Ziegfeld Arts Academy — Local services in Uintah

This place is magical! If you live in the Ogden area and have kiddos, you are incredibly lucky. I really doubt you’ll find a better youth theater program anywhere in the country—or at least not one that invites everyone to participate and makes everyone shine. There are lots of opportunities for young people to perform in this area, but the Ziegfeld Arts Academy stands out for these reasons:

1. The shows are so elaborate and so good! Whether it’s a two-week summer camp or a semester-long program culminating in 8-12 performances, the productions are always shockingly spectacular! The costumes are ornate, the sets/projections are gorgeous, the tech and stagecraft are innovative, and the kids are at their absolute best. It’s always surprising to me how much I enjoy the show itself…not just seeing my kid excel.

2. The teachers (aka production team) are next-level talented and passionate. They work so hard you worry about them. They are artists who also happen to be incredible mentors. They’re the kind of trusted, inspiring adults every child deserves in their corner.

3. The Ziegfeld Arts Academy welcomes everyone. Anyone can enroll. There are auditions, but the auditions determine who gets what part, not who gets in (with the exception of one or two shows a year for the oldest age group known as “Prep”). Even though the shows are incredibly sophisticated and high-quality, everybody gets to participate, and everyone gets a lot of stage time.

4. The community of kids, parents, and theater people is warm and wonderful and will enthusiastically embrace you. In a time when things are increasingly virtual, individual, and disconnected, theater is intensely in-person, communal, and connected. This particular theater community is especially robust, and if you’re a parent who wants to make friends and/or contribute your own artistic talents, you will have many opportunities.

As a parent who has been involved with the program for a few years, it’s incredibly satisfying to see new families, with kids who sometimes have no theater experience, fall in love with the Zig. It’s thrilling to see kids with all kinds of personalities, strengths, and interests light up on stage and cry on closing night because of how much they’re going to miss their new friends. But they don’t have to cry for long because the Ziegfeld Arts Academy puts on a TON of shows. This is something your child can be involved in year-round if they want to be. If they haven’t yet found their thing, this might be it! If they have ADHD and you need an activity to focus them, this might be it! If they have anxiety and you need a quirky, loving group of friends for them to warm up to, this might be it! Even if you have a kid who is athletic and seems to have no interest in the arts, you might be surprised—theater this good is for everyone. I could go on and on, and I have gone on and on, so I’ll stop now. Don’t miss out on the Ziegfeld! Give it a shot. You...

Don’t do their programs unless you loved junior high school drama. That’s the level of professionalism. They make facebook groups you have to be in yet only post updates of schedules (and there are many many changes) at midnight or the day of. Not every parent can just sit around all day to hop up and do what they want and need at a moments notice for one child. Our children get punished because we can’t always bend to their changes, and they can’t handle the schedule they dictated in the beginning. They also expect children 8-12 yrs old to be there for 7 hours after being at school all day. This is their life now apparently. Yuck. Update their communication is so lacking one asked to be informed of anything and the other took it upon herself to call and yell at my partner. Arguing that the child HAD to stay into the night. I had informed them twice of her availability this week. It’s what works for our family. How dare you. Kristin you are such a horrible sad woman. We are doing our best to keep to the schedule you made months ago. We’ve done extra days and Saturday’s- if you can’t get it together don’t punish the kids. We will be talking in person and we will never be going back for any...

We have been involved with Ziegfeld Arts Academy for years, and I can’t say enough great things about this program. The production team truly loves and cares for the kids—they take the time to highlight each child’s unique strengths and help them shine. I’ve watched my daughter grow more confident both on and off stage, and that kind of growth is priceless.

The shows themselves are incredible—beautifully produced and genuinely enjoyable to watch (which isn’t always the case with children’s theater!). Every performance feels professional while still keeping the focus on the kids.

If you’re looking for a youth theater program that not only develops talent but also builds confidence, friendships, and a love for the arts, I highly...