Classes

CYT’s class sessions are designed to offer students performing arts classes in drama, voice, and dance.  Along with those classes, specialty theatrical opportunities such as makeup, film, and stage combat classes may also be available during the year. Enrolled students are not required to audition for a show, but may just participate in a class.

Most class sessions run weekly for 9 or 10 weeks per session with students attending class every week. Occasionally, sessions may be shorter or may feature stand-alone master classes due to calendar limitations. Students are encouraged to try different classes each session to broaden their performing arts training.  There may also be pre-requisites needed in order to enroll in certain classes.  Students ages 16-18 may work toward a National CYT Decathlon Award.

Classes for students’ ages 8-18 are two hours long.  The Our Gang class for students’ ages 5-7 runs for 90 minutes.  All classes culminate in a Showcase performance where each class presents a mini-performance of what they’ve learned.
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Financial Assistance

We give consideration for scholarships to help offset the cost of classes and productions for families that meet Title One guidelines. Please visit the scholarship page for full details, deadlines for submission, and online application form.
Scholarship Information

Current Classes:

Class: Age: Chapter: Location: Day: Time: Start: End:
Central Improv w/ Zachary Armstrong 8-12 Tucson
(Fall 2018)		 Junior League of Tucson Thu 6:00pm - 8:00pm Aug 23 Oct 18
Central Make-Up w/ Laurel Sommers 13-18 Tucson
(Fall 2018)		 Junior League of Tucson Thu 6:00pm - 8:00pm Aug 23 Oct 18
Central Our Gang w/ Katie Mason 5-7 Tucson
(Fall 2018)		 Junior League of Tucson Thu 6:00pm - 7:30pm Aug 23 Oct 18
Central Tap-Jazz w/ Kelsey Eggerman 8-18 Tucson
(Fall 2018)		 Junior League of Tucson Thu 6:00pm - 8:00pm Aug 23 Oct 18
NW Improv w/ Tom Selegue 13-18 Tucson
(Fall 2018)		 New Life Bible Fellowship Mon 6:00pm - 8:00pm Aug 20 Oct 15
NW Our Gang w/ Katie Mason 5-7 Tucson
(Fall 2018)		 New Life Bible Fellowship Mon 6:00pm - 7:30pm Aug 20 Oct 15
NW Vocal Musical Theatre w/ Mike Padilla 13-18 Tucson
(Fall 2018)		 New Life Bible Fellowship Mon 6:00pm - 8:00pm Aug 20 Oct 15
NW Voice w/ Anthony Allen Taylor 8-12 Tucson
(Fall 2018)		 New Life Bible Fellowship Mon 6:00pm - 8:00pm Aug 20 Oct 15

Northwest Classes

Monday Evenings
  • Ages 5 - 7:  6:00pm to 7:30pm
  • Ages 8 - 18:  6:00pm to 8:00pm
New Life Bible Fellowship
4900 W Cortaro Farms Rd
Tucson, AZ 85742

 

Session Dates

Fall 2018
First Night of Class & Parent Orientation:  August 20, 2018
Holiday (No Classes):  NONE
Class Showcase:  October 15, 2018

Winter 2019
First Night of Class & Parent Orientation:  TBD
Holiday (No Classes):  TBD
Class Showcase:  TBD

Spring 2019
First Night of Class & Parent Orientation:  March 11, 2018
Holiday (No Classes):  TBD
Class Showcase:  May 6, 2018

Central Classes

Thursday Evenings
  • Ages 5 - 7:  6:00pm to 7:30pm
  • Ages 8-18:  6:00pm to 8:00pm
Junior League of Tucson
2099 E River Rd
Tucson, AZ 85718

Session Dates

Fall 2018
First Night of Class & Parent Orientation:  August 23, 2018
Holiday (No Classes):  NONE
Class Showcase:  October 18, 2018

Winter 2019
First Night of Class & Parent Orientation:  TBD
Holiday (No Classes):  TBD
Class Showcase:  TBD

Spring 2019
First Night of Class & Parent Orientation:  March 14, 2018
Holiday (No Classes):  TBD
Class Showcase:  May 9, 2018

Current Teachers:

Anthony Allen Taylor

Anthony Allen Taylor has 25 years experience as a musical artist, vocal coach and ensemble director with a degree in Vocal Performance at the University of Arizona. He has guest appeared and performed operatic roles with Arizona Opera Company, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Tucson Philharmonia Orchestra, Livermore Valley Opera in California and Lowell Opera in Massachusetts. He is currently artistic director for Epiphany Artists-Tucson, which produced the Vespers Service for the 500th Anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation at Faith Lutheran Church in October 2017. Mr. Taylor routinely appears as soloist at churches around the metro Tucson area and has guest appearances, nationally, as violinist, vocalist and director in the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. He is very excited and honored to make his debut with CYT Tucson, joining his long time friend and mentor, Korby Myrick, in the 2018-2019 season.

