PARENT TESTIMONIAL
“Kyle fell in love with theatre at about the age of 8. (I was secretly thrilled that soccer didn’t take.) A few years later, we discovered that Lisa Mitchell was opening her musical theatre academy and we jumped at the chance to enroll. Kyle spent most of his childhood Saturdays - until he graduated from high school - with Lisa and her amazing group of teachers, who were all theatre professionals in their own right. Lisa and her staff treated the kids like future professionals every day. Encouraging but tough. Demanding but never unkind. A bar set just high enough to make you want to try to reach it. And thanks to Lisa and her program, Kyle reached it today. He has been officially signed to the Blue Man Group in NYC. He was the ONLY one to make it through the year of drum lessons and the intensive 8 week training program. They threw the trainees onto the NYC stage live starting in week 2. Trial by fire for sure. But Kyle made it through by being open to direction, being emotionally available, and being willing to push himself to try new things on stage and off — all traits he learned over and over again at Spotlight Musical Theatre Academy. We couldn’t be happier and we have so much gratitude for Lisa and her incredible program. ~ Dana” |
Location:
Lakewood Center for the Arts 368 S State St Lake Oswego, OR 97034 |
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Founding Director
Lisa Mitchell, Founding Director
Lisa Mitchell received her BA in Education from Western Oregon University and her MA in Teaching from Pacific University. Lisa's life long teaching career began with the Beaverton School District and took her as far afield as the Singapore American School in Singapore. She has always loved working with children and has had a passion for the arts since she was young. Lisa has performed in local theatre and as a child in television commercials. Spotlight Musical Theatre Academy is the perfect way to fulfill both interests while sharing the performing arts with a new generation of students. Lisa's father and grandfather both enjoyed lifelong careers in the film industry, so she was raised visiting film sets around the globe. Lisa has 3 children, and they love to travel and have lived in many different countries together. |
Principal
Sara Kennedy Adams, Principal
Sara received her BA in Theatre Arts at Southern Oregon University. She has been a theatre instructor for Oregon Children's Theatre since 2002 and was the Center Stage Drama Coach for this program for the first 6 years. Sara has directed several variety shows and has written original scripts for public schools in the Portland area, as well as directed plays at Multnomah Arts Center. Sara has sung in various choirs and performed as the lead vocalist in a jazz duo, Whetsell Adams. She believes that theatre training can expand children's self-confidence and imagination; improve their vocalization, physicality, creativity, and ability to improvise and work with others; and it inspires them to use these skills in their day-to-day lives. |