Arts in the Armed Forces, Inc. (AITAF) was a non-profit based in Brooklyn, New York that brought arts programming to active-duty service members, veterans, military support staff of the United States and their families around the world free of charge.
The organization was founded by actors Adam Driver and Joanne Tucker in 2006. The non-profit became an official incorporation in 2008.
AITAF served all branches of the military at US installations domestically and abroad. They chose content that features diverse themes, ages, ethnicities and experiences. Following each of AITAF’s events, the artists would interact with the audience through a question and answer session.
AITAF’s mission was to "honor and enrich the lives of the US military community by offering powerful shared experiences in theater and film. Featuring professional artists and contemporary American content, creating space for meaningful dialogue, igniting connection and deepening our capacity for understanding around our common humanity."
The Bridge Awards
In 2018, The Bridge Award for Playwriting was established in honor of AITAF's tenth anniversary with the purpose of recognizing an emerging playwright of exceptional talent within the United States military. The biennial (as of 2020) award consists of a $10,000 prize, and an AITAF produced reading of the winning work.
In addition to bringing world-class theater to the military, AITAF is committed to supporting and sharing the talents of those who serve. This Award offers a deserving current military service member or veteran artist important connections with the theater community and access to developmental resources, helping to facilitate a deeper understanding and more active dialogue between military and civilian communities.
The Bridge Award for Playwriting winner is chosen by a selection committee, judged each year by a notable playwright. Past judges include Pulitzer Prize winners Suzan-Lori Parks and Tony Kushner.
2018 Bridge Award Winner: WAR STORIES by Vinnie Lyman (U.S. Army Veteran)
2019 Bridge Award Winner: TAMPONS, DEAD DOGS, AND OTHER DISPOSABLE THINGS by Shairi Engle (U.S. Air Force Veteran)
2020 Bridge Award Winner: LOCAL GODS by Anton Sattler (U.S. Marine Corps Veteran)
The Bridge Award for Screenwriting was established in 2020. This biennial Award is open to all persons who are currently serving or have served in the United States military, regardless of age, experience, or background. This Award seeks to identify and encourage talented screenwriters/filmmakers from the military community. First time screenwriters are encouraged to apply, and the Award is particularly interested in elevating and celebrating underrepresented voices and stories. The Award gives aspiring filmmakers with a military background the resources and mentorship to advance their visions and refine their work. It encourages members of the military community to conceive of themselves as artists and to tell their important and powerful stories.
This Award was created as a cinematic corollary to AITAF’s successful Bridge Award for Playwriting.
In Media AITAF was the subject of a short documentary produced by Vice News in 2015. The documentary chronicles the organization's first trip to perform in the Middle East at Camp Arifjan, a United States Army installation in Kuwait.
In 2016, Driver gave a TED Talk that discussed the non-profit at length and which ended with an AITAF reading.
Following the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, fans of the franchise donated over $90,000 to the charity. Driver released a video thanking fans for their donations.
