About Us
Red Dragon Players at the Larry D. Preas Theatre
Location: East side of the Austin High School campus
Address: 1715 W. Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78703
Phone: (512) 414-7311
Director: Joel Hinojosa
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, they 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. This year marks 114 of theatre at Austin High School.
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. This year, the Red Dragon Players are celebrating their 93th anniversary. The season usually includes four full-length productions (each show is performed five to eight times), plus a short play that is entered in the UIL One-Act Play Contest. Theatre Art students can take the following classes: 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.
Welcome to our NEW DIRECTORS
New Director, Joel Hinojosa
Welcome to Austin High and the Red Dragon Players, Mr. Hinojosa!
June 20, 2024 | 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 has been an educator for going on six years. He began his career at Brownsville Pace High School in 2019. He directed shows such as, THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, GINT and THE GIRL IN THE MIRROR Etc. He then furthered his teaching career and moved to Harlingen Dr. Cano Freshman Academy and assistant to Harlingen High School South. There he directed for the Harlingen conservatory with the show THE SWEET SCIENCE OF BRUISING. Mr. Hinojosa has two UIL One Act Play State appearances with the productions of MACHINAL as first runner up and INDECENT as the State Champion. He is ecstatic to continue his teaching here at Austin High School and continue the success for the Red Dragon Players and further grow students and the community with the wonderful Art of Theatre!
Mr. Hinojosa will teach Advanced Acting and Technical Theatre.
New Musical Director, Kaylie De Lauri
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 swiftly 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 distinguished herself by originating roles in multiple new musical productions, including a few cast recordings.
Beyond theatre, Kaylie expanded her repertoire into TV, film, and commercials, appearing in numerous national campaigns and on Times Square billboards. For the past two years, she has also enriched young minds as an educator with the NYC Department of Education and as a teaching artist for various 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 will teach Musical Theatre and Theatre 1.
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, Mr. Dragoo 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 are 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. Granbury High School appeared there in 1988 (taking third place in 4A) and in 1989. Austin High School made six consecutive appearances at the UIL 5A One-Act Play State Meet (2007- 2012,the conference record) and won three State Championships in four years (2009, 2011, 2012). In 2017, Austin High placed 2nd in state. While teaching at Austin High, he has three times been named “Teacher of the Year” -- in 1997 and 2003 and 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, he was named "Texas Education Theatre Associations' K-12 Theatre Educator of the Year". In the fall of 2016, Dragoo 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 has trained for several years with the Broadway Teaching Lab in New York. Her career has included directing elementary, middle, and high school students across Texas. Annie began the musical theatre program at Austin High in 2004, and in that time has directed 17 musical productions here and 27 musicals in the last 18 years. She wrote the Musical Theatre Curriculum for the state of Texas and is currently writing a musical theatre text book. She has performed in several professional productions in Dallas, Houston, & Austin. Dragoo co-directed three of the last seven UIL One Act Play productions that have qualified for the 5A State Contest, winning the State Championship in 2012. Among her favorites productions to direct are GYPSY, INTO THE WOODS, SPRING AWAKING, 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.