Prestonwood Christian Academy has an award-winning and nationally-recognized theatre program that strives to provide Middle and Upper School students with a creative and multidisciplinary art form.
One of our objectives is to prepare serious theatre students for a future career in the theatre if that is their desire. Beyond that, by participating in theatre, students will gain preparation for whatever path they choose in life by creating good work habits, time management skills, poise and cooperative learning experiences. We believe that the arts are an epicenter of influence in our culture today and Christians need to be leading the way in creativity and excellence.
Tara Battani Bowles
PCA North - Middle School/Upper School Theatre and Speech tbowles@prestonwoodchristian.org
Tara Battani Bowles is ecstatic to be teaching the wonderful and gifted kids of PCA North. Bowles was born in Des Moines, Iowa and was transplanted to Austin, Texas at age seven. She attended St. Edward’s University and graduated with a Bachelors in Theatre and a minor in Communications. She moved to Los Angeles after college, where she taught and directed elementary and middle school theatre at Village Christian Schools, an elite private school near Burbank. During her time there, she directed seventeen shows and garnered over 50 National Youth Award nominations and awards.
As a working actress, she has been part of many commercials and short films, and was recently cast as the lead in the Christian movie Disgrace, written by Academy Award winner Pamela Wallace, to be filmed soon. She was very involved in LA’s theatre scene during her two decade residency, including playing Louise in Gypsy, Jackie-O in The House of Yes, Jennie in Chapter Two, Tracy Lord in The Philadelphia Story, Georgette in The Traveling Lady, Kirsten in Days of Wine and Roses (LA Scenie Award – Outstanding Actress), Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker (LA Scenie Award – Best Actress), Alma in Summer and Smoke (LA Stage Raw Nominee for Best Female Performance and LA Scenie Award – Outstanding Actress), and most recently, Lee in Marvin’s Room (Scenie Award – Outstanding Actress).
At PCA since 2022, she has seen her productions do tremendously well – in 2022 Sense and Sensibility was the 1st place One Act District Champion play, as well as winning Best Actress and five other awards. At State, the show placed 5th and won 4 other awards, including “Best Actor.” The next year, her One Act play of Flowers forAlgernon placed 2nd at District AND State, and it won ten other awards, including the “Best Actor” in the State.
Besides those two award-winning shows at PCA, she also directed Around the World in 80 Days, Shrek, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Schoolhouse Rock Jr., Our Town, Matilda, Seussical KIDS, and Wind in the Willows Jr. This year she directed PCA North’s first Shakespeare production – Much Ado About Nothing (set in the 1990’s!)and in the Spring will present the 70’s rock musical Godspell.
In her spare time, she loves to read, watch Seinfeld and TheCosby Show reruns, and spend time with husband Justin and daughter Natalie Audrey, aptly named after her two favorite actresses, Natalie Wood and Audrey Hepburn.
DISTRICT CHAMPIONS (1st Place) - One Act Play
• Best Actress – Madigan Matthews
• All Star Cast – Noah Smith
• All Star Cast – Eden Vargas
• Honorable Mention – Lauren Doty
• Honorable Mention – Tausten Glenn
• Honorable Mention – Garrett Shirley
• All Star Crew – Alex Burgess
STATE (5th Place) - One Act Play
• Best Actor – Tausten Glenn
• All Star Cast – Madigan Matthews
• Honorable Mention – Eden Vargas
• All Star Crew – Alex Burgess
