Creative Youth Theater , Bellingham, WA             ©2011              Director: Christie Miller           director@CreativeYouthTheater.com       

“Creating” Since 1990

CREATIVE YOUTH THEATER

       Creative Youth Theater started in Mammoth Lakes, California in 1990 when I was teaching drama in the schools.  Each summer, a program from Hollywood came up and did a drama program for kids that was very expensive.  Parents were tired of paying a high price and  seeing their kids have only a few lines in the play.  There were  “stars” in the familiar plays they choose, but most of the kids had only one or two lines. They asked me to write some plays that had more equal parts for kids - where everyone could be on stage many times  and  have enough lines so that they could actually develop the character they were given.      

       I loved this challenge because people say my middle name is “creative!”  That is when Creative Youth Theater© was launched!  At our start, we did our plays out in the fields of an equestrian center with sets we hoped would not blow away.  The audiences brought blankets and lawn chairs and their picnic lunches.  Most of the plays back then were melodramas and westerns to fit the “stage.”

         When we moved to Washington in 1995, Creative Youth Theater began its summer debut in Bellingham.  We love the stage at Sterling Drive Church and are grateful for their allowing us to use their facilities.  Over 600 kids have been on their stages in the last 16 years, learning and growing in confidence and expression.  

         My goal has always been to provide a safe and encouraging place for kids to learn and grow and work as a team to put on an exceptional program.  People can’t believe we do it all in two weeks!   Many say that we out-shine the performances done other places that take months!  I say it’s the kids.  Amazing kids putting their all into making these performances top-notch.  They are stretched by me, and they stretch themselves at the same time!!    

At first, we also did western themes plays and some melodramas because we did always did one of our performances at the Pioneer Days in Ferndale, a town nearby. We used a tent for dressing rooms, and put on the play many times in one day to small audiences.  It became really difficult to do this as our plays soon got more complex in sets and longer in duration.

Now we do all sorts of different plays at our Sterling Drive location.   If I see that many of  the kids who are going to participate are very talented, have a little bit of experience, and love to sing, then we do a musical like Sound of Music or Annie.  Our greatest musical by far was Fiddler on the Roof.  

Most of our plays, however, I have written to fit the kids involved.  A list of

these plays is on the registration page as well as on the page where the plays are sold. . Most are mysteries or comedies,  and of course they all involve KIDS!! They can actually be adapted to include adults, but I love working with kids!!  

I started selling my plays on line about 10 years ago, and my plays have been put on as far east as New Jersey, as far north as Nanaimo, BC Canada, and my real claim to fame is when one was put on in Boring, Oregon.  Yes, there is a Boring, Oregon, and they named the town BEFORE they did my play.  Schools, both public and Christian, youth groups and private groups all find something they can use.  

Life is busy, but these two weeks in the summer are a priority to me because I see kid’s lives change.  It could be because they learn to work as a team member, or because they are doing something that they didn’t think they could do, or because they are growing in their skills and confidence….it doesn’t matter, they love it and they are not the same after the experience.

When I am not busy with drama, I am a teacher!  I have taught for 29 years in public, private and home school venues. Currently I teach English and history at a home school cooperative in Bellingham, WA  called Zacchaeus Learning Opportu-nities two days a week.  On my “off” days, I head up Northwest Christian Speakers Bureau and have my own speaking ministry, which sends me all over the United States speaking on the topic I love the most:  How Jesus Christ can bring peace and hope and healing into a life!  He certainly did that in my life!!

I also enjoy writing.  In addition to the Christian books I have written, I have written some travel books.  You can take a look at the books I have written and even purchase them plus  see a list of my speaking topics and  CD’s at my publishing web page,  Currently, I am trying my hand at some “made for TV movies.”

Life is amazing!  Kids are incredible!  Working together on a project such as a drama production is awesome!   I hope you can join us sometime either being in the play or coming to see it.  

Christie Miller

Creative Youth Theater© and Christie Miller

A scene from
CHAIRLIFT to HEAVEN, 2004

Come see this
summer’s performance of

BYE BYE BIRDIE

(A creative rendition!)

Thursday, July 26th

And Friday, July 27th

7 p.m.

And

Our Saturday Matinee

July 28th At 1 p.m.

Theater location:

558 Sterling Drive

Bellingham, WA  98226

(Take the Northwest exit off I-5 and go east. Turn into the housing development across from Jerry Chambers Chevy. Wind  around to the right and then to the left and the look for the signs.)

Tickets

Adults - $8.00

Students 6-17 - $4.00

Kids under 6 not admitted.

Tickets may be purchased
at the door.

Want to be in the play?

Many scripts are written with  Final Draft Logo software.
www.Finaldraft.com    "The Industry Standard!"