Jonathan Chapman, Executive Director of TYA/USA, has written an editorial for TYA Today, the magazine published by Theatre for Young Audiences/USA. He addresses the recent acts of senseless hatred fuelled by political rage, racism, and antisemitism in his country, and sees TYA as a powerful antidote:
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Theatre for Young Audiences is an engine for the creation of empathy. It is one of the most powerful tools we have as a society to ensure that young people build a world rooted in understanding, unity, compassion, communication, and love. And we are the ones with the keys to that engine. We need to use that power to intentionally curate, produce, lesson plan, and teach to directly combat hate.
I am inspired by the work of so many of our theatres across the country to utilize TYA as an antidote to division and rising hatred.
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