Classes

About

CYT Houston offers classes for students ages 5-18 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. Class sizes are small and offer supervision both inside and outside the classroom. Each session culminates in a high-energy showcase to demonstrate to family, friends, and fellow students the skills acquired. 
 
Parents enroll their children in CYT Houston classes so that they have the opportunity to learn, and that’s exactly what they do! By the end of the session, students will have gained new or improved theater arts skills in the area of emphasis. During the last class session, students will showcase their skills, and it is always exciting to see what they’ve learned! 

Tuition for most classes is $225.

Project Play classes are $295 which includes extra weeks of rehearsal, production elements and 2 tickets to the Play Festival performance of all Project Play classes.  Project Play classes are not offered in every session.

Refund policy - No refunds will be given after classes are purchased, or if in-person classes move to an online format due to government regulations or safety protocols. Our refund policy is applicable regarding any policy changes due to Covid-19.

NOTE: Students must be enrolled in a CYT Houston class and be between the ages of 8- 18 yrs old in order to be eligible to audition for a show. If a student auditions and is not cast in the show they try out for,  the student may audition for another show in one of our other areas. It is permissible to enroll in classes in one area and audition for a show in another area. However, if you choose this option, please be aware that there may be some overlapping dates with classes or showcases. A class showcase in one location could be scheduled during the same week as a Tech Rehearsal in another location; therefore, Showcase participation would not be possible. Please be sure to check the online calendar for any conflicts before registering. Unfortunately, there is no way to always avoid these schedule conflicts with multiple areas as we must structure our schedules around open venue dates.

Attendance Policy: It is especially important that your student attend classes regularly and that they do not miss the Showcase performance. Many showcase performances rely on every student being present, and other students are affected if one person is missing. CYT Houston is an Educational 501c3 organization, and the classes, and attendance in those classes, allow CYT to maintain our tax-exempt status. All communication regarding absences must be done by contacting the Class Coordinator. Quality performing arts education and character development are primary goals of CYT. Therefore, students should not plan to miss more than two classes. Special consideration may be granted regarding absences due to illness or family emergency. In these instances, please make requests to the Class Coordinator in advance and as promptly as possible for consideration. Should your child’s attendance in classes (or rehearsals) exceed the maximum allowed absences, he/she is subject to replacement in the production in which they are currently cast and they may be removed from the class Showcase. If your child has a conflict during Showcase, please notify the Class Coordinator and the Instructor as soon as possible. 
There will be no refunds for classes or production fees if a student is removed due to absences.

If you have additional questions about classes, please email your Class Coordinator.

East (Kingwood/Humble/Atascocita) area - Jen Shoemake at jen@cythouston.org

North (Spring/Klein/Woodlands) area - Dawn Leal at dawn@cythouston.org

Project Plays/Master Classes - Mary Ramsower at Mary@cythouston.org

CYT was one of the many things that has made me who I am today. Being a part of this organization brought me out of my shell and out into the musical world! Christian Youth Theater is a wonderful organization and one of the best decisions I've ever made!

Kayli Curda

Curriculum

CYT Houston offers a wide variety of classes that will enable students to gain valuable theater arts training, develop confidence, and make friends! CYT's goal is for our classes to be Vibrant, Imaginative, Inclusive, and Uplifting! 
 
There are currently over 50 different curriculum materials available in a variety of musical theater areas. Please note these classes vary per session. Check the Classes page to see what’s available now!

Showcase

Parents, friends, and relatives are invited to attend, free of charge, CYT Houston's Showcase performance on the last evening of classes. Showcase is the grand finale of each class session, during which every class makes a 5-10 minute presentation of something they have learned and rehearsed during the session. Don't miss the action!
 

Teaching Artists

At CYT Houston, a Teaching Artist's mission is to train and instruct students in such a way as to promote the development of character, self-esteem, and confidence. CYT Houston Teaching Artists 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 Houston Teaching Artists 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:

Beth Spear

I’m a mom of 6 kids and a grandma of 2! My youngest two kids enjoy participating in CYT classes and shows. I am certified to teach theatre for elementary through high school in Texas and have loved performing and directing in high school, college, and communities I have lived in. I love guiding CYT students in developing their talent and passion for theatre with Christian values at the forefront.

Brandon Christian

Howdy! I love all things music from performing to the production side. I've been in musical productions from elementary to Atascocita High School along with being in tech production since I was 12. I've also been on church worship staffs as a worship leader and production director and have been involved in large scale church productions. I love being a part of this amazing CYT family. There's no other theater company like it!

