January 15, 2022

Hi TADA! Friends and Family,

I hope you each had a wonderful holiday season. 

The last couple of years have been challenging for all of us in many different ways. I do want to acknowledge and thank those of you who were able to support TADA! with a year-end contribution. TADA! counts on these gifts. 

2022. Omicron. 

We delayed the beginning of Wide-Awake Jake rehearsals so that we can see how this variant progresses and affects our kids who are back in school with both vaccinated and unvaccinated people. We know most of our families want their kids to be at TADA! in person. We know most of our RYET members do not want to do our programming remotely unless we are in a total lock-down again (and I don’t believe that is going to happen).  But people are wary of catching Omicron. Not necessarily at TADA! – people are confident in our safety measures and procedures – but are not so confident in traveling to and from TADA!. 

We also know that the pandemic is affecting the mental and emotional health of young people (well, most people young and old). The American Academy of Pediatrics declared a national state of emergency in children’s mental health. Roughly 1 in every 500 children have lost at least one parent to the coronavirus. Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for youth ages 10-24. This is very upsetting news. 

We know that uncertainty and change are going to be a part of this year. It’s so important that we all have the social and emotional skills necessary to survive and flourish in life. Being a part of TADA!’s programming provides youth with: Cultivating empathy for others’ experiences, perspectives and backgrounds, developing relationships, setting goals, working with others to meet the goals. These are the social emotional skills that allow us to learn, to grow, to be successful and to live. 

So, what’s next? No one has really ever had the answer to this question but we were taught to plan and felt more in control then we do now. We create a budget based on knowledge from the past and we make educated guesses (some would say assumptions, but when you assume – well, you know the saying). Unfortunately, our educated guesses aren’t always right.

For example: TADA!’s winter appeal did not meet our goal by more than 50%. We brought in less than last year from both our major donors as well as our smaller donors. So, our anonymous donor has extended the match to today, January 15th in the hopes that we can bring in more support. If you are able, please give now. Think of it as an early birthday present for me. 

DONATE TODAY!

In the past, I’ve spoken about how COVID affected TADA!’s earned revenue in a negative way (it still is with limits to class sizes, box office, fewer theater rentals) but it had not had a huge effect on individual contributed income until now. I’m sure you’re sick of being asked and I can tell you I hate asking but TADA! needs you! I promise not to ask again until summer.

Best,

Janine Nina Trevens
Executive & Producing Artistic Director