Venice Theatre Education & Community Engagement / VT’s Youth Company
140 Tampa Ave. W., Venice, FL 34285
About
Venice Theatre Education & Community Engagement / VT’s Youth Company involves theatre workshops, classes at Venice Theatre, and summer student programs. Participants take part in Venice Theatre’s Youth Production Company and the Troupe in A Trunk Community Engagement Program, and the group has produced a production of The Grown-Ups. VT’s Youth Company members work together to propose the parameters of the project they are interested in doing.
• Ages: 14–18 years old
VT’s Youth Company develops collaboration, communication, problem solving, and creativity as 21st century workplace skills, and creates opportunities for high school age students to develop exceptional and unique portfolio material for college applications. The 2024–2025 VT’s Youth Company members are Van Dinverno, Evie Hunter, Emmett Kanapaux, Delaney Lockwood, Olivia South, and Fiona Villalba, and their spring 2025 project was a production of The Grown-Ups presented May 21–25. Venice Theatre offers classes for students ages 5–105 and operates an Education & Community Engagement Department, which includes programs such as theatre workshops, reading to classrooms, and collaborations with other arts education programmers in the area.
The leadership team for Venice Theatre Education & Community Engagement includes Sandy Davisson, Director of Education & Community Engagement; Kelly Duyn, Assistant Director of Education & Community Engagement; Brad Wages, Lead Instructor; Kristofer Geddie, Executive Director; Murray Chase, Interim Artistic Director/Restoration Supervisor; Michelle Kasanofsky, Resident Music Director; and Tarah Hart, Arts Integration Specialist. Sandy received an M.A. in Theatre History and Criticism from the State University of New York and an MFA in Directing at Florida Atlantic University. Kelly holds a BA in Theatre from the University of Central Florida, has teaching certifications in multiple disciplines, and has a 20-year teaching resume, and she has coached a nationally ranked speech and debate team. Brad holds a B.F.A. from the University of Oklahoma and is described as an award-winning actor, director, and choreographer. Geddie holds a BFA in Musical Theatre and an MA in Arts Administration. Michelle received a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston and studied jazz piano there as well as classical piano at Boston University; she has a B.A. cum laude from Dowling College, a Master of Science in Music Education from C. W. Post Long Island University, and an Education Leadership Specialist degree from Nova Southeastern University, and she was selected as Charlotte County’s Teacher of the Year in 2014.
Kelly’s community involvement includes facilitating theatre workshops with local schools, clubs, and organizations, reading to classrooms through Embracing Our Differences, collaborating with other arts education programmers in the area, and working with the local Chamber of Commerce, where she was the 2019–2020 chair of the Venice Area Young Professionals. Geddie serves on the Ambassador Circle for Embracing Our Differences; the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Access+ committee for Southeastern Theatre Conference; is the treasurer of the Florida Theatre Conference; the Florida State community theatre representative; and is a Board Member of the Friends of the Venice Public Library, Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative, Squeaky Wheel Theatre Group, and President of the American Association of Community Theatre. Murray has been a former board member of Florida Theatre Conference and Southeastern Theatre Conference, has served as President of the American Association of Community Theatre, and currently works with the organization as a member of the national Festival Commission; under his leadership, Venice Theatre has hosted the international theatre festival actWORLDFEST four consecutive times, and he is a former chair of the CEC for Sarasota County Arts Council and a former president of Venice MainStreet.
Venice Theatre hosts an international theatre festival called aactWorldFest and has hosted the international theatre festival actWORLDFEST four consecutive times. Venice Theatre is recovering from damage caused by Hurricane Ian and is rebuilding the mainstage Jervey Theatre, and it asks for donations to help finish rebuilding and states that volunteers are the heart of Venice Theatre. Tarah Hart, Arts Integration Specialist, states that as the area grows and expands with new faces and families, it is vital that Venice Theatre continues to bring the beauty of the arts to everyone, and that whether someone is already an avid theatre goer, newcomer, young, or young at heart, they are welcomed to connect with Venice Theatre and be on the lookout for future events that bring Venice Theatre and the community together in fresh and exciting ways.
