Rialto Youth Summer Program

Rialto Youth Summer Program gives participants a hands-on, immersive learning experience in the behind-the-scenes jobs that make live events successful. Each week-long session includes daily load-in and stage building for a mock show, with the mock show taking place on Thursday and “load-out” on Friday. The program includes instruction in the basic principles of sound design, lighting design, and other various tasks and roles in a live, working theatre, with a focus on jobs in the music industry and what goes into a live show.

• Ages: 12–17 years old
• Schedule: Week-long sessions; current 2025 Youth Summer Camp sessions run from July 7–11 (ages 12–14) and July 14–18 (ages 15–17); drop off at 9:30am; pick-up at 2:30pm
• Price: General: $300 per week; Rialto Members: $250 per week

The mission of the program’s organizer, The Rialto Theatre Foundation, is to provide practical, hands-on skill-building and social connection for local youth through camps and community education partnerships. Rialto Stage Crafters is made possible in part by support from Southwestern Foundation for Education and Historic Preservation, The Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona, and community support from Arizona Arts Live!. The leadership team includes Executive Director Cathy Rivers, Chief Operating Officer Sandy Ford, Booking by Kris Kerry, Director of Operations Mark Martinez, Director of Development, Director of Ticketing Azsia Hearn, Financial Controller Tyler Disney, Director of Marketing Valerie Richarme, and Show Marketing by Echo Rigg.

Last updated December 26, 2025.