Youth theatre should be considered the training ground for budding performers to learn the craft of theatre and the skills needed to excel on stage. Just as your child may join t-ball, then baseball, then high school Varsity with aspirations of playing in the MLB, young performers need to start somewhere where they can safely practice and hone their raw talent. Many unsuspecting students and parents jump right into large community theatres and quickly become discouraged by the amount of competition and talent in what seems like it should be an “inclusive” activity. Turns out, LOTS of kids like to sing, dance, and act!

I’ve seen many kids, with a promising talent, give up after a few years and many productions of “the dreaded ensemble” with no better understanding of how professional theatre truly operates or what it takes to be successful. This is a failure and drives hopeful kids away from the performing arts. At CAST, we strive to be the professional-level training ground, purposefully focused on developing youth of all experience levels, for a successful career in or life-long enthusiasm for the performing arts.