Who We Are

ActUp Theater, Inc is a 501(c)3 non-profit performing arts organization that offers comprehensive talent development, arts educational curriculum, and creative exploration to serve all ages in our community.

Our Culture

Our Mission

Our mission is to mobilize the power of the arts to promote equity, provide access, and pioneer opportunity, ensuring youth and families in our communities thrive.

Our Values

• Creative Learning That Transforms Lives.

• Rooted in Community.

• Expanding Access. Advancing Opportunity.

• Voice. Leadership. Purpose.

• Every Story Matters

• Building Creative Leaders

About the Leadership

ActUp Theater has more than a decade of demonstrated fiscal responsibility and successful program delivery in Greater Hartford. ActUp Theater is led by the Johnson family, whose deep roots in the Greater Hartford area ground the organization in the community it serves.

Founder Faithlyn Johnson, raised in Hartford and a Weaver High School graduate, holds a BFA from the University of Miami and a Master’s from the University of Hartford. With over 35 years of experience, she has built inclusive arts programs locally, nationally, and internationally. Faithlyn founded the Greater Hartford Arts Council’s Presidential Award Teen Apprentice Program – Neighborhood Studios, a Governor’s Award winner, International Director for Gifted and Talented, and has operated major theaters across the U.S., always prioritizing accessibility and representation in the arts.

Chief Operations Officer Priestley Johnson brings leadership and national perspective, with more than 10 years working on behalf of marginalized communities. A Howard University graduate, her experience spans the Council of Women and Girls in the Obama Administration, Michelle Obama’s When We All Vote, and Girl Up for the United Nations Foundation. Priestley’s expertise in organizational strategy and community engagement strengthens ActUp’s capacity to serve and reflect Hartford residents.

Tyler Johnson, Production & Technical Director, is a classically trained vocalist and Recording Arts Engineering professional (Full Sail University). A long-time Connecticut resident and Certified Department Head for Digital Media at A.I. Prince Technical High School, she mentors local youth in technology. Tyler has worked with internationally recognized recording artists—including Busta Rhymes and DJ Khaled—and narrated the Disinvested podcast for Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, recognized by President Obama. At ActUp, she combines professional artistry with deep community ties, ensuring productions are technically excellent and socially meaningful.

Together, the leadership team blends local knowledge, lived experience, and national artistic and administrative expertise. Raising their families in Hartford, they are deeply committed to ensuring ActUp’s programs reflect, serve, and uplift the community they love.

Our History