Tituss Burgess, Caitlin Kinnunen, and More Will Teach Online Courses For Kids and Teens

Next week, Tituss Burgess, Caitlin Kinnunen, Stephanie Hsu and Josh Lamon will lead a team of Broadway performers to host virtual courses for kids and teens in everything from reading books and leading sing alongs, to learning Broadway choreography and taking part in Q&As. All courses are donation based and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the PAAL COVID Emergency Relief Fund.

Broadway Babysitters, which was founded by Broadway performers Vasthy Mompoint and Jennifer Malenke in 2016, is partnering with PAAL (The Parent Artist Advocacy League) to lend a hand during this Global COVID-19 Crisis. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the PAAL COVID Emergency Relief Fund to provide financial support for artists with families who need help with childcare, elder care, or general financial support for their family's needs due to unemployment, loss of income, or increased care responsibilities during the the COVID-19 crisis. The fundraising began this past week, when Broadway Babysitters Playhouse was joined by performers Vasthy Mompoint, Abby Smith, Richard Yoder, and Fernell Hogan. For more information to register for upcoming virtual courses, parents can visit www.broadwaybabysitters.com/playhouse.

"Artists are so important in times like these. We love that the artists are paid and in return kids from all over get to experience their creativity. Watching kids from all over the country(we hope soon the world) dance together might be the biggest dose of happiness one could imagine. It just feels good to help"

"While parents and caregivers have always faced socio-economic disadvantage, especially in the arts, we are now seeing unprecedented unemployment and financial hardship hit our theatre and close our productions. The COVID crisis exponentially impacts parents and caregivers who are also homeschooling their children, working from home, or at a loss of work while full-time caring for their families. Caring for caregivers is a priority for our field, our opportunities to be generous, and our ethical commitment to gather as a community if we want to see our artists and institutions survive and thrive in this time. We are proud to partner with Broadway Babysitters and their commitment to stellar care for our parents to create a fund that will provide support for parents and caregivers negatively impacted by this global crisis." (Rachel Spencer-Hewitt, PAAL Founder)