Programming +Full List of AITAF's ProgrammingEventEvent LocationEvent yearArtists InvolvedContemporary American MonologuesCamp Pendleton (Oceanside, CA)2008Jon Batiste, David Denman, Adam Driver, Gabriel Ebert, Laura Linney, Tracie Thoms, David Robaire, Joe SaylorContemporary American MonologuesPlaywrights Horizons (New York, NY)2009Michael Sexton (Director); Lauren Ambrose, Francois Battiste, Eric Bogosian, Michael Chernus, Saidah Ekulona, Gibson Frazier, Ron Cephas Jones, Phil Kuehn, Tim Blake Nelson, Jesse J. Perez, Jay O. Sanders, Lili Taylor, Joanne Tucker, Debra Winger, Glenn ZaleskiContemporary American MonologuesAmerican Airlines Theatre (New York, NY)2010David Cromer (Director); Lauren Ambrose, Jon Batiste, Francois Battiste, Eric Bogosian, Louis Cancelmi, Reg. E Cathey, Amari Cheatom, Nick Choksi, Adam Driver, Saidah Ekulona, Gibson Frazier, Phil Kuehn, Darren Pettie, Jay O. Sanders, Susan Sarandon, Joanne Tucker, Dianne Wiest, Joe Saylor, John Patrick Shanley Contemporary American MonologuesAmerican Airlines Theatre (New York, NY)2011Michael Greif (Director); Jon Batiste, Francois Battiste, Vivenne Benesch, Marylouise Burke, Christopher Donahue, Adam Driver, Saidah Ekulona, John Glover, Renee Goldsberry, Zach Grenier, Ron Cephas Jones, Phil Kuehn, Jesse J. Perez, Joe Saylor, David Schwimmer, Peter Scolari, John Patrick Shanley, Tracie Thoms, Joanne Tucker, Harris YulinContemporary American MonologuesLucille Lortel Theatre (New York, NY)2012F. Murray Abraham, Francois Battiste, Marylouise Burke, Michael Daves, Eisa Davis, Adam Driver, Zach Grenier, Jake Gyllenhaal, William Jackson Harper, Frances McDormand, Michael Shannon, David Strathairn, Tracie Thoms, Joanne Tucker Contemporary American Monologues American Airlines Theatre (New York, NY)2013Francois Battiste, Eric Bogosian, Marylouise Burke, Michael Daves, Eisa Davis, Adam Driver, Natasha Lyonne, Jesse J. Perez, Reg Rogers, Amy Ryan, David Schwimmer, Michael Shannon, Joanne Tucker, Samira WileyContemporary American MonologuesRamstein Air Base (Germany)2013Reed Birney, Desmin Borges, Michael Chernus, Gary Cole, Adam Driver, Josh Hamilton, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Raven Symoné, Tracie Thoms, Joanne Tucker, Sheldon WoodleyContemporary American MonologuesWalter Reed Memorial Center (Washington, D.C)2013Marylouise Burke, Reg E. Cathey, Michael Chernus, Gary Cole, Erin Cummings, Adam Driver, Donetta Lavinia Grays, Natalie Knepp, Reg Rogers, Paul Sparks, Tracie Thoms, Joanne TuckerVeterans Day Celebration - OUR LADY OF 121st STREET by Stephen Adly GuirgisStudio 54 (New York, NY)2014Sam Gold (Director); Francois Battiste, Desmin Borges, Guy Boyd, Phillip James Brannon, Salvatore Inzerillo, Justin Long, Adrian Martinez, Amy Ryan, Armando Riesco, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Joanne Tucker, Samira WileyContemporary American MonologuesCamp Arifjan (Kuwait)2015Adam Driver, Saidah Ekulona, Gibson Frazier, Natasha Lyonne, Kristine Nielsen, Armando Riesco, Jay. O Sanders, Joanne TuckerVeterans Day Celebration - LOBBY HERO by Kenneth LonerganStudio 54 (New York, NY)2015Mark Brokaw (Director); Francois Battiste, Rachel Brosnahan, Adam Driver, Corey StollTAPE by Stephen BelberFort Hood (Killeen, TX)2016Stephen Belber (Director); Jessica Collins, Justin Long, Pablo SchreiberLOBBY HERO by Kenneth LonerganOsan Air Base (Pyeongtaek, South Korea)2016Stephen Belber (Director); Adam Driver, Francois Battiste, Dominic Fumusa, Rachel BrosnahanContemporary American MonologuesUnited States Military Academy (West Point, NY)2016Lila Neugebauer (Director); Marylouise Burke, Anna Chlumsky, Chris Henry Coffey, Jackie Cruz, Saidah Ekulona, Bill Heck, William Jackson Harper, Shane McRae, Tony Patano, Reg RogersVeterans Day Celebration - TAPE by Stephen BelberStudio 54 (New York, NY)2016Stephen Belber (Director); Adam Driver, Keri Russell, Pablo SchreiberJESUS HOPPED THE A TRAIN by Stephen Adly GuirgisYokota Air Force Base (Japan)2017Leah Gardiner (Director); Christopher Abbott, Victor Almanzar, Anthony Ramos, Andre Royo, Samantha SouleContemporary American MonologuesU.