Village Theatre has announced that they will move KIDSTAGE, their youth education program, online for the summer session following a successful virtual spring quarter. Classes will take place on Zoom and begin on June 6.
As social distancing orders continue and planning for summer education and activities begins, organizations are looking at alternative ways to keep their programs running. Village Theatre is no exception. KIDSTAGE, the regional theatre’s youth education program, is one of the most extensive musical theatre programs in the country, reaching over 5,000 children and teens each year.
With such a developed and essential program, it’s no wonder Village Theatre is reluctant to cancel programming for the summer, when many kids need the interaction the most. “Connecting with peers and having a safe place for self-expression has really helped our students deal with the isolation of quarantine,” said Director of Youth Education Kati Nickerson of the successful spring quarter, which began holding virtual classes online after the stay-at-home order went into effect.
KIDSTAGE is open to children and teens entering Pre-K to age 20 and will run June 6 to July 24. With over 30 summer classes, KIDSTAGE will have themed courses for younger children, like Frozen, Star Wars and Harry Potter, while classes for teens include acting for the camera, songwriting and technical theatre. Village Theatre is planning to offer camps at both their Issaquah and Everett locations after July 27 if state orders allow.
KIDSTAGE courses are open for enrollment now through Village Theatre’s website.