Our Philosophy
The Academy is a place where students of all abilities can learn about the theatre.
Whether a student is looking to get their feet wet, or is a seasoned veteran of the stage, our camps give each student the opportunity to grow and thrive in a supportive environment.
Our sessions focus on theatre skills, knowledge, theory, and practice, and typically culminate in a live performance for friends and family. We take students through all phases of the production process: from auditions to rehearsals to performance. Students walk away from our camps feeling great about not only the final production, but their own inner growth and new skills they learned along the way.
Our goal is to give each of our students the opportunity to explore his or her own creativity and understand all aspects of theatre in a fun and safe manner. We strive to create an atmosphere of cooperation rather than competition. This helps to promote a nurturing environment that is supportive of personal development.
About the Teachers and Fall Staff:
Kearney Jordan
Kearney serves as the Academy Director. When not teaching class she’s responsible for curriculum, outreach programming, and community engagement. She has been involved at Civic since childhood as an actor, tech crew, green room mom, and member of the staff.
Dana Sammond
Dana currently serves as our Academy Coordinator! She oversees drop off and pickup and helps in class however needed; coaching students, making props, or being the giver of band-aids and encouraging words.
Karlin Marie Kahler
Karlin joins us from The Community School where she has taught theatre arts at the high school level. She is a longtime volunteer and performer at Civic and we are thrilled to have her back with the Academy!
Tonya Ballman
Tonya takes on the vocal lessons classes! She graduated in 2021 with a BM in Piano Performance from Eastern Washington University. Most recently at Civic she music directed James and the Giant Peach Jr for The Academy and assistant music directed The Wizard of Oz.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Spokane Civic Theatre Academy offers financial assistance for every class offered. Please look for the “Financial Assistance” section on your registration form.
The academy classes that are offered each quarter are not audition based and anyone in the age range of the class may sign up to participate.
Other special performance classes may require an audition, so please check the description of each class.
What sets us apart from other theatres in the community is the overall quality of the classes and productions we offer, along with the credentials of our amazing faculty .
Students in the academy range from 5 to 95, with a range experience levels! We just ask that you come ready to learn, create, and have a great time! Whether a student is looking to get their feet wet, or is a seasoned veteran of the stage, our camps give each student the opportunity to grow and thrive in a supportive environment.
The Academy is more than simply a place to “do a play”. We teach important lessons on accountability, discipline, positive reinforcement, and skill building – especially in our childrens’ classes.
We offer courses for a variety of ages, interests, and skill levels. So, whether you’re a seasoned actor or you’ve never set foot inside a theatre, we have a class that’s right for you.