Dee Willis

I have been a part of CYT since 2010 when my daughter joined this wonderful organization. She is now all grown up with kids of her own and I'm so happy to still be with CYT! I have a Bachelor's Degree in Music in Therapy from Sam Houston State University and I LOVE to sing! During the past 10 years I have been honored to serve at CYT in the capacity of Costumer, Teacher, Director, Vocal Director, Tour Group Director, Show Coordinator, and CYT@school Coordinator. I'm so blessed that God has given me the opportunity to work with so many talented individuals and to share His love with others through CYT!

Emily Curda

Hi! I'm Emily, I'm 20 years old and I've been with CYT since I was 8 years old. I've been in over 37 shows and have been dancing for 6 years. I studied Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Hip-Hop at TADA; and have worked professionally downtown with 'artFACTORY Houston'. I'm so excited and thankful to be able to share the joy that CYT gifted me when I was younger! Treat People with Kindess!

Emily Bauserman

I love all things dance, but my favorite is tap and ballet. I trained with many dance studios in Louisiana while growing up, and was on pointe by the early age of 9. I was captain of my high school dance line and was on our college dance line at Northwestern State University. I have been a dance instructor for many years. One of the most rewarding parts of being a dance teacher is watching a student go through the process from frustration to delight in learning a new skill. I also hold a certificate in Rhythm Works Integrative Dance that allows me to teach dance skills to children and adults with developmental disabilities. I love to vacation in the mountains of Colorado, and spend time with family. A fun fact about me is that I carried the Olympic torch in 1984 on horseback.

Jordan Leal

Hey there, I am thrilled to be teaching with CYT this session! I have been a student at CYT for over 10 years and have performed in 20 CYT shows, as well as other productions. I feel extremely blessed to now have the opportunity to teach for such an incredible organization. I have had years of experience in dance, voice, characterization, and costuming. All of these things have helped me build a sturdy skill set in musical theatre.

Lisa Woods

Lisa’s love for singing and musical theater began at a very early age. She was born into a musical family and has never met a stage she didn’t like! Some of her favorite roles include Amaryllis (Music Man), Brigitta (Sound of Music), Sarah (Guys and Dolls), Mrs. Potts (Beauty & the Beast), and Dolly Levi (Hello, Dolly!). In college, Lisa became a member of the Alpha Psi Omega National Theater Honor Society and received the award for Outstanding Achievement in Musical Theater during her senior year. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and has been blessed with numerous opportunities throughout the years to combine her passions for music and teaching. Lisa has been both an assistant director, and a director for children’s, youth, and adult choirs, as well as for many children’s musicals. She was the Middle School Choir Director at The Woodlands Christian Academy and is currently the Elementary Music Teacher at Legacy Preparatory Christian Academy. Lisa and her family have lived in the United Kingdom, Angola (Africa), and the United Arab Emirates, and in each of those places she has had the opportunity to be the vocal director for high school productions such as Oliver! and Into the Woods, an assistant choir director (Elmbridge Community Choir), and an elementary music teacher. Last fall, Lisa taught a CYT class in ventriloquism and puppetry, and she’s thrilled to have another opportunity to work with some of her favorite people on the planet--CYT students!

Liz Curtin

Liz Curtin graduated from Sam Houston State University with a BFA in Theatre Arts and Secondary Education. Liz has performed in various roles in professional and community theatre in NYC, London and Houston, as well as work in commercials and voice overs. Ms Curtin began her teaching career at Jersey village high school, and has taught English and theatre at Cy Falls high school, Tomball High School, and St Anthony of Padua Catholic School. “My greatest joy is watching my students bloom into confident and passionate performers. In my experience, the kids who fear the spotlight the most are the ones who bask in the pure joy of the it once we work to conquer that fear!”

Stephen Driver

Stephen has a B.A. in Music from U.T. Austin with an emphasis on Vocal Performance. He has trained in acting and voice at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, TASIS - England, and the Austrian-American Mozart Academy near Salzburg, Austria. He has performed in operas, operettas, musicals, oratorios, and choirs in the U.S. and abroad. He has appeared in every CCT Houston with roles as Tevye in "Fiddler on the Roof,” Pulitzer in "Newsies,” Pharaoh in “Joseph ATATDC” and Cogsworth in "Beauty and the Beast." He has also appeared as Judas in The Player's "Godspell". Stephen serves on the Board of CYT and can usually be found running lights during CYT show weeks. Stephen was Cubmaster for Pack 1947, has trained civilians and law enforcement, and has regularly taught adult Sunday School classes. Stephen is proud husband to Ashlie, dad to Maddie, Travis, and Elise and is an Assistant District Attorney in Harris County.

Veronica Amandola

Veronica is a Choir Teacher in Klein ISD, Graduate of Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, originally from Long Island, New York and lover of musical theater! Veronica was recently the vocal director for CYT Houston's production of Les Miserables: School Edition and is looking forward to another great season teaching classes for CYT Houston.