussion and approval by the Board as a whole at the time the annual budget is adopted. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 19 Governing documents and financial statements are available upon written request. Form 990, Part IX, Line 11g Production related contractors (actors, musicians, technicians, etc.) - $136,373; Administrative and Development support - $13,841