Classes

SPRING SESSION

Class registration is now open for our Spring session. Join us on Tuesday in Aptos or on Thursday in Scotts Valley for a variety of classes that serve students from age 4 to 18. We are offering classes on Shakespeare, costuming, Fosse, song writing and so much more! Spring session begins with classes starting February 28th and March 2nd. Showcase will be on May 2nd. 

Every session we produce a Broadway Style show and we will be producing The Lightning Thief directed by alumnus Monika Hash. Visit our show page for details about auditions and rehearsals. 

Current Classes:

Class: Age: Chapter: Location: Day: Time: Start: End:
Advanced Acting: Brush up your Shakespeare 13-18 Santa Cruz
(Spring 2023)		 Community Covenant Church Thu 4:30pm - 6:30pm Mar 02 May 02
Creating Costumes 8-12 Santa Cruz
(Spring 2023)		 Community Covenant Church Thu 4:30pm - 6:30pm Mar 02 May 02
Fosse, Robbins, and More: Advance Theater Dance 13-18 Santa Cruz
(Spring 2023)		 Community Covenant Church Thu 4:30pm - 6:30pm Mar 02 May 02
Heart and Music Make a Song: Musical Storytelling 13-18 Santa Cruz
(Spring 2023)		 New Hope Community Church Tue 4:30pm - 6:30pm Feb 28 May 02
Mission Improvable! 8-12 Santa Cruz
(Spring 2023)		 New Hope Community Church Tue 4:30pm - 6:30pm Feb 28 May 02
Musical Mashup Crash Course: Matilda meets Annie 8-12 Santa Cruz
(Spring 2023)		 Community Covenant Church Thu 4:30pm - 6:30pm Mar 02 May 02
Our Gang: Hercules (Aptos) 4-7 Santa Cruz
(Spring 2023)		 New Hope Community Church Tue 4:30pm - 6:30pm Feb 28 May 02
Our Gang: Hercules (Scotts Valley) 4-7 Santa Cruz
(Spring 2023)		 Community Covenant Church Thu 4:30pm - 6:30pm Mar 02 May 02
Teen Improv 12-18 Santa Cruz
(Spring 2023)		 Community Covenant Church Thu 6:30pm - 8:30pm Mar 02 May 02
Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the most frequent questions about our classes

First Class?

First Class?

These steps will help with the Registration Process!

Learn More
Teaching Artists

Teaching Artists

What does it take to be a CYT Teaching Artist?

Learn More

CYT COVID 19 Update

Welcome back to CYT Santa Cruz, we look forward to sharing our 2022-23 Season with each one of you. We will continue to protect the health and safety of every participant as we operate under the current Day Camps guidance. Because we are an after-school enrichment program and not an accredited school nor a licensed child-care facility there is no specific guidance that fits our program precisely. Therefore, we have been advised to follow the Day Camps Guidance.  

We have designed our Winter session to have large classrooms, outdoor areas, and/or larger spaces to allow more room for physical distancing, we continue using enhanced cleaning and sanitation measures, among other modifications designed with your safety in mind. We will respond to any changes in the guidelines as it becomes necessary. Current guidance for Covid illness is found here.

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

Showcase

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

How to Register

Set up a Family Account before you register for classes:
  1. Click on the "person" icon at top right corner of our website (to right of "DONATE" on any page).
  2. Click on "NEW ACCOUNT" in the pop up window.
  3. Fill out the information required, with the parent's info first.
  4. To add a child to the account, click on the +Family Member button.
If you are already have a Family Account, then (while logged in) follow these steps:
  1. Go to the "Classes" page
  2. First select your "Student's Age"
  3. Click on the Class Name of your choice
  4. Click on the "Register Now" button
  5. Select the family member that will be in the class
  6. You will now have an option to sign up for audition times. Auditions are not required.
  7. If you don't sign up now, you will have that option later in your family account

Current Teachers:

Brooke Cohen

Brooke Cohen is happy to be a part of the CYT team! She has grown up in Scotts Valley and got her start in theater as a freshman at Scotts Valley High where she acted, choreographed, stage managed, and student directed. She went on to study early childhood education and has a passion for connecting with children and helping them grow. This lead to her teaching preschool for several years. Her love of theater reignited when she enrolled her daughter in our program and found joy in connecting with the CYT community. She jumped at the chance to bring her love of educating children and musical theater together and can’t wait for a great session!

