The Fort Wayne Youtheatre's mission is to educate, engage, and entertain regional youth and families through theatre arts.
Call for Support: (260) 422-6900
Our Location: 2426 Lake Ave. Fort Wayne, IN 46805
Email Now: [email protected]
At Fort Wayne Youtheatre, we believe every child deserves the chance to discover their voice, explore their creativity, and shine. Our theatre classes are designed to nurture imagination, build confidence, and encourage teamwork—all while having fun!
With classes for ages 3–18, Youtheatre offers something for every student, from beginners just finding their spark to experienced young performers looking to refine their craft. No matter their skill level, every child is welcome to step into the spotlight and grow both on stage and off.
Research shows arts education boosts focus, self-expression, and social-emotional skills in young people. Students who participate in creative arts from an early age develop stronger reasoning, communication, and problem-solving abilities—and tend to perform better academically, including on standardized tests like the SAT.
Our Teaching Artists are the heart of every class. Each instructor is a passionate professional bringing real-world experience and a love of teaching to the classroom. Their expertise ensures every student receives high-quality, engaging instruction that inspires creativity, builds skill, and fosters lifelong appreciation for the arts.
Our Spring 2026 Semester will take place January 31st – March 21st. Classes are held at Fort Wayne Youtheatre, 2426 Lake Ave, are 55-minutes long, and take place weekly on Saturday. Check out our class themes and Teaching Artists below!
Assisting with a Youtheatre class is a great opportunity to gain real-world experience that will enhance future job applications, college resumes, and more! This unpaid opportunity is ideal for students looking to develop real-world skills, strengthen leadership abilities, and deepen their appreciation for the arts and teamwork. Application information for Spring 2026 will be posted in November 2025.
Spring 2026 Class Offerings
Grades: Pre-K (Ages 3-5)
Time: 9:30 am – 10:25 am
Teaching Artist: Yaro Carpenter
Lights, camera, imagination! Our littlest stars will explore creative play, story-telling and movement inspired by shows like Sesame Street, Daniel Tiger, Bluey, and more. Perfect for tiny actors with big imaginations.
Grades: K-1
Time: 10:30 am – 11:25 am
Teaching Artist: Em Humbarger
Step into a magical world where every story ends with “happily ever after!” In this enchanting class, young performers will explore beloved fairy tales and classic stories through creative movement, imaginative play, and beginning theater skills.
Grades: 2-3
Time: 12:30 pm – 1:25 pm
Teaching Artist: Yaro Carpenter
Step into a magical world inspired by scenes and characters from Wicked, Harry Potter, and other magical stories. Students will learn the fundamentals of performance while bringing enchanted tales to life. Capes welcome- creativity required!
Grades: 4-5
Time: 12:30 pm – 1:25 pm
Teaching Artist: Em Humbarger
Journey through epic adventures and timeless stories from all around the world! This dynamic acting class explores the rich tradition of folktales, fairy tales, and mythology, and brings them to life through voice, body language, and characterization.
Grades: 2-5
Time: 11:30 am – 12:25 pm
Teaching Artist: Yaro Carpenter
Rally the troops! It’s time to leap, spin, and strike a pose in this NEWSIES-inspired theatre movement class. Whether you’re an experienced dancer or a nervous mover, this class is designed to help young performers get comfortable in their own bodies, learn to control their movement, and find their footing.
Grades: 2-5
Time: 10:30 am – 11:25 am
Teaching Artist: Alyssa Plisco
Using classic Disney songs from stage and screen, we’ll tell the often overlooked stories of the characters we all secretly love…the villains! This class is for all voice types and skill levels, using group work and solo technique.
Spring 2026 Class Offerings
Grades: 6-8
Time: 12:30 pm – 1:25 pm
Teaching Artist: Christopher J. Murphy
This class blends traditional acting techniques with cutting-edge AI-generated material. Students will explore dynamic, original scripts and bring them to life through voice, movement, and character work.
Grades: 6-8
Time: 11:30 am – 12:25 pm
Teaching Artist: Heather Closson, Alyssa Plisco
Get ready to sing, dance and act your hearts out to the beat of Broadway’s biggest pop-infused musicals. This class builds confidence, stage presence and technique- all while rocking out to musicals like Six, & Juliet, Mamma Mia, and more!
Grades: 6-12
Time: 10:30 am – 11:25 am
Teaching Artist: Sean Findley
Be a part of The Big Picture. From auditions to performance, this course puts our students in the driver’s seat of creating an original piece, while exploring the challenges of devised theatre, script-writing, character creation, and more.. A complete theatre experience, from A to Z.
Spring 2026 Class Offerings
Grades: 9-12
Time: 11:30 am – 12:25 pm
Teaching Artist: Christopher J. Murphy
Students will delve into advanced monologue coaching & scene-work using material by two of the great playwrights of the 20th century, dramatist Arthur Miller & comedy writer Neil Simon. A great chance to hone acting skills while learning the great plays of the American theatre.
Grades: 9-12
Time: 1:30 pm – 2:25 pm
Teaching Artist: Heather Closson, Christopher J. Murphy, Alyssa Plisco
Ever dreamed of playing a role you’d never be cast in? Now’s your chance! MISCAST! flips the script and breaks the rules of traditional casting based on age, gender, type, and range. Students will discover new sides of themselves while exploring vocal performance, character work, stage presence, and choreography.
Grades: 6-12
Time: 10:30 am – 11:25 am
Teaching Artist: Sean Findley
Be a part of The Big Picture. From auditions to performance, this course puts our students in the driver’s seat of creating an original piece, while exploring the challenges of devised theatre, script-writing, character creation, and more.. A complete theatre experience, from A to Z.
