Ojai Youth Entertainers Studio (OYES)

Ojai Youth Entertainers Studio (OYES) offers Youth Musical Theatre, Young Actors Ensemble (YAE), Performance Company, Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA), and a Technical Theater & Lighting Design Apprenticeship. Youth Musical Theatre includes weekly rehearsals and occasional Saturdays, and YAE includes weekly rehearsals. Participation in Youth Musical Theatre and YAE is by registration with auditions for placement, while Performance Company is by audition only.

Programs

• Youth Musical Theatre — K-10 · Weekly rehearsals; occasional Saturdays
• Young Actors Ensemble (YAE) — Weekly rehearsals
• Performance Company — 13-19
• Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA)
• Technical Theater & Lighting Design Apprenticeship — Launched in July 2025 as a free training opportunity.

At a glance

• Ages: 5–17 years old
• General schedule: Weekly rehearsals; occasional Saturdays. Programs vary by season. The production is the classroom, with an educational component built into every production.

About the provider

OYES was founded in 2000 as Theatre 150. The organization says it has been creating performance experiences in the Ojai Valley for 25 years and has over 15 years of experience as a youth-centered organization. Its mission is "Preparing Ojai’s Youth for Life’s Stage," and it says it is dedicated to challenging, inspiring, educating, and entertaining children and families in the Ojai Valley through quality theatre, dance, and music. It also says it has created multi-cast productions serving over 100 children at a time.

Participation in the Youth Musical Theatre program is by registration, with auditions held for placement. Participation in YAE is by registration, with auditions held for placement. Performance Company is by audition only. Theatre for Young Audiences is audition-based, with no registration fees for actors selected to participate. Tuition fees apply to Performance Company. OYES says it is the only year-round K–12 arts organization in the Ojai Valley.

What families say

“At OYES, children from all walks of life are brought together.” — Debra Kirkland (Ojai, CA)

Last updated October 29, 2026.