Classes

About Classes

CYT offers classes for students ages 8-18 throughout the school year. Classes include drama, voice, dance, and behind-the-scenes training in makeup, costumes, tech, and more. Classes are held for two hours, once a week, and run for nine consecutive weeks in Fall, Winter, and Spring sessions. At the end of a CYT session, your student will come away with a new or improved skill in the area of emphasis. Each session culminates in a high-energy showcase to demonstrate to family, friends, and fellow students the skills acquired.

Fall Class Registration is Open!

As a theater arts training program, our new students are required to take a beginning CYT vocal, dance, and theater classes before taking intermediate or advanced classes.  When signing up for classes remember you must crawl before you walk. Technique is the foundation of every aspect of theater. You must learn and understand the basics before you learn the harder elements. This is for safety and to help you grow into well rounded singers, dancers, and actors. 

Scroll to the bottom of this page to register for classes!

PLEASE NOTE: During the Fall 2019 Session there will be NO class held on Monday, September 2, or Thursday, October 31.

Audition for a Show

Auditions for our Fall 2019 show, Willy Wonka, will be held on August 29, from 6:00pm-8:30pm, at Bethany United Methodist Church. Prior to auditioning, please print the audition packet, and upload your 1 minute music clip. 

Students ages 8-18 who are enrolled in CYT classes are invited to audition for our mainstage production. Auditions consist of a one-minute song performed for the Artistic Team, followed by learning and performing a short dance routine in a small group. Some students may also have a “callback” on Saturday August 31 at 9:00am, during which the student would be asked to read for a speaking role.
 
Interested in being involved in the show, but not onstage? Students ages 12+ may apply to be a member of our Backstage Crew!
Willy Wonka Audition Packet

Current Classes:

Class: Age: Chapter: Location: Day: Time: Start: End:
Acing The Vocal Audition! 10-18 Austin
(Fall 2019)		 Bethany United Methodist Church Thu 5:00pm - 7:00pm Sep 05 Nov 07
Acing The Vocal Audition! 10-18 Austin
(Fall 2019)		 Austin Baptist Church Mon 5:00pm - 7:00pm Sep 09 Nov 04
Acting 101 for Kids 8-13 Austin
(Fall 2019)		 Bethany United Methodist Church Thu 5:00pm - 7:00pm Sep 05 Nov 07
Acting Intensive! 10-18 Austin
(Fall 2019)		 Austin Baptist Church Mon 5:00pm - 7:00pm Sep 09 Nov 04
Acting Out 101 For Teens! 12-18 Austin
(Fall 2019)		 Austin Ridge Bible Church Mon 5:00pm - 7:00pm Sep 09 Nov 04
Ballet and Lyrical Dance for Musical Theater 10-14 Austin
(Fall 2019)		 Bethany United Methodist Church Thu 5:00pm - 7:00pm Sep 05 Nov 07
Broadway Jr. - Intro to Musical Theater 8-10 Austin
(Fall 2019)		 Bethany United Methodist Church Thu 5:00pm - 7:00pm Sep 05 Nov 07
Chekov Acting 13-18 Austin
(Fall 2019)		 Bethany United Methodist Church Thu 5:00pm - 7:00pm Sep 05 Nov 07
Improv I 12-18 Austin
(Fall 2019)		 Bethany United Methodist Church Thu 5:00pm - 7:00pm Sep 05 Nov 07
Musical Theater 101 8-12 Austin
(Fall 2019)		 Austin Ridge Bible Church Mon 5:00pm - 7:00pm Sep 09 Nov 04

Teachers

A CYT Teacher’s mission is to train and instruct students in such a way as to promote the development of character, self-esteem, and confidence. CYT teachers are qualified and experienced in the area in which they teach. They have been trained in the CYT methods of instruction and agree with the CYT values and outcome goals. All CYT teachers have been background checked and adhere to our CYT Mission and Values. Our teachers truly care about their students and provide a constructive and fun environment for them to learn.