Katie Mason

Katie is a graduate of the CYT program. She's continued involvement with CYT as an Our Gang teacher and choreographer for our recent productions of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" and "James and the Giant Peach." She has also choreographed musical theater productions, performing arts camps, and show choirs with several schools and organizations. She is currently pursuing a degree in elementary education.

Kelsey Eggerman

Kelsey Eggerman was born in Bedford, Indiana and began dancing at the age of four. She has had extensive training in many styles of dance including ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, acro, lyrical/contemporary, hip hop, musical theater, and ballroom. She danced competitively for 12 years and traveled frequently to Los Angeles and New York City to train with the industry’s best teachers and the most renowned choreographers. Through her competitive years, Kelsey won numerous awards and scholarships. One of her greatest achievements was placing in the top 10 Outstanding Dancers at New York City Dance Alliance Nationals. She has done intensive training at Complexions Contemporary Ballet in NYC, Joffrey Ballet School in NYC, MODAS Dance, Millennium Dance Complex in Los Angeles, and the famous Radio City Rockettes. Kelsey was one of 65 dancers invited to do the Rockettes Invitational Week. Recently, Kelsey was a member of the Drop Fam and competed in highly esteemed hip hop competitions in Phoenix and Los Angeles. Kelsey is excited to share her knowledge and passion of dance with everyone at CYT.

Laurel Sommers

Laurel Sommers has lived in Tucson for the past 10 years. She has been a pastel and oil paint artist for the past 30 years, specializing in horse and human portraits. Once her daughter started with CYT in 2011, she became a set painter and later a make-up artist. Some of her favorite looks include Donkey from Shrek, Uncle Fester and Grandma from the Addams Family, and cat faces from Cats! Another interest is make-up for film. She has been the key make-up artist for several indie short films produced by Teen Street Films, specializing in cuts, bruises, blood and gore. Teaching is one of her favorite things to do. She has taught make-up and prosthetics classes for CYT in the past and can’t wait to do it again!

Mike Padilla

A native of Tucson, Mike has entertained and worked in Tucson, San Francisco and Japan as a cabaret entertainer, pianist, singer, actor, musical director and teacher. He spent 17 years in San Francisco where he studied acting/singing at Studio ACT and the SF Academy of Performing Arts where he was mentored by Richard Nickol his voice teacher. As an actor he has played Archie & Dr Craven in The Secret Garden, Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd, Dr Parker in Bay Boy, Cladwell in Urinetowne to name a few. Locally, He’s done musical direction for the Invisible Theatre, SALOC, The Gaslight, The Great American Playhouse, UofA’s Arizona Repertory Theatre, Arts Express and CYT. He has been the vocal coach/music director for the Tucson Starlight Awards (Ben Vereen Awards) the last 4 years as well as ATC’s Summer on Stage. Mike was an instructor at the UofA School of theatre for 4 years serving as the staff pianist, vocal coach and musical director. Mike is a member of NATS (Nat’l. Assoc. of Teachers of Singing)and maintains a private voice studio.

Tom Selegue

Tom has been teaching chemistry at Pima Community College for 16 years. His love of teaching and learning has shown through demonstrations, activities, and discussions with students at several K-12 schools in Tucson. He is a member of Tucson Improv Movement, where he performs regularly with several house teams and coaches a long-form improv team. He has been through the full range of improv classes at TIM as well as workshops with internationally renowned improvisers. Tom brings a passion for watching and performing improvised theater to the CYT classroom.

Zachary Armstrong

Zack is 5th grade English teacher by day and an improv teacher by night. He has performed all over the world as an improvisor, juggler, and clown, in circuses, vaudeville shows, theaters, parks, and streets. He has been studying and performing comedy for nearly 20 years and teaching it for more than 10. He is currently the Comedy School Director at the Tucson Improv Movement, where he can be found performing and teaching on a regular basis. Zack can also be found clowning and juggling with Cirque Roots and the WonderFools.