Theatre Troupe for Homeless Founded by Coach Brad Hauter '87 is Spotlighted

July 19, 2008

July 19, 2008, Greencastle, Ind. - "There are shelters, missions and soup kitchens for the homeless. But a theatre troupe?," asks the Indianapolis Star in a story profiling an organization founded by a DePauw University alumnus. "Off the Streets began in 1988, after Brad Hauter, founder and co-executive producer, saw homeless people on the train tracks in Gary and wanted to help." Hauter, a 1987 graduate of DePauw, returns to the University this fall as head men's soccer coach.

The Star's Christine Won writes, "A homeless man gave him the idea when he told Hauter: 'You need us. We act every day. We act tough so we don't get beat up. We act to get our welfare checks or food stamps.'" The article notes that "the program has seen about a 75 percent rate of success in helping the homeless cast members get jobs or afford housing by the end of the season." (at right: an Off the Streets rehearsal; courtesy Charlie Nye/Indianapolis Star)

"If not for Off the Streets, I probably would have self-destructed," says Johanna Lyons-McGhehey, who was jailed last year and wound up living on the streets. "You don't know what it means to be homeless until you're there."

The troupe is performing Maple Leaf at Lockerbie United Methodist Church in Indianapolis this weekend.

You'll find the full story at IndyStar.com.

Brad Hauter was appointed DePauw's head men's soccer coach on April 28 after leading the men's and women's programs at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.  He succeeds Page Cotton, director of athletics, who led the Tiger soccer program since 1969 and retired from the coaching post at the end of the academic year.

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