Brooke Novak

Brooke Novak has been an actor, coach, teacher and director in the Bay Area, San Diego, Los Angeles, and New York. She has performed under Tony award winning directors on some of the most acclaimed regional theatres in the country. She has received nine nominations for her directing work and multiple awards (including “teacher of the year”) while at Valley Christian High School. Brooke’s passion is bringing what she has learned to young people, helping them combine excellent training with their faith! Brooke is a graduate of Occidental College (BA), the USD Old Globe/Professional Actor Training Program (MFA), and a proud member of Actor’s Equity.

Cheryl Hash

Alumni parent, Costume Designer and Manager who loves CYT Santa Cruz!

Cindy Gorski

Vocal Teacher, Singer, Actress Taught for 40 years Acting, Musical Theatre and voice Worked as a professional Actress and Singer in both Los Angeles and New York

Isabella Steigman

Hello! My name is Isabella Steigman and I am a local CYT alum! I have studied music and theatre for almost a decade. Throughout my vocal career so far I have studied under Dr. David Dehner, Emily Sinclair, Susanne Mentzer and many more. My base training is in classical music but I will always be a musical theatre kid at heart. I regularly sing for local churches and events around the Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties. I am so excited to return to CYT as a teacher for fall session!

John Viggiano

John is a professional actor currently based in New York City. He has been involved with CYT Santa Cruz since vocal directing the Summer Camp Sessions of 2021. In 2022, he graduated from Rider University with a BFA in Musical Theater and has since worked around the country for theaters such as Signature Theatre and Music Theatre Wichita. In addition to performing, John has also directed, written, designed, music directed, and choreographed over 20 productions, including a few CYT Santa Cruz productions.

Kelly Spindler

Kelly studied classical ballet for 12 years, danced roles such as Stepsister in Cinderella, Alice in Alice in Wonderland, and Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker. She currently teaches ballet at Agape Dance Academy in Scotts Valley, where she directed A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Swan Lake. She has also choreographed for high school, jr high, and elementary musical theater.

Lesly Gabriela Ramirez

Lesly is a professional Bay Area actress and is currently based in Santa Cruz while she works on her BA in Theatre Arts at UCSC. She had the wonderful opportunity to be in the world premieres of She Persisted: The Musical as Sonia Sotomayor and El Gato Ensombrerado with Bay Area Children’s Theatre as Thing 2. She grew up in LA, moved to the Bay Area and after 10 great years there, made the crazy and adventurous decision to move her entire life after her acceptance to UCSC. She has 3 AA’s (Theatre, Musical Theatre, Technical Theatre) and has worked with a few Children Theatre companies and grew to love working with kids in the theatre arts field, she hopes to one day continue to teach kids their love for the arts. Is. 41:10

Mikey Bruce

Mikey Bruce was raised in Quincy, California, but also frequently visited the Santa Cruz area growing up and eventually moved to Scotts Valley in 2016. During his senior year of high school, he spontaneously auditioned for the Spring production of "Guys and Dolls" scoring the main role of Nathan Detroit. During that production, members of CYT encouraged him to audition for their shows. Starting that summer, Mikey performed "Hunchback of Notre Dame", "Seussical". and "Cinderella". After his last show, Mikey stayed involved in acting though improv at Cabrillo college and teaching the Our Gang class for Tuck Everlasting. With the theatre world starting up again, he is stoked to share his excitement and passion about musical theatre!

Patrick Pulpan

Hey dancers, my name is Patrick! I'm a bay area native who started dancing at the age of 10 at Elaine's Dance Studio on Soquel. My stage career began in Cabrillo Stage's "CHICAGO" and "Beauty & the Beast" staring as the iconic dancing salt shaker. After highschool, I moved to Los Angeles to attend the American Music and Dramatics Academy, studying music theater. I recently moved back to SC after being in New York City the past four years doing stand up comedy and continued my training. I'm overjoyed to be teaching dance classes this Fall!