California Educational Theatre Association (CETA)

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California Educational Theatre Association (CETA)

The statewide home for CA Theatre Educators & student artists. Free membership for teachers! 🎭 To promote equity and access to theatre arts education
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CETA VISION: Every California student will experience the highest standards of theatre arts education. CETA MISSION: The California Educational Theatre Association mission is:

1. To achieve sequential, standards-based, comprehensive theatre education
2. To implement the California Credential for Theatre Arts
4. To recognize theatre excellence through awards and scholarships
5. To provide valued opportunities for theatre educators and students. This mission encompasses pre-K through higher education throughout the State of California.

08/26/2026

Teaching Theatre in a Career Focused Environment – CTE Theatre

Jack Mitchell is an Arts, Media and Entertainment Consultant and the founder of AME Consulting, LLC, which he established in 2020 after 13 years with the California Department of Education as the Secondary Arts and CTE Arts, Media, and Entertainment industry sector lead.

Jack has been involved in Arts, Media and Entertainment and education for the past 35 years. After earning a B.A. from the University of Washington in 1972, Jack continued his theatre studies at California Institute of the Arts, earning an MFA in Theatre in 1974.

Jack worked in the television industry as an actor for eight years before beginning his teaching career in LAUSD in 1985. In 2007, after 22 years as a classroom teacher, Jack moved to the California Department of Education to serve as the Arts, Media, and Entertainment industry sector lead.

At CDE, he oversaw the 2013 Career Tech Standards revision for Arts, Media and Entertainment, served on the Theatre Writing Team for the National Core Arts Standards, and founded the California Arts, Media, and Education teacher organization CA-AME-EO.

08/22/2026

Theatre Program Masterclass: Strategy, Branding, and Leadership That Lasts

Krista Carson Elhai is a theatre educator with over 41 years of experience and more than 300 productions to her credit. She currently serves as past president of the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA) national board, mentors performing arts teachers through the Foothill Consortium in Southern California, and supervises teachers in the Theatre Credential Program at CSU East Bay.

As chair of the Claremont High School Theatre program, she led a department of over 500 students, producing 7–10 shows annually across 11 theatre sections. Her productions were selected for mainstage performance at the California State Thespian Festival 13 times and the International Thespian Festival three times.

A member of the California State Thespian board since 1993, Krista served three terms as State Director, overseeing more than 500 troupes. She completed two terms on EdTA’s Governing Board before serving as President and continues her leadership as past president of the California Educational Theatre Association (CETA) and as a trustee of the Educational Theatre Foundation.

Krista presents nationwide on theatre advocacy, strategic planning, season development, administrative collaboration, and fundraising. She also contributed to national curriculum