Current Teachers:

Alicia Barron

Hi Everyone! My name is Alicia Barron and this is my third session teaching at CYT. I am originally from Little Rock, Arkansas where I spent my childhood performing, choreographing, and singing in amazing places such as Carnegie Hall and The White House. I am a graduate of St. Edward's University's Theater Department where I currently serve as a Board Member for the Alumni Association. Post graduation, I lived in both Los Angeles and New York City and gained experience as a performer and choreographer. I have had the pleasure of spending the past five years choreographing musicals at St. Stephen's Episcopal High School for productions such as "Cabaret," "The Addams Family" and "Pippin", "Chicago" nominated for 6 Greater Austin High School Musical Theater Awards including Best Production! I am looking forward to choreographing their next production starting in December of this year. I am also guest teaching in one of their theater focus Musical Theater classes for Aug 2018-May 2019. I had a blast co-choreographing "Mary Poppins" for CYT this past spring and look forward to working on productions in the Fall and Spring. I am excited about this opportunity and I fully believe in the CYT mission and values!

Dawson MacLeod

Dawson is so excited to begin working with CYT Austin in their mission to bring inspiring, Christ-centered theatre to the young people in the Austin area. He credits Julie Novak for initially showing him the power of theatre and the arts, and ever since then he has committed himself to learn more about the form. Despite initially falling in love with musicals under the direction of Mrs. Novak, Dawson has since found a new love for the classic works, such as Greek theatre, Shakespeare, and Chekhov. When Dawson isn't involved in theatre, he spends his time combing the shelves at Half-Price Books, training to become a certified personal & business coach, and making digital art (including music) with his friends. - Graduate of Oklahoma City University. Recipient of a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degree in Acting (Magna Cum Laude) while also minoring in Directing, Sound Design & Engineering, and Interfaith Studies. - National Michael Chekhov Association (NMCA) Teacher Certification candidate. - Certified Basic Actor Combatant (Single sword, Quarterstaff, and Unarmed) through Fight Directors of Canada.

Kathryn Sterling

Kathryn Sterling is an Actor, Teaching Artist, Writer and Director from Hutto, TX. To her students she is known simply as Mrs. Kat. She teaches theatre all over central Texas, including Zach Theatre, The Georgetown Palace Theatre and Hutto Community Education. Having Trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, NY, and as a former AADA Company Member, Kat spent years studying the Meisner Technique, and now uses Meisner, coupled with her own personal elements, to teach actors of all ages through emphasis on strengthening empathy and focusing on truth. Most recently she has portrayed Rona Lisa Perretti in Hutto Arts Today's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Agatha in Tristan Mercado's Trolls and was a special guest professional actor as Eleonor Dunbar in Georgetown Palace's Education PPC production of Footloose. She has directed numerous productions, including Spelling Bee, Amadeus, The Foreigner, and most recently, Aladdin, Jr., Goal!, and Rock of Ages: The Middle School Edition, all for The Georgetown Palace. "Those that bring light into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves."

Kelsey Kimble

Kelsey Kimble uses her vast experience in performing a variety of different genres to entertain and educate others. As a performer, Kelsey enjoys singing jazz music with her husband, Austin Kimble. She also writes and performs original music with their band, The Kimbles. Trained in classical voice technique from The University of Texas at Austin under the direction of Rose Taylor, Kelsey also enjoys acting in local theater productions. Recent roles include: "Louise/Eve" in Ruthless (City Theater, Austin), as well as "Regina" in Rock of Ages, "Calliope" in Xanadu, and several Theatre for Young Audiences Productions at the Georgetown Palace Theater. Aside from performing, Kelsey has a passion for educating voice students of all ages and experience levels. She offers private lessons and group classes at several locations in the Austin area. Kelsey also music directed Mary Poppins at the Georgetown Palace Theater in summer 2018, which recently earned a nomination for Best Music Direction in the 2018 Broadway World Awards.

