Seattle's Performers

Seattle's Performers offers musicals for youth throughout the year, including two-week production camps that end with a performance on stage with costumes and props. The program also runs summer camps, a travel troupe called SP ELITE, and an audition workshop. Current offerings include a Parents' Night Out class and a second cast option for Finding Nemo KIDS.

• Ages: 8–16 years old
• Schedule: Two-week production camps, plus ongoing rehearsal options and seasonal auditions

Seattle's Performers produces 5–6 musicals for youth throughout the year, including two casts for The SpongeBob Musical Youth Edition divided by grade levels, with 4th–6th graders meeting on Mondays and Wednesdays and 7th–9th graders meeting on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Finding Nemo KIDS Parents' Night Out class rehearses on Friday evenings from 5–8pm, and another Finding Nemo KIDS cast rehearses on Saturdays from 9–12pm. Two-week production camps culminate with a performance on stage with costumes and props. Auditions for the 2026/2027 teams are scheduled for May 30 and June 12–14, and a second audition workshop is scheduled for May 30 from 3–4:30pm.

Seattle’s Performers began in 2010 as Seattle’s Littlest Performers and adopted the name Seattle’s Performers in 2013, and over the last 13 years it has produced over 25 productions. The leadership team includes Founding Artistic Director Sandy Sonko; Annie Cassidy, who works with Advanced ELITE, dance, and productions; Carly Corey, who works with ELITE and productions; and Caleb Ryden, who works with camps, productions, after-school programs, and ELITE Prep. Sandy studied Music and Theatre at the University of the Ozarks and holds a degree in Early Childhood Education from North Idaho College and in Child Development Psychology/Music from the University of Idaho. Annie received her B.A. in Musical Theatre with a minor in Dance from the University of Washington and is a certified member of Youth Protection Advocates in Dance. Carly studied Vocal Performance and Music Theory at Cornish College of the Arts and is a member of Actors Equity. Caleb has over 10 years of experience working with youth ages 3–24 in preschool teaching, nannying, tutoring, case management for homeless youth, and educational theatre. Sandy’s stated goal for the future of the program is to keep providing as many opportunities as possible for performers.

SP ELITE is the program’s travel troupe and has multiple travel teams, and SP ELITE PREP is a younger/older program that is typically by invitation only and gives students the experience of SP ELITE without traveling. SP ELITE has competed at MTCA, JTF West, JTF Texas (virtually in 2021), JTF Atlanta, and JTF Europe in 2024. SP ELITE has received awards including Excellence in Acting in 2019 and 2020, Excellence in Dance in 2022, and Excellence in Ensemble in 2024 at JTF Europe, as well as an Outstanding Overall Production honor in 2021. In 2025 at MTCA, SP ELITE received an Ovation Award for Excellence in Ensemble work, and Seattle’s Performers is described as an award winning theatre program. Composer and lyricist Rob Rokicki of The Lightning Thief described a production of Legally Blonde by this program as having fantastic energy, strong characterizations that were exciting and appropriate to the storytelling, and a tone that captured the spirit of the show, and he stated that the presentation showed how the theatre program allows students to bring their own take on roles and gives them tools to be confident artists.

Last updated June 13, 2026.