Welcome to Christian Youth Theater!

Christian Youth Theater (CYT) is a theater arts training program for students ages 5-18. CYT Colorado Springs is a licensed branch of CYT Inc.  Since its founding in 1981, CYT has grown to be the largest youth theater program in the nation, with branches across the country training thousands of students a year. To learn more about CYT and to find out how to start CYT in your city visit www.cyt.org. 

CYT Colorado Springs conducts three ten-week sessions (Fall, Winter, and Spring) teaching drama, voice, dance, and specialty theatrical workshops at weekly two-hour classes. Enrolled students have the opportunity to audition and perform (or work behind-the-scenes) in a Broadway-style musical performed for the community. CYT also offers summer camps for kids ages 5-18, where they will spend a week learning musical theater skills resulting in a showcase performance for family and friends!

CYT stands in the forefront in its commitment to the highest ethical, moral, technical, and artistic standards of excellence. Instructors are professionals, qualified in teaching and/or performing, who understand our mission statement, values, objectives, and goals.

 

CYT Colorado Springs

CYT Colorado Springs began in the summer of 2020 and has grown steadily since. Our first class session had 30 students and our most recent class session had over 250!  Our goal is not growth in numbers though, but rather growth in depth of biblical character while developing musical theater skills and friendships to last a lifetime. We are able to provide top notch classes and high quality productions because we strive to honor our Creator in all we do. 
We also started Cultivate Performing Arts Academy in the fall of 2025. Cultivate is a dance and music studio which caries the same CYT values through every class, camp, intensive and performance. 

Have Questions?

Contact:
Kyla Kay, Executive Director
kyla@cytcoloradosprings.org
619 964-2785

Amy Schaefer, Cultivate Dance Director
amy@cytcoloradosprings.org

Bethanny Jorenby-Shea, Cultivate Dance Director
bethanny@cytcoloradosprings.org

Rachel Jones, CYT Show Coordinator
rachel@cytcoloradosprings.org

Ali HuYoung, CYT Show Coordinator
ali@cytcoloradosprings.org

Sarah Carder, CYT Camp Coordinator
Sarah@cytcoloradosprings.org

Michael & Ellen Swalley, HYPE Advisors
hype@cytcoloradosprings.org

Erin Smith, Costumer
erin@cytcoloradosprings.org

Mission & Values

Mission

Christian Youth Theater develops character and creativity through quality theater arts training that brings families and communities together while reflecting Jesus.

Values
  • Character over competition: Our intentional focus is on knowing Jesus and becoming more like Him. We earnestly desire growth in love for God, in the knowledge of His love for us, and in a humble life that pours out love towards others.
  • People over programs: We exist for our communities: those we know and those we have yet to meet. The people. We were created for companionship, and at CYT we long to see strangers become neighbors and neighbors become community. This is our calling. We love God, and we love and value His people. We see and welcome people for who they uniquely are and not just what they can do for our organization.
  • Service over spotlight: We believe in serving others in sacrificial and tangible ways. CYT exists for opportunities to know and see needs, and to meet them as the body of Christ. We see leadership through the lens of servant leadership, as best demonstrated in the person and work of Jesus. We aim to work slowly and mindfully to see the needs that walk through our doors. We would take servanthood over spotlights any day.
  • Excellence over ego: We value giving God our first and our best. Excellence is our simplest expression of giving the gifts and talents God has blessed us with back to Him. We don’t seek perfection as a means of outward praise, but excellence as a form of worship from a heart of gratitude and diligence. Being excellent in all we say and do is a way we can be faithful to God’s calling on our lives and in our work.

Classes

Shows

Camps