About
Theater is a habit of excellence.
Performances at Austin High School date back to 1908. Named the Red Dragon Players in 1929, our company has staged more than 400 productions — and continues to give every interested student a place on, or behind, the stage.
Home stage
Red Dragon Players at the Larry D. Preas Theatre
Location
East side of the Austin High School campus
1715 W. Cesar Chavez St.
Austin, TX 78703
Phone
Directors
Joel Hinojosa
Kaylie DeLauri
Since 1908
Theatre History of Austin High
Theatre has a long and rich role in the history of Austin High School. Archive records show that performances were given as far back as 1908. That year, the school produced two shows, As You Like It and Bachelor Hall. Since that time, over 400 shows have been produced here. Our records show that The Senior High Dramatic Club was formed in 1913 and lasted, we believe, until 1921. At that time, The Junior Curtain Club was formed.
The Red Mask Dramatics Club was formed in 1926 and co-existed with the JCC. The JCC and the RMDC joined to become the Austin High School Little Theatre. Austin High did not have an official mascot, so in the fall of 1929, under the direction of James R. Burton, the theatre department named themselves The Red Dragon Players.
The season usually includes four full-length productions — each performed five to eight times — plus a short play entered in the UIL One-Act Play Contest. Theatre Art students can take Theatre Arts I–IV, Technical Theatre I–IV, Theatre Production I–IV, and Musical Theatre I–IV.
The last show on the Rio Grande campus was The Dark at the Top of the Stairs in the spring of 1975, and the first show on the current campus was A Clearing in the Woods in the fall of 1975.
Faculty leadership
Directors
Director, Joel Hinojosa
Welcome to Austin High and the Red Dragon Players, Mr. Hinojosa!
Joel Hinojosa, originally from Brownsville, Texas, graduated from Simon Rivera High School. Mr. Hinojosa received his B.A. in Theatre with an emphasis in Acting & Directing and a minor in education from Texas A&M–Corpus Christi. He began his career at Brownsville Pace High School in 2019, directing shows such as Little Shop of Horrors, Gint, and The Girl in the Mirror. He then moved to Harlingen Dr. Cano Freshman Academy and assisted at Harlingen High School South, where he directed The Sweet Science of Bruising for the Harlingen conservatory. Mr. Hinojosa has two UIL One-Act Play State appearances — Machinal as first runner-up and Indecent as State Champion. He is ecstatic to continue the success of the Red Dragon Players and grow students and the community through the art of theatre.
Mr. Hinojosa teaches Advanced Acting and Technical Theatre.
Musical Director, Kaylie DeLauri
Welcome to Austin High and the Red Dragon Players, Ms. DeLauri!
Kaylie DeLauri, a proud alumna of Austin High School and the Red Dragon Players (Class of 2010), returns to her roots as a Musical Theatre Director. She earned her BA in Musical Theatre from West Texas A&M University before moving to New York City to pursue her passion. Kaylie's journey began at 14 on the stage of Austin's acclaimed Zach Scott Theatre, cementing her love for the arts early on.
During her nearly decade-long tenure in the Big Apple, Kaylie made significant strides in the theatre scene, with credits at Off-Broadway venues including The Players Theatre and Soho Playhouse. She originated roles in multiple new musical productions, including several cast recordings.
Beyond theatre, Kaylie expanded her repertoire into TV, film, and commercials, appearing in national campaigns and on Times Square billboards. She has also taught with the NYC Department of Education and as a teaching artist for programs including the Brooklyn Acting Lab.
Returning to Austin, Kaylie is eager to impart her industry insights and passion for the performing arts to future generations. Inspired by the mentorship she received from the Dragoos at AHS and beyond, she aims to nurture young talent and foster a deep appreciation for theatre in her community.
Ms. DeLauri teaches Musical Theatre and Theatre I.
EXCELLENCIA CONSUETUDO EST
We celebrate and thank former directors Billy and Annie Dragoo for their contributions to Austin High Theatre throughout the years.
Billy Dragoo
Billy Dragoo taught at Granbury High School and Bowie High School in Arlington before coming to Austin High in the fall of 1993. Mr. Dragoo earned a BFA from The University of Texas in 1987 and a Master of Arts from The University of London in 1990. In the summer of 2002, he was granted a scholarship to study at the Globe Theatre in London. He has directed more than 105 shows in his career — among his favorites Equus, The Secret Rapture, A Flea in Her Ear, Anna in the Tropics, Juno & the Paycock, and Someone Who Will Watch Over Me.
He and his students have appeared at the UIL One-Act Play State Meet nine times. Austin High made six consecutive appearances at the UIL 5A State Meet (2007–2012, the conference record) and won three State Championships in four years (2009, 2011, 2012). In 2017, Austin High placed second in state.
While teaching at Austin High he was three times named Teacher of the Year (1997, 2003, 2011). In 2012 he won the UIL Sponsor Excellence Award; in 2013 he was named Inspirational Theatre Educator of the Year by the Educational Theatre Association; in 2014, K–12 Theatre Educator of the Year by the Texas Educational Theatre Association; and in the fall of 2016 he was named to the Texas Thespians Hall of Fame.
Annie Dragoo
Annie Dragoo began teaching and directing in 1993. She holds a BA in English and Speech Communication with a concentration in Theatre Studies from Houston Baptist University. In the summer of 2008, she was granted a scholarship to study in residency at the Globe Theatre in London, and she has trained for several years with the Broadway Teaching Lab in New York.
Annie began the musical theatre program at Austin High in 2004 and has directed 17 musical productions here and 27 musicals over 18 years. She wrote the Musical Theatre Curriculum for the state of Texas and is writing a musical theatre textbook. She has performed in professional productions in Dallas, Houston, and Austin.
Annie co-directed three of the last seven UIL One-Act Play productions that qualified for the 5A State Contest, winning the State Championship in 2012. Among her favorite productions to direct are Gypsy, Into the Woods, Spring Awakening, Urinetown, and Radio Eyes. She was nominated for the UIL Sponsor Excellence Award in 2014 and won the Alma Slawinski Leadership Award from the Texas Thespians. In 2018, Annie was named Austin High School Teacher of the Year and was selected as the K–12 Texas Theatre Educator of the Year.