Christian Youth Theater (CYT) Santa Cruz
CYT Santa Cruz, 115 S Morrissey Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062
About
Christian Youth Theater (CYT) Santa Cruz offers after-school classes in theater arts where students can take drama, voice, and dance classes, audition and perform in a Broadway-style musical, or work behind-the-scenes on backstage crew, the technical team, or as an usher. Class options include Youth Spotlight Class and Show: Narnia, Advanced Improv: Short and Long Form Improv, Beginners Acting: Making a Scene, Beginners Dance: Dance Basics and Creative Movement, Beginning Acting Technique and Audition Prep, Building a Show - Dreaming, Decisions, Directing!, Intermediate Dance: Tap Foundations, and an Our Gang Studio Class: Show Choir. CYT Santa Cruz also runs camps and workshops that include team competitions, rotations through drama, dance, and music workshops, and, at teen camps, praise, worship, prayer, and daily devotions.
• Ages: 4–18 years old
• Schedule: Three ten-week sessions during Fall, Winter, and Spring with classes held once a week for two hours, plus week-long musical theater day camps in Summer
Christian Youth Theater (CYT) is an after-school theater arts training program for students ages 4–18 that began in 1980 and has grown to be the largest youth theater program in the nation, with branches across the country training thousands of students a year. CYT was brought to Santa Cruz in 2010, and the 2025–2026 season is described as “CYT Santa Cruz Turns 15!” and notes celebrating the ways that God has blessed CYT over the last 14 years. The mission statement of CYT is that it develops character and creativity through quality theater arts training that brings families and communities together while reflecting Jesus, with mission and values emphasizing character over competition, people over programs, service over spotlight, and excellence over ego, and CYT states that its shows are always appropriate for the entire family. Instructors are described as professionals, qualified in teaching and/or performing, who understand the mission statement, values, objectives, and goals. CYT Santa Cruz lists a leadership team that includes Artistic Director Brooke Novak, Managing Director Jeremy Couchman, Finance Director Tamara Dunton, Chapter Coordinator / CREATE advisor Tarah Brown, Show Coordinators Teresa Dettle and Megan Grewohl, Class Coordinators Ana Bevir and Jodie Couchman, and CYT Alumni Coordinator Jennifer McPherson. CYT notes community support from Mission Printers and offers options beyond classes, camps, or shows such as CYT@school and CREATE, as well as a monthly donations option to become an ongoing supporter through a recurring gift. CYT Santa Cruz is celebrating its 2025–2026 season by producing six of CYT’s favorite musicals from the past 14 years plus two staged readings that are new to CYT Santa Cruz.
Last updated April 8, 2026.
• Ages: 4–18 years old
• Schedule: Three ten-week sessions during Fall, Winter, and Spring with classes held once a week for two hours, plus week-long musical theater day camps in Summer
Christian Youth Theater (CYT) is an after-school theater arts training program for students ages 4–18 that began in 1980 and has grown to be the largest youth theater program in the nation, with branches across the country training thousands of students a year. CYT was brought to Santa Cruz in 2010, and the 2025–2026 season is described as “CYT Santa Cruz Turns 15!” and notes celebrating the ways that God has blessed CYT over the last 14 years. The mission statement of CYT is that it develops character and creativity through quality theater arts training that brings families and communities together while reflecting Jesus, with mission and values emphasizing character over competition, people over programs, service over spotlight, and excellence over ego, and CYT states that its shows are always appropriate for the entire family. Instructors are described as professionals, qualified in teaching and/or performing, who understand the mission statement, values, objectives, and goals. CYT Santa Cruz lists a leadership team that includes Artistic Director Brooke Novak, Managing Director Jeremy Couchman, Finance Director Tamara Dunton, Chapter Coordinator / CREATE advisor Tarah Brown, Show Coordinators Teresa Dettle and Megan Grewohl, Class Coordinators Ana Bevir and Jodie Couchman, and CYT Alumni Coordinator Jennifer McPherson. CYT notes community support from Mission Printers and offers options beyond classes, camps, or shows such as CYT@school and CREATE, as well as a monthly donations option to become an ongoing supporter through a recurring gift. CYT Santa Cruz is celebrating its 2025–2026 season by producing six of CYT’s favorite musicals from the past 14 years plus two staged readings that are new to CYT Santa Cruz.
Last updated April 8, 2026.
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