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis, Maryland)2017Patricia McGregor (Director); Maechi Aharanwa, Frankie Alvarez, Kelly AuCoin, Marylouise Burke, Jack DiFalco, Brandon Dirden, Justin Long, Marisol Miranda, Tonya Pinkins, Peter Scolari, Kristen SiehJESUS HOPPED THE A TRAIN by Stephen Adly GuirgisIndustry City (Brooklyn, NY)2017Lucie Tiberghien (Director); Michael Chernus, Kathryn Erbe, Lawrence Gilliard, Bobby Moreno, Matt ServittoTAPE by Stephen BelberMCB Quantico (Virginia)2017Carolyn Cantor (Director); Kieran Culkin, Ryan Eggold, Mamie GummerLOBBY HERO by Kenneth LonerganFort Hamilton (Brooklyn, NY)2017Lila Neugebauer (Director); Gabriel Ebert, William Jackson Harper, Michael Stahl-David, Grace Van PattenLOBBY HERO by Kenneth LonerganKMC Onstage (Kaiserslautern, Germany)2017Moritz von Stuelpnagel (Director); Rachel Brosnahan, Gideon Glick, Darren Goldstein, Korey JacksonVeterans Day Celebration - JESUS HOPPED THE A TRAIN by Stephen Adly GuirgisAmerican Airlines Theatre (New York, NY)2017Daniel Sullivan (Director); Laurence Fishburne, Anthony Ramos, Mark Ruffalo, Joanne Tucker, David ZayasTRUE WEST by Sam ShepardBellows Air Force Station (Waimanalo, Hawaii)2018Stephen Belber (Director); Frances Conroy, Taye Diggs, David Harbour, Jimmi SimpsonTRUE WEST by Sam ShepardMarine Corps Base Hawaii (Kaneohe Bay, HI)2018Stephen Belber (Director); Frances Conroy, Taye Diggs, David Harbour, Jimmi SimpsonTRUE WEST by Sam ShepardSchofield Barracks (Honolulu, HI)2018Stephen Belber (Director); Frances Conroy, Taye Diggs, David Harbour, Jimmi SimpsonFilm Screening: LOGAN LUCKYNB Coronado (San Diego, CA)2018Adam DriverFENCES by August WilsonAir Force Academy (Colorado Springs, CO)2018Lileana Blain-Cruz (Director); Mamoudou Athie, Charlie Barnett, Leon Addison Brown, Tsebiyah Derry, Ray Anthony Thomas, Tracie Thoms, Mykelti WilliamsonTOPDOG/UNDERDOG by Susan-Lori ParksJoint Base Charleston (Charleston, SC)2018Kip Fagan (Director); Corey Hawkins, Korey JacksonFilm Screening: JAWSMetrograph (New York, NY)2018Adam Driver, Steven SoderberghTRUE WEST by Sam ShepardJoint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (New Jersey)2018Trip Cullman (Director); Annie Golden, Keegan-Michael Key, Christian Slater, Paul SparksContemporary American MonologuesRikers Island Veteran Housing Unit (Rikers Island, NY)2018Evan Cabnet (Director); Maechi Aharanwa, Trazana Beverly, Marylouise Burke, Michael Chernus, Gibson Frazier, Bobby Moreno, Peter Scolari, Roslyn Ruff, Joanne Tucker1st Annual Bridge Award Reading: WAR STORIES by Vinnie LymanThe Shiva at The Public Theater (New York, NY)2018Kip Fagan (Director); Steven Boyer, Alex Flores, Motell Foster, Jake Hart, Alex Hurt, Brian Quijada, Joe Tippett1st Annual Student Veteran Film Screening: The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)Crosby Street Hotel (New York, NY)2018Adam Driver, Ben StillerVeterans Day Celebration - TRUE WEST by Sam ShepardAmerican Airlines Theatre (New York, NY)2018Sam Gold (Director); Marylouise Burke, Adam Driver, Peter Friedman, Michael ShannonTRUE WEST by Sam ShepardUSS Carl Vinson (San Diego, CA)2018Kip Fagan (Director); Betsy Aidem, Scott Cohen, Patch Darragh, Dominic FumusaTRUE WEST by Sam ShepardFort Bliss (El Paso, TX)2019Amanda Charlton (Director); Patrick Fabian, Luke Kirby, Cameron Scoggins, Deborah RushFENCES by August WilsonUnited States Military Academy (West Point, NY)2019Patricia McGregor (Director); Jerome Preston Bates, Chris Chalk, Clark Johnson, Jasminn Johnson, Ezra Knight, Reynaldo Piniella, Sharon WashingtonContemporary American MonologuesUnited States Disciplinary Barracks and Joint Regional Correctional Facility (Fort Leavenworth, KS)2019Joanne Tucker (Director); Carlo Albán, Charlie Barnett, Edmund Donovan, Robby Sella, Constance Shulman, Tracie Thoms, Joanne TuckerTRUE WEST by Sam ShepardFort George G. Meade (Anne Arundel County, MD)2019Oliver Butler (Director); Noah Bean, Reed Birney, Jeremy Bobb, Annie GoldenTRUE WEST by Sam ShepardMarine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center (Bridgeport, CA)2019Kip Fagan (Director); Alex Breaux, Darren Pettie, Rob Riggle, Dale SoulesTRUE WEST by Sam ShepardSteven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Endeavors