Staff & Board

Managing Director

Dear TCTC Family,

My name is Allison McGee, and I am honored to introduce myself as the next Managing Director of the Tyler Civic Theatre Center.

I was born and raised in Tyler, Texas, and my relationship with this theatre began long before job titles, board meetings, or budgets. I first walked through these doors at nine years old, attending STAR Camps during a summer visit to my grandparents. What began as a child’s curiosity quickly became a formative force in my life. Theatre strengthened my reading and critical thinking skills, gave me a language for empathy, and—perhaps most importantly—introduced me to a community of friends and mentors who shaped the artist, teacher, and professional I am today. In many ways, this theatre has raised me.

I live in Tyler with my beautiful husband, London and our brilliant son, Ian. I am a proud graduate of The University of Texas at Tyler and recently earned my Master of Arts in Theatre from the University of Houston. While my education and career have taken me many places, this theatre has always been part of my foundation.

That story is not unique. Community theatre is transformative precisely because it is communal. It is a place where people of all ages learn to collaborate, take risks, listen closely, and tell stories together. For nearly a century, TCTC has been built and sustained by people willing to invest their time, talent, and trust in one another. The growth we experience today rests on generations of work—often unseen, always essential.

Like all community theatres, TCTC also faces real challenges. Funding is always a balancing act. Facilities require constant care. The arts must evolve alongside changing audiences and technologies while remaining rooted in their purpose. The COVID-19 pandemic hit our theatre particularly hard. Attendance declined. Volunteer pipelines slowed. Community habits shifted, and the value of the arts was, in many places, deprioritized. Through it all, my predecessor, DeAnna Hargrove Holliday, guided this organization with determination and resolve. Because of her leadership—and the generous support from our donors—TCTC endured and is ready to move forward.

That is where this next chapter begins.

If you have been away from TCTC for a while—whether as an audience member, volunteer, donor, or artist—let me extend a genuine welcome.

Community theatres change over time, and so do people’s seasons of participation. Please know that your past involvement remains an important part of this theatre’s story. As TCTC enters a period of renewed activity and growth, we are grateful for the foundation that made this moment possible. If there is ever a time when reconnecting feels right for you, you would be warmly welcomed, in whatever capacity feels comfortable.

Come experience the excitement of live theatre—live actors, live audiences, and real stakes. Come experience stories that explore the human condition: stories that warm us, entertain us, challenge us, and invite us to think more deeply about ourselves and one another.

And if you have ever considered getting involved for the very first time—on stage or behind the scenes—this is your invitation. Whether your interests lie in performance, design, construction, administration, patronage, or simply lending a helping hand, there is space for you here. We are recommitting ourselves to representing the full breadth of the Tyler and East Texas community, and that work begins by welcoming new voices, new talents, and new collaborators into the room.

Community theatre is not a relic—it is a living, breathing space where connection happens in real time, and where everyone has a role to play.

It is an extraordinary honor to help usher Tyler Civic Theatre Center into its next evolution. I am deeply grateful for the trust placed in me, and I look forward to building what comes next—together.

With gratitude and excitement,

Allison McGee
Managing Director
Tyler Civic Theatre Center

ManagingDirector@TylerCivicTheatre.com