Kimberly Hauser

Kim's love for the stage was sparked in high school where she took her first theater class. Her love for theater since then has only grown! She graduated from Abilene Christian Univeristy with a degree in Communications and had the amazing opportunity to study abroad- twice! Through learning more about the world, people and different cultures, her passion for theater and storytelling was only heightened. Immediately after graduation, she was a part of an education internship at ZACH in Austin. This internship taught her more about teaching others about the art of storytelling on stage and creating a conducive environment to explore, take chances and learn! She's involved with numerous community theater productions, film projects in Austin, and has been a teacher and child-superviser for productions and classes at ZACH. Over the past couple years, she has loved being a part of the CYT community through backstage managing for productions, being a camp counselor during the summers, and being the HYPE adviser for this season. She's looking forward to adding teaching to the list as well! She is passionate about the bravery and overall good that art cultivates in people's lives and loves to be a part of it whenever she can. Creativity is IN everyone and FOR everyone and she loves to help others grow in their creativity! She is excited to grow with the students in discovering and nurturing their creative instincts! Building the foundational skills needed to help bring stories to life is such an amazing gift! She can't wait to grow it with all of you!

Lauris Blackwell

Lauris Blackwell grew up singing and dancing! After high school she attended Austin College, and then went on to New York, where she was a scholarship winner to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. She stayed in NYC for eleven years performing professionally on and off Broadway and on many National and European tours. Some of her favorite roles are the Narrator in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”, Rose, in “Bye, Bye Birdie”, Amnesia, in “Nunsense”, Lily, in “Annie”, and Rhetta, in “Pump Boys and Dinettes”. She has performed at the White House and the Kennedy Center for both the Bush and Clinton Administration in conjunction with the Children’s Literacy Program. She performed in the Natchez Opera for ten years and was fortunate enough to be the soloist for then Governor George Bush’s Inauguration. Since moving home to Texas, she has performed and Choreographed with Waco Children’s Theater, Temple Civic Theatre, the Public Domain, and River City Pops and many others. She has choreographed for Buzz Productions, Akins High School, River City Pops, Austin Summer Musicals For Children, as well as served on the RCP and ASMC Boards. She teaches tap, ballet, jazz, and musical theatre to all ages. She is the dance instructor and Choreographer for Christian Youth Theatre. When not dancing about, she spends time with her husband, James, and their wonderful son Dustin. She is so grateful and blessed to be a part of all of her work “families”

Lexi Beriswill

Lexi grew up in Cedar Park, Texas where she was trained in various styles of dance. She was First Lieutenant for the Cedar Park High School “Celebrities,” and was a member of the Elite Company at the Dance Center. She received a scholarship to dance and compete as a member of the National Dance Alliance champions, the Blinn College Treasures. Lexi was accepted into the Department of Dance at Sam Houston State University where she completed her BFA. While attending SHSU she performed under the direction of award winning choreographers Andy Noble and Dionne Noble of NobleMotion Dance, Dana Nicolay of Nicolay Dance Works, and Johnathan Charles. She was honored with the SHSU Choreography Award in 2014, and one of her pieces was nominated to compete in the American College Dance Festival. While Lexi was completing her BFA she also worked as a Chiropractic and Physical Therapy Tech. She quickly realized that she has a passion for assisting in the process of physical rehabilitation and injury prevention education. Upon graduation, Ms. Beriswill studied to become a certified Pilates Instructor and taught Pilates to patients who suffer from various back injuries. Because of her background in the medical field, Lexi values the importance of nutrition and injury prevention, and she stresses their significance to each of her students.

Mike Topel

Member of ComedySportz, improv teaching assistant at ColdTowne Theater, Fallout Theater, ComedySportz, and a dance instructor for 25 years.

Phillip Rogers

Phillip has been an professional actor since the age of 12. His career in theatre, film and television has landed him on ABC’s “The District”. “Believe Me”, directed by Will Bakke, and dozens of regional and national commercials as well as over 30 roles on the stage from Los Angeles, to ATX. Phillip studied theatre and music at Graceland University where he was the three time nominee and one time winner of the Irene Ryan actors award. Phillip also attended at the American Conservatory in San Francisco and the British American Dramatic Academy In Oxford, UK. Phillip has coached and directed professional actors for over 10 years. His partnership with organizations such as Gateway Church and World Vision have used theatre, music and dance to make a difference in the lives of people less fortunate. His passion to help other artist find their voice is rooted in his own experiences pursuing his dreams. He can’t wait to help these kids reach their full potential.