At Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Arts Academy, the theater department is growing its creative force.
Ramad Carter, the school’s theater teacher, is drawing from his artistry and lifelong passion for education to prepare the next generation of actors to become authentic, expressive, and compassionate performers.
Carter studied theater in New York City, where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dramatic Acting at The New School in 2017. While there, he trained in acting, directing, and playwriting while also performing professionally throughout the city.
Even while pursuing his artist career, Carter continued to teach. During his time in New York, he worked as a teaching artist and instructor at local after school arts programs.
“From my childhood until now, teaching has been the through line in my life that has always been there,” Carter said. “I’ve always admired my teachers and the impact they made. Fast forward to today, and I’m doing that work teaching full time.”
After returning home to Texas, he earned a master’s degree in early childhood education from the University of North Texas and continued to expand his work as an educator.
Now, in his fourth-year teaching at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Arts Academy, Carter is building strong foundations in storytelling and the production process. Students study monologues and plays while also gaining early exposure to the technical elements of theater, including lighting, costume design, stage design and assistant directing.
Carter has directed multiple student productions in collaboration with the school’s musical director and choreographer of such Broadway hits as Annie, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and 101 Dalmatians, and Sister Act.
Many of his students have seen Broadway musicals before they reach high school, a unique opportunity due to key partnerships with Forest Forward, Broadway Dallas and the AT&T Performing Arts Center.
This early exposure to professional theater allows students to envision themselves in similar roles and imagine creative futures as performers, Carter said. Carter’s work has earned him recognition as the campus 2025-2026 Teacher of the Year. His passion for creative, student-centered instruction has established him not only as a leader in his classroom but also throughout the school.
His dedication is especially reflected in student outcomes. In a single audition cycle, six middle school students from the department were accepted to Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.
“I’m so inspired by my students,” Carter said. “They do things that are very difficult. What we learn is not just technical. I teach them to feel their emotions and connect to their characters in a way that makes their acting feel real.”
Inside Carter’s classroom, a wall of playbills tells the story of what he has built. The collection includes productions he saw while living in New York City, shows his students have attended through Broadway Dallas, and even an Off-Broadway production written by a former college roommate and friend — “Oh Happy Day.”
These visual reminders serve as windows into the creative world students are learning to navigate.
“I pride myself in allowing my students to develop their own individuality and bring themselves to the work we do,” he said. “We build community. We depend on each other and take care of each other. I encourage individuality and kindness.”
