ACT began in 1991 as a place where parents and other adults volunteered to help children create live theater. Through the years, ACT has evolved from doing one show a year to 5–6 shows a year, plus vacation camps, a fully-enrolled summer day program, and multiple workshops. ACT was a parent-driven volunteer organization from its inception until ACT hired former ACTor Colleen Rua as its first Artistic Director in 2006, followed by Matt Lundeen in 2012, Joseph C. Walsh in 2018, Anthony Bruno in 2020, and Christin Rills in 2024.

The organization has used a variety of spaces in Arlington over the years—the First Baptist Church, the Regent Theater, the Masonic Temple, Town Hall, the Church of Our Savior, and Rocky DiRicco’s Karate Studio—finally settling into a home-base in 2008 at Arlington Center for the Arts. In 2016, ACT moved to Trinity Baptist Church, while continuing to use performing spaces at Minuteman High School and Lexington Christian Academy, and most recently calls Highrock Church home.