Berkeley Playhouse YouthStage
The Julia Morgan Theater, 2640 College Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94704
About
Berkeley Playhouse YouthStage offers students the chance to train with professional directors, musicians, vocal coaches, and choreographers while working as part of an ensemble. Participants explore both traditional and non-traditional performance styles, perform on the Julia Morgan stage with professionally designed lights, sound, sets, costumes, and more, and take part in fully produced musicals where students play all the roles. The program also includes Stagecraft, where students explore behind-the-scenes elements such as lighting, costuming, scenic, sound, props, make-up, and stage management, and put their learned skills to work on projects for current productions.
• Ages: 10–18 years old
• Schedule: Musical Theatre Revue meets for 10 weeks
In the Musical Theatre Revue, students spend 10 weeks creating, writing, choreographing, designing, and rehearsing their own production, which culminates in a performance on the Julia Morgan stage. Showcase Cabarets are one-week-long sessions that focus on solo and small group repertoire, where students select a song of their choice to develop for a cabaret-style show on the Julia Morgan stage, and these cabarets are described as a way for young actors to obtain footage for their reel. YouthStage offers KidStage (grades 5–8) and TeenStage (grades 8–12) during the fall and winter/spring, and combined YouthStage opportunities for grades 5–12 during the summer, with all productions directed and designed by local theater professionals and presented to family and friends on the Julia Morgan stage.
Stagecraft students receive hands-on experience and are the first to be offered volunteer positions on production teams for future shows. Young actors are admitted to the program by audition, and once admitted, they become members of the company and do not have to audition for future productions as long as they remain in good standing, with later auditions called “try-ons” for specific roles during the rehearsal period. The curriculum focuses on the group as an ensemble and finds ways to feature and highlight each individual student regardless of their role, and the program does not recast but works with students to make sure they feel good about their part in the show as the script evolves.
YouthStage practices non-traditional, identity-affirming casting in all education programs, and all students are eligible to play any role regardless of gender or background. Core values for the program are listed as Community, Courage, Creativity, and Communication. Financial aid applications are available upon registration, and the mission statement states that Berkeley Playhouse is committed to ensuring access to education programs for low-income students, especially from underserved and/or underrepresented communities, by providing financial assistance for theater education tuitions.
The YouthStage leadership and staff include Artistic Director Kimberly Dooley, Managing Director Mike Lawson, Producing Director Melissa Rivera Simpson, Director of Development & Community Outreach Dana Swint, Director of Patron Services Lily Olson, Director of Marketing Anna Hecht, Youth Productions Manager Megan McGrath, Classes & Camps Manager Jesus Pedroza-Moreno, Casting Director and Resident Music Director Michael Patrick Wiles, Production Manager Joshua Price, Office Manager Hazel Horton, Facilities Manager Thomas Campitelli, and Finance Manager Tara Vargo. Resident Teaching Artists for YouthStage include Daniel Alley, Erika Oba, Weston Scott, Mel Martinez, and Laura Marlin, and Resident Teaching Artists for Classes & Camps include Sarah Thompson and Henry Halkyard. Box office phone hours are listed as Wednesday through Friday from 11am to 4pm.
Testimonials about Berkeley Playhouse mention a sense of community, appreciation for value seating, and describe the theater as intimate while still able to produce large stage shows. Other comments note efforts to make productions accessible to the Blind and Low Vision Community, that families are willing to drive an hour to attend musicals, and that the theater is seen as a source of community enrichment.
Last updated May 20, 2026.
• Ages: 10–18 years old
• Schedule: Musical Theatre Revue meets for 10 weeks
In the Musical Theatre Revue, students spend 10 weeks creating, writing, choreographing, designing, and rehearsing their own production, which culminates in a performance on the Julia Morgan stage. Showcase Cabarets are one-week-long sessions that focus on solo and small group repertoire, where students select a song of their choice to develop for a cabaret-style show on the Julia Morgan stage, and these cabarets are described as a way for young actors to obtain footage for their reel. YouthStage offers KidStage (grades 5–8) and TeenStage (grades 8–12) during the fall and winter/spring, and combined YouthStage opportunities for grades 5–12 during the summer, with all productions directed and designed by local theater professionals and presented to family and friends on the Julia Morgan stage.
Stagecraft students receive hands-on experience and are the first to be offered volunteer positions on production teams for future shows. Young actors are admitted to the program by audition, and once admitted, they become members of the company and do not have to audition for future productions as long as they remain in good standing, with later auditions called “try-ons” for specific roles during the rehearsal period. The curriculum focuses on the group as an ensemble and finds ways to feature and highlight each individual student regardless of their role, and the program does not recast but works with students to make sure they feel good about their part in the show as the script evolves.
YouthStage practices non-traditional, identity-affirming casting in all education programs, and all students are eligible to play any role regardless of gender or background. Core values for the program are listed as Community, Courage, Creativity, and Communication. Financial aid applications are available upon registration, and the mission statement states that Berkeley Playhouse is committed to ensuring access to education programs for low-income students, especially from underserved and/or underrepresented communities, by providing financial assistance for theater education tuitions.
The YouthStage leadership and staff include Artistic Director Kimberly Dooley, Managing Director Mike Lawson, Producing Director Melissa Rivera Simpson, Director of Development & Community Outreach Dana Swint, Director of Patron Services Lily Olson, Director of Marketing Anna Hecht, Youth Productions Manager Megan McGrath, Classes & Camps Manager Jesus Pedroza-Moreno, Casting Director and Resident Music Director Michael Patrick Wiles, Production Manager Joshua Price, Office Manager Hazel Horton, Facilities Manager Thomas Campitelli, and Finance Manager Tara Vargo. Resident Teaching Artists for YouthStage include Daniel Alley, Erika Oba, Weston Scott, Mel Martinez, and Laura Marlin, and Resident Teaching Artists for Classes & Camps include Sarah Thompson and Henry Halkyard. Box office phone hours are listed as Wednesday through Friday from 11am to 4pm.
Testimonials about Berkeley Playhouse mention a sense of community, appreciation for value seating, and describe the theater as intimate while still able to produce large stage shows. Other comments note efforts to make productions accessible to the Blind and Low Vision Community, that families are willing to drive an hour to attend musicals, and that the theater is seen as a source of community enrichment.
Last updated May 20, 2026.
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