“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” – Dr. Seuss
Earlier this week, the University of Utah announced that ALL summer courses will be canceled or shifting to an online format. After consulting with the Chair of the Department of Theatre and the Associate Dean of Continuing Education and Community Engagement, it has been recommended that any youth program scheduled to begin before July 1st should be canceled or shifted to an online format. Although a final determination about programs operating after July 1st has not been made, there is no official date as to when this decision might be reevaluated by the University.
The summer is the heart of our program and we are heartbroken about the impact this will have on theatre school, but the health and safety of our Youth Theatre community — our staff and teen aides, volunteers, guests, students, and our many friends and supporters — is our top priority.
With this in mind …
- Youth Theatre will be canceling in-person school and community programs until further notice.
- We will monitor developments closely and, in consultation with the University administration, will reassess as needed.
- For those who already have registered for summer courses, we will be refunding your tuition immediately as we have no firm answers about being allowed to run our summer sessions on campus.
- We are offering FREE online courses this month.
- We are brainstorming ways to bring our families new classes and content this summer.
- We are researching grant opportunities to help us bridge this unplanned financial gap.
The implications for YTU will be severe without the summer sessions. We need your support. If your family has been enriched by our programming in schools, after-school, in the summer, or on stage, we hope you will help us ensure they will be there for future student artists.
How you can help –
- If you are in a position that you can donate to our program, we would appreciate the support.
- If you are a part of a funding organization, please share your applications with us.
- Check back for updates and opportunities.