By: Judy Klingner, ITA President

Across Illinois, there are students whose schools don’t fund theatre…whose administrators don’t see its value…whose opportunities are limited before they even step into a rehearsal room.

But thanks to the Illinois Theatre Association, those students are not being left behind.

This year, ITA invested $10,158.20 in grants and scholarships to ensure young artists could experience the transformative power of theatre at the 2026 Illinois High School Theatre Festival.

Because of YOU and your support:

• Eighty-five students from seven high schools - urban, rural, and everywhere in between - received help covering registration fees, meal cards, and hotel stays.
• Four remarkable students earned the Clif Aldridge Scholarship, allowing them to join the 2026 All-State production of Newsies at no cost.
• Students who might never have set foot on a stage now have a place to belong, to grow, and to be seen.

For some of these teens, theatre isn’t just an extracurricular - it’s the safest place they know. It’s where confidence is born, friendships are built, and futures begin to take shape.

And when their schools can’t - or won’t - support theatre, ITA steps in. That is the heart of our mission: to inspire, empower, and make theatre accessible to every student in every community in Illinois.

Your membership, your advocacy, and your belief in the power of storytelling are what keep doors open for students who desperately need them. Together, we’re not just supporting theatre. We’re shaping lives. We’re shaping theatre in Illinois.