Last updated May 13, 2026.
• Ages: 14–18 years old
VT’s Youth Company develops collaboration, communication, problem solving, and creativity as 21st century workplace skills, and creates opportunities for high school age students to develop exceptional and unique portfolio material for college applications. The 2024–2025 VT’s Youth Company members are Van Dinverno, Evie Hunter, Emmett Kanapaux, Delaney Lockwood, Olivia South, and Fiona Villalba, and their spring 2025 project was a production of The Grown-Ups presented May 21–25. Venice Theatre offers classes for students ages 5–105 and operates an Education & Community Engagement Department, which includes programs such as theatre workshops, reading to classrooms, and collaborations with other arts education programmers in the area.
The leadership team for Venice Theatre Education & Community Engagement includes Sandy Davisson, Director of Education & Community Engagement; Kelly Duyn, Assistant Director of Education & Community Engagement; Brad Wages, Lead Instructor; Kristofer Geddie, Executive Director; Murray Chase, Interim Artistic Director/Restoration Supervisor; Michelle Kasanofsky, Resident Music Director; and Tarah Hart, Arts Integration Specialist. Sandy received an M.A. in Theatre History and Criticism from the State University of New York and an MFA in Directing at Florida Atlantic University. Kelly holds a BA in Theatre from the University of Central Florida, has teaching certifications in multiple disciplines, and has a 20-year teaching resume, and she has coached a nationally ranked speech and debate team. Brad holds a B.F.A. from the University of Oklahoma and is described as an award-winning actor, director, and choreographer. Geddie holds a BFA in Musical Theatre and an MA in Arts Administration. Michelle received a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston and studied jazz piano there as well as classical piano at Boston University; she has a B.A. cum laude from Dowling College, a Master of Science in Music Education from C. W. Post Long Island University, and an Education Leadership Specialist degree from Nova Southeastern University, and she was selected as Charlotte County’s Teacher of the Year in 2014.
Kelly’s community involvement includes facilitating theatre workshops with local schools, clubs, and organizations, reading to classrooms through Embracing Our Differences, collaborating with other arts education programmers in the area, and working with the local Chamber of Commerce, where she was the 2019–2020 chair of the Venice Area Young Professionals. Geddie serves on the Ambassador Circle for Embracing Our Differences; the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Access+ committee for Southeastern Theatre Conference; is the treasurer of the Florida Theatre Conference; the Florida State community theatre representative; and is a Board Member of the Friends of the Venice Public Library, Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative, Squeaky Wheel Theatre Group, and President of the American Association of Community Theatre. Murray has been a former board member of Florida Theatre Conference and Southeastern Theatre Conference, has served as President of the American Association of Community Theatre, and currently works with the organization as a member of the national Festival Commission; under his leadership, Venice Theatre has hosted the international theatre festival actWORLDFEST four consecutive times, and he is a former chair of the CEC for Sarasota County Arts Council and a former president of Venice MainStreet.
Venice Theatre hosts an international theatre festival called aactWorldFest and has hosted the international theatre festival actWORLDFEST four consecutive times. Venice Theatre is recovering from damage caused by Hurricane Ian and is rebuilding the mainstage Jervey Theatre, and it asks for donations to help finish rebuilding and states that volunteers are the heart of Venice Theatre. Tarah Hart, Arts Integration Specialist, states that as the area grows and expands with new faces and families, it is vital that Venice Theatre continues to bring the beauty of the arts to everyone, and that whether someone is already an avid theatre goer, newcomer, young, or young at heart, they are welcomed to connect with Venice Theatre and be on the lookout for future events that bring Venice Theatre and the community together in fresh and exciting ways.
Last updated May 13, 2026.
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