Hip Pocket Theatre
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Hip Pocket Theatre is an experimental theater ensemble rooted deep in the heart of Texas, committed to widening the vision and scope of theater, relying on the imagery of fantasy and fable, original adaptation, and scripts that mainly draw their inspiration from legends and history of Fort Worth and the Southwest. The performance focus is interdisciplinary, combining traditional theatrical elements with original score, drama, mime, dance, puppetry, as well as environmental and visual installations.
- Income
- $420,231
- Spending
- $429,182
- Spent on programs
- 69%
- Reserves
- 6.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 83%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 181
- Highest pay
- $53,267, artistic director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 82 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.3 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 19% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 11% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1569% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 91 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2517 of 18 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (2)
- $262,279 spent. Season 49 opened not in the actual theater, but in the BackYard concessions area with a rough and tumble performance of Sam Shepard's The Mad Dog Blues, directed by Christina Cranshaw with original music written and performed nightly by Chris Curtis. Following, was a rousing rendition of Federico Garcia Lorca's play, The Billy Club Puppets, directed by Yvonne Duque-Guerrero with original acoustic music composed and performed by Darrin Kobetich. "The brilliance of The Billy Club Puppets lies in the way it buries so much bruising misery under verbal high jinks and physical comedy. Hip Pocket's production creates just the right balance between the silly and the darkly thought-provoking." - Manuel Mendoza, The Dallas Morning News. After this, Old Mother West Wind "came down from the purple hills to the green meadows" to share her homespun wisdom. Adapted from the Thornton Burgess short story by Johnny Simons, Lake Simons took over the directing duties this time around. Original music was written by Douglas Balentine in 1979, when this play was originally offered at the original Hwy. 80 location. For this performance, Douglas' music was transcribed and re-created by Joe Rogers and John Dyers, who shared music directorship as well as performing duties each night. Emily Scott Banks returned again in 2025 to adapt and direct George Bernard Shaw's Heartbreak House. "Director Emily Scott Banks uses the high-energy cast to great effect: conversations are full of bluster, posing, quips, digs, an declarations. But too, Banks takes care to show us the layers of the play...."- Jan Farrington, Onstage NTX. In place of the fifth and final show, Hip Pocket hosted internationally-acclaimed Bread and Puppet traveling theater for a one night only performance to great success. Although fewer performances were offered in 2025, HPT launched additional programming geared to local artists: Moonlit Readings and the Cowtown Puppet Slam, both of which offered up-and-coming artists an opportunity to present their work to the community and at the same time, allow the community to experience a new generation of local artistry, bringing new and varied audience members to Hip Pocket.
- $34,705 spent. In the outreach department of the theater, Hip Pocket established The Diane Simons Mentorship Program in honor of co-founder Diane Simons who passed early in the 49th season. This program introduced 77 youths to the arts by way of a ticket give-away to high school and college age youth. This program allowed five technicians a golden opportunity to be mentored by professional theater technicians and to network with dozens of others in the area of stagecraft. Another branch of the outreach in 2025 was the continuation of the annual Twilight Soiree Puppet Pageant, having completed its third year in 2025. The program includes two weeks of free puppet-building workshops led by New York-based puppeteers Erin Orr and Chris Green, culminating in three days of performances. Nearly 50 community members participated this year; 18 attended workshops and performed. Thirty-one performers, including nine children, took part, ranging in age from 3 to 73. Each free show drew 45-55 attendees, nearing capacity. To expand audiences, this year's event will feature staggered performances. A distinctive and vital component of Hip Pocket's legacy is our ongoing collaboration with hundreds of local musicians each year. These artists provide pre- and post-show entertainment at no additional cost to our patrons, enriching the audience experience while supporting regional talent. We are proud to remain one of the most affordable theater options in the DFW metroplex, despite our growing funding needs. Tarrant County College and HPT joined forces once again to offer ASL students the opportunity to interpret performances again in the 49th season with the goal of increasing visits from patrons who otherwise would avoid attending theater due to accessibility barriers. A new partnership with the White Settlement Chamber of Commerce expanded in 2025 to host the WSCC biannually with the goal of highlighting local businesses, encouraging more community involvement, and increasing visibility to the theater.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 1979.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.