Our Teachers
Kurtis Haynes - Directing Team Leader
Kurtis (shown here in costume for his role as a scheming pastry chef) has been involved in drama productions ever since high school. He attended West High and was involved in every production during his four years there, featured in roles varying from chorus to lead. He was also involved in improv and entered and won many competitions. After high school, Kurtis attended Butler Community College. Since then he has directed and taught drama classes for Awesome Acting Productions, Doc MacDougal's Miraculous Melodramas and Christian Youth Theater. He has acted in too many shows to list here, and is known for his strong characters and excellent comedic timing. Kurtis is eager to share his many decades of experience with his drama class, and will be teaching the Directing class as well as directing the show, with the help of his students, of course! Kurtis is the pastor of Westview Baptist Church.
Lisa Paine - Teenie Team Leader
Lisa, our Teenie Team leader, is currently a student at Friends University. Lisa's start in theater came when she was cast as an orphan in AAP's production of "Annie", and she has been in theater ever since. Lisa has worked with her college theater as well as with CYT, as an assistant teacher for both drama and voice classes, running lights and sound, assistant directing and doing makeup and hair as well as costuming. Lisa has held several lead roles such as Lucy in "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" and Miss Hannigan in "Annie" and has appeared in a variety of other shows as well. Lisa is excited to be teaching the younger kids' class, and has a great line up of games, exciting projects and more all ready to go!
Kerri Scott - Voice Team Leader
Kerri has extensive training and experience in every aspect of theater! Kerri is currently performing with the Wichita Grand Opera, teaching private voice lessons and also teaching for YOS. Kerri has taught for CYT in Rockford, Illinois; has been an adjunct professor for various music theory and music appreciation classes, has directed and produced a variety of shows and operas, has performed in a wide variety of operatic and musical theater roles and has been a featured soloist for a great number of choir and special event performances. Her resume covers an impressive 10 pages! After a recent move to Kansas, Kerri is excited to start getting involved with theater here in Wichita, and is eager to share all of this e
Kat Travis - Tech Team Leader
Kat Travis has been involved in theater arts for the past 20 years. Her first experience with theater was working on small productions in elementary schools where building sets on a shoestring was her specialty. Then she went on to bigger productions, still in the elementary school setting, where she was costume designer and assistant set designer. Kat was also costume and prop designer for a California High School Band for Field Show season, drum line and dance competition teams. Kat is also a musician, playing keyboard, guitar, bass and percussion. She was involved with Theater in the Valley in Las Vegas where she played bass in the pit for two productions. Currently a second grade teacher at Buckner Performing Arts Magnet, Kat has assisted with set design and prop design for the past 3 years. She is also well versed in running a sound board for both big and small venues.
Sarah Walden - Choreography Team Leader
Sarah has extensive dance experience and training, and is happy to be able to share that with her class. Sarah has the honor of being the only dance educator in the public school system in the entire state of Kansas. Sarah has been teaching dance for over ten years. She holds a bachelors degree in Fine Arts and has studied dance with a variety of local dance studios. Sarah is a soloist with Ballet Wichita and has performed in many ballets as well as other dance productions. She also has experience with costuming, stage makeup, stage managing and directing. Sarah will use all this experience to teach her dance students not only music theater dance steps and choreography, but also how to interpret a character.
DaLena Whipple - Costuming Team Leader
DaLena, shown here in one of the period costumes she created for herself to wear when interpreting at Cowtown, is a seamstress extraordinaire. DaLena has been sewing since she was only twelve years old. She has her own business, Pink Peacock Historical Clothing and Alterations, and sews extensively, creating period cothing and costumes for Old Cowtown Museum and for Doc MacDougals' Miraculous Melodramas. DaLena brings her experience in debate and forensics and also being a featured actress with Doc MacDougal's to her classroom, using this knowledge to help her students understand how to properly costume a stage character. She will teach period appropriate clothing styles, how lighting can affect the look of a costume, how costumes can help relay the passage of time or the age of a character, and much more. DaLena will also share her knowledge of character appropriate hair and makeup and is looking forward to seeing what her students do with this information as they create a great look for each actor and actress!