Lois Kagan Mingus and Joanie Fritz Zosike first met as actors in The Living Theatre in 1989. At the end of a tour of performances and workshops in Europe, they thought about the future and decided they wanted to continue making theatre that gave voice to a peaceful choice by sharing what they knew with children and youth in New York City. In 1998, they co-founded ACTION RACKET THEATRE (ART) and expanded the idea to include people between 3 and 103.

Since that time, they have performed and presented workshop programs for a diverse group of organizations such as the New York Public Library, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Head Start, 6th Street Avenue B Garden, Theater for the New City, Boriken/East Harlem Council for Human Services, Asthma-Free School Zone, United Adult Ministries, and Hostos Community College.

Lois and Joanie design age-appropriate workshops that guide actors of all experience levels on a socially conscious, theatrical voyage. As members of an “instant theatre company,” participants are encouraged to pose their own dramatic and comedic questions, as well as to express their dreams, wishes, and flights of fancy.

True Stories of Everyday Life, a play created by young adults from the Francis Martin Library Action Racket Theatre company, was published by New York Public Library in May 2002. Most recently, Action Racket Theatre is one of eleven presenters participating in the New York Public Library’s system-wide early literacy program, Getting Children Ready to Read.