I would like to take an opportunity to thank the Mercer Island community for its tremendous support of Youth Theatre Northwest this past summer. We’ve had a great start to our 26th season and, on a personal level, I celebrated my 10th year working for the theater. I have treasured every moment at YTN, and I am honored to have been entrusted with helping kids grow into creative thinkers.

The community’s faith and love for this organization have been humbling and given me courage during tough times. I am excited to say that we have an incredible season lineup and our fall auditions are just around the corner. We will also have a variety of new classes and events that we hope will further strengthen our relationships with families on the Island.

I step into my second decade at YTN with renewed excitement and, with my colleagues, hope to continue providing outstanding arts education.

Mimi Katano

YTN artistic director