Shakespearean Youth Theatre

Four Summers of Shakespeare.  Four years of young artists sharing transformative stories with the Twin Cities. Let's set the stage for four more years!  

To celebrate our fourth annual Summer Shakespeare Festival, an anonymous alumni family has put forward a generous matching gift of $4,000 - and a challenge to the rest of the community to match that amount! When you give from now until the end of August, your donation will be DOUBLED. That means you support goes twice as far in setting the stage for these young artists! 

From the ensemble: 

"SYT really cares for and respects all of their students, both as people and as artists, and it makes for casts that are incredibly passionate about the stories they're telling and really give everything they have to these productions. This is what helps SYT make such stunning, moving art." - Ava O'Neal

Theater is a community event. 

YOU are an extraordinary community. Together, you have created 22 years of life changing experiences for young people in the Twin Cities! Thank you for investing in the young people who enliven our communities  and grow our future. 

Did you know? 

1. Ticket sales only cover about 10% of the cost of an SYT production! Your GIFTS pave the way for SYT to produce top-quality theatre! 
2. Over 1,500 audience members attend SYT productions each year!

Young Artists. Classic Plays. Extraordinary Storytelling. 

"SYT did a good job at training me in Shakespeare, and a better job at helping me believe in myself." - Current Student

An inclusive community of young artists. Shakespearean Youth Theatre (SYT) celebrates the artistic contributions of artists ages 13-19.  At SYT, we believe in the power of storytelling to change lives and transform relationships between young people and their communities. 

What does your gift do? With your help, SYT will....

1. Produce three extraordinary theatrical experiences for audiences of all ages: TWELFTH NIGHT (March 2026), HENRI IV PART 1, and AS YOU LIKE IT (Summer Rep, 2026) 

2. Share SYT productions with students ages 7 - 12 via our Shakespeareance series. Students spend the morning exploring a play with SYT Teaching Artists, and attend the production in the evening! 

3. Create opportunities backstage and behind the scenes for students and alumni to learn about set construction and costume, lighting, and sound design! 

" I have appreciated the confidence that being a part of SYT has built in me. I feel seen for what I bring to the shows... It’s nice to have our strengths acknowledged. " - Actor, Season 20

Audiences of all ages love SYT! 

Here's just a few of the things audiences have to say about SYT productions....

1. "If you think you don't like Shakespeare, this director and these actors might just change your mind." 
2. "WOW!" - Christopher (Age 6)
3. "This is the way Shakespeare is supposed to be done!"
4. "I've never seen Shakespeare like this before... with actors of any age."
5. “It’s some of the best theatre in the Twin Cities. I really mean that!”