Christian Youth Theater Portland
Northwest Christian Church - Tigard Campus, 13405 SW Hall Blvd, Tigard, OR 97223
About
Christian Youth Theater Portland offers after-school theater arts training that includes classes in drama, music, dance, and technical theater. The program also includes camps, workshops, performance opportunities, full-scale productions, and a Broadway-style musical, along with school day shows for students to attend.
• Ages: 4–18 years old
• Schedule: Each branch’s yearly calendar is made up of three ten-week sessions: Fall, Winter, and Spring.
Christian Youth Theater develops character and creativity through quality theater arts training that brings families and communities together while reflecting Jesus. Christian Youth Theater (CYT) is the largest after-school theater arts training program in the nation and has grown to be the largest children’s theater organization of its kind with branches in 17 states, training more than 20,000 young people annually as of March 2018. CYT Portland has various programs for people in all ages and stages of life and offers school field trips with school day shows for students to attend.
The leadership team for CYT Portland includes Theresa VanWetten as Artistic Director, Jeff Lippert as Managing Director, John Espie as CYT Portland Financial Controller, and Jen Straite as CYT Portland Class & Production Coordinator. Theresa received a BA in Public Relations from the School of Journalism at the University of Oregon with a dance emphasis and has experience as a certified fitness and dance instructor, professional dance team member, coach, and choreographer, as well as a teacher and coach for various dance programs. Jeff received his BS from Willamette University. John Espie is a retired corporate controller for Unified Grocers, a former Partner and Consultant for On-Site Accounting, and a retired Naval Officer. Jen is a former high school teacher.
CYT stands in the forefront in its commitment to the highest ethical, moral, technical, and artistic standards of excellence and is committed to putting safety first at all times. The Safety Scene program is a CYT National initiative that goes beyond background checks in its work to prevent, detect, and respond to physical, emotional, verbal, and sexual abuse in CYT programming, and CYT is committed to maintaining a community where all participants can work and learn together free of harassment, misconduct, or abuse of any kind. A CYT student, Nina Noelle Russell, states, “Every time I step out onto that stage, I have the opportunity to use my God given talents and passion to portray a soul, a portion of another’s story.”
Last updated April 5, 2026.
• Ages: 4–18 years old
• Schedule: Each branch’s yearly calendar is made up of three ten-week sessions: Fall, Winter, and Spring.
Christian Youth Theater develops character and creativity through quality theater arts training that brings families and communities together while reflecting Jesus. Christian Youth Theater (CYT) is the largest after-school theater arts training program in the nation and has grown to be the largest children’s theater organization of its kind with branches in 17 states, training more than 20,000 young people annually as of March 2018. CYT Portland has various programs for people in all ages and stages of life and offers school field trips with school day shows for students to attend.
The leadership team for CYT Portland includes Theresa VanWetten as Artistic Director, Jeff Lippert as Managing Director, John Espie as CYT Portland Financial Controller, and Jen Straite as CYT Portland Class & Production Coordinator. Theresa received a BA in Public Relations from the School of Journalism at the University of Oregon with a dance emphasis and has experience as a certified fitness and dance instructor, professional dance team member, coach, and choreographer, as well as a teacher and coach for various dance programs. Jeff received his BS from Willamette University. John Espie is a retired corporate controller for Unified Grocers, a former Partner and Consultant for On-Site Accounting, and a retired Naval Officer. Jen is a former high school teacher.
CYT stands in the forefront in its commitment to the highest ethical, moral, technical, and artistic standards of excellence and is committed to putting safety first at all times. The Safety Scene program is a CYT National initiative that goes beyond background checks in its work to prevent, detect, and respond to physical, emotional, verbal, and sexual abuse in CYT programming, and CYT is committed to maintaining a community where all participants can work and learn together free of harassment, misconduct, or abuse of any kind. A CYT student, Nina Noelle Russell, states, “Every time I step out onto that stage, I have the opportunity to use my God given talents and passion to portray a soul, a portion of another’s story.”
Last updated April 5, 2026.
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