06/06/2025
To the company; to my kids:
While I had been an actor and a director long before you were even born, you guys will forever be the ones who helped me fulfill the dream of becoming a Theatre teacher. We built something incredible from the ground up, had so many firsts together, and we all grew--closer, more confident, and as artists. Thank you for being open to new ideas, for the many questions, for trusting my vision, for offering your own ideas, for overcoming so many obstacles, for working so incredibly hard. Thank you all for being unapologetically and uniquely yourselves. You are proof positive that Theatre celebrates and takes our differences and combines them to create something beautiful: the athletes, beauty queens, nerds, drama queens, cool kids, shy kids, artsy kids, techies, and even those who defy all labels.
So much love to you all, to your parents, and to the community who supported you along the way. Keep making art; keep growing and becoming the incredible people you're meant to be--we need more folks in the world just like you.
Until next time,
Mrs. Tara Shimek
Aka Shimmy, Shimmy-shimmy-koko-bop, ShimJim, etc.
