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When I founded Enlightened Theatrics in February of 2013, one of my biggest dreams was to someday host an All-City Honor Musical. When I went to Crossler and Sprague, I participated in All-City and All-State Honor Choirs and loved not only the experience of getting to know other students from around the area but, being able to collaborate and create something together that was bigger than ourselves and our individual schools. Today, my dream has become a reality. Enlightened Theatrics’ production of Les Miseérables School Edition features Middle and High schoolers from all over the Salem-Keizer area as well as students and patients from the Boys & Girls Club and Liberty House. We have representation from McKay, North, South, West, Sprague, and McNary as well as Blanchet, Walker, Crosshill Christian, Judson, Santiam Christian, and EDGE. We also have students who make up our technical team. As much as the pandemic hit us hard, it created an opportunity that might not have been possible before.

This past year caused more than a headache for Enlightened Theatrics but with the intuition and gumption from our Board of Directors and Education Committee, we decided to persevere and focus our time and energy on the education component of our mission. We did this for a multitude of reasons but the reason I am most proud of is that we knew we needed to provide a space for students and families to escape the digital world they were forced into and actually be able to interact and share life experiences with their peers. The mental and emotional wellbeing of the youth in our community is our top priority at Enlightened Theatrics and we are honored that the parents and guardians of these students entrusted us with their health and safety.

I’d like to give a huge thank you to the teachers, schools, surrounding theatre companies, and our sponsors for believing in our education initiative and supporting us the whole way through.

I also want to personally thank each of you for continuing on our journey not just this last year, but for the past seven years. We are just getting started and to have all of you championing for us means the absolute world.

Thank you, thank you, and ever thank you!

Sincerely,

Vincenzo