Restore theater program

In a Spokesman-Review article, WSU President Elson S. Floyd wrote, “… higher education institutions should base programs, services, and academic priorities on verifiable community needs.” The state of Washington has made it clear that the theater arts are a significant “need” for the community. Seattle is third in the nation with the number of professional theaters it sustains, trailing New York and Chicago. Spokane supports one of the oldest and most successful community theaters in the country, Spokane Civic Theatre.

Currently, the national tour of “The Lion King” is playing in Spokane. When it played here a few years ago, it had the highest ticket sales of any city on the tour, and it gave a large boost to the local economy.

In this state, theater is a cultural and economic “need,” but WSU is phasing out its theater program. Budget restraints are hitting every education institution across the country, but eliminating an important program instead of trimming the budget across the campus is a mistake. Washington State University must rethink the elimination of its theater program if it truly wants to meet the needs of the state it is supposed to be serving.

Thomas J. Armitage

Spokane