Theta Alpha Phi

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American theatre honor fraternity

title: "Theta Alpha Phi" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["honor-societies", "theatrical-organizations-in-the-united-states", "student-organizations-established-in-1919", "1919-establishments-in-oklahoma"] description: "American theatre honor fraternity" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theta_Alpha_Phi" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American theatre honor fraternity ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox fraternity"]

Field	Value
name	Theta Alpha Phi
letters	ΘΑΦ
coat of arms	The_Crest_of_Theta_Alpha_Phi.jpeg
image_size	180px
founded
birthplace	Chicago, Illinois
affiliation	Independent
status	Active
type	Honor
emphasis	Theatre
scope	National
motto	"The purpose of playing is...to hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to nature"
member badge	[[File:Theta Alpha Phi badge.png
colors	Purple and White
symbol	Comedy and Tragedy masks
flag
flower
jewel	Ruby
publication	The Cue
chapters	21
colonies
nickname	Thetas, Thetans, TAPs, and Taffies
lifetime	23,000+
address	500 East Beechwold Boulevard
city	Columbus
state	Ohio
ZIP code	43214
country	United States
website
::

Theta Alpha Phi National Theatre Honors Fraternity (ΘΑΦ) was an American honor society for theatre. It was established in 1919 by members of the National Association of Teachers of Speech. Membership was available to undergraduates and graduate students at member institutions.

As of 2024, Theta Alpha Phi appears to have ceased operations, leaving Alpha Psi Omega as the sole remaining national theatre honor society in the United States.

History

Theta Alpha Phi was organized in December 1919 at a National Association of Teachers of Speech meeting in Chicago, Illinois. It was formed as an amateur dramatic society that would encourage interest in dramatics and bring together students, instructors, and alumni for social purposes.

Its first chapter, Oklahoma Alpha, was chartered on at Oklahoma A&M College, now Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. By 1930, it had established 66 chapters and had initiated 4,212 members. However, many chapters went inactive during the Great Depression. In 1991, it had 54 active chapters and 32 inactive chapters, along with 22,800 initiates.

, Theta Alpha Phi had 21 active chapters. The society's national headquarters is at 500 East Beechwold Boulevard in Columbus, Ohio. It is governed by an executive council and a national convention.

Symbols

Theta Alpha Phi's motto is "The purpose of playing is...to hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to nature", which is a reference to the "advice to the players" speech in William Shakespeare's Hamlet.

The fraternity's gold badge is shaped like the comedy and tragedy masks, long associated with the theatrical arts. It is crowned with four rubies and bears the black enameled letters Θ, Α and Φ on the left eye, nose and right eye, respectively.

Its colors are purple and white. Its members are called Taffies, TAPs, Thetans, and Thetas.

Activities

Theta Alpha Phi presents a national award called the Medallion of Honor, which it purports is the highest national tribute made in educational theatre. Theta Alpha Phi's magazine, The Cue, was established in 1922.

Membership

Theta Alpha Phi is restricted to four-year or graduate colleges and universities and admits to membership only students of sophomore standing or above. Students become eligible after having successfully met a prescribed minimum of experience in directing, writing, acting in, or managing plays. Originally, this was specified as having performed two major or four minor roles or having demonstrated proficiency in another aspect of the dramatic arts.

Chapters

Main article: List of Theta Alpha Phi chapters

Notable members

Maud Babcock, faculty member at University of Utah
Ruth Moench Bell, a teacher at Utah Agricultural College
Keene Curtis, actor
Margaret Draper, actress
Florence Kirk, opera singer
Conrad Prebys, developer and philanthropist
Eva Marie Saint, actress

References

Shepardson, Francis Wayland, ed. ''[https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b3119647?urlappend=%3Bseq=610%3Bownerid=9007199274501863-686 Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 12th edition]''. Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press/George Banta Publishing Company, 1930. pp. 578-579. ''via'' Hathi Trust.
"About Us".
"Chapters".
{{Bairds17
[https://www.natcom.org/sites/default/files/pages/Womens_Leadership_Project_Babcock.pdf Maud May Babcock, President of the National Communication Association, 1932]
(1928). "Women of the West; a series of biographical sketches of living eminent women in the eleven western states of the United States of America".
(June 3, 1943). "'U' Dramatists Wait Honors". The Salt Lake Telegram.
(August 11, 1940). "Chekhov Stage Group Holds Utah Actress".
(1945). "The Eleusis of Chi Omega".
(30 May 1945). "Bee Gee News May 30, 1945". BG News (Student Newspaper).

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