How one couple turned their love for Theatre Sheridan into a lasting legacy

Norman Young loved musical theatre.

The evidence of that love can be found in the pages of his high school yearbooks from Ingersoll District Collegiate Institute in the 1950s, which detail his involvement in the school’s productions.

It can also be traced throughout Young’s career as a high school teacher, where he helped out with whatever shows were going on at the schools where he was working at the time in Oakville, Waterdown and Ancaster.

Young found another love at his hometown high school: his wife, Marilyn. The pair were married in 1965 and eventually settled in the Oakville area, where they raised a son, enjoyed the outdoor beauty of the nearby Bruce Trail, and fell in love (together) with Sheridan’s Musical Theatre program.

Norman and Marilyn were devoted patrons of Theatre Sheridan and made regular donations to the program dating back to 2008.

When Marilyn, who was a piano teacher, passed away in 2021, Norman made sure their son, Tobin, was aware of the couple’s plans to make an estate gift to Sheridan College to support theatre programming that brought them so much joy.

Upon Norman’s passing last August, a series of endowed gifts were created totalling $178,000. One will be known as The Marilyn and Norman Young Performing Arts Bursary, while another will be called The Catalyst Fund for Performing Arts. The gifts will support students in the creative and performing arts programs, with financial aid or to cover equipment costs.

“Theatre Sheridan is profoundly grateful for the incredible generosity of Norman and Marilyn Young,” says Tania Senewiratne, Associate Dean, Visual and Performing Arts, Faculty of Animation, Arts & Design. “As longtime supporters of our program and students, their gift will leave a lasting impact, enriching our community for years to come. Their legacy of support continues through their son and daughter-in-law, Tobin and Pamela, ensuring that the arts and young artists flourish. We are truly fortunate to have such dedicated champions of the creative arts.”

“These organizations were so important and shaped my parents' lives so much, and, in the case of Sheridan and the Bruce Trail, brought them so much joy.”

– Tobin Young

“These organizations were so important and shaped my parents' lives so much,” says Tobin of the four groups that were bequeathed money, “and, in the case of Sheridan and the Bruce Trail, brought them so much joy.”

Tobin says it’s likely his father first became familiar with Theatre Sheridan when he took a continuing education class in environmental gardening in the mid-’90s at Trafalgar Campus, which was not far from the family home.

The proximity, the fact both his parents were educators, and that it was “in the community” is what made Theatre Sheridan a perfect fit for his parents, Tobin says.

“All the parts fell together.”

And while Tobin struggled to name a favourite musical of his parents (“We seemed to go to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat a lot!”), he says they took joy in the success of both the students and of Theatre Sheridan productions.

"They were definitely followers of Come from Away, from when it was being workshopped in the studio theatre at Sheridan, all the way through the Sheridan production, all the way through to Mirvish."

In honour of his late parents’ gift, Tobin and his wife, Pamela, recently had the chance to visit Sheridan for a backstage tour where they got to see rehearsal areas, the props workshops and the costume department. The visit only helped confirm for him the value of the gift his parents were making to Theatre Sheridan.

“It was easy to spend longer than the team had slotted into the schedule,” he says, with a laugh. “It brings us joy to do this for them.”

Find out how you can have an impact on students for years to come with a planned gift to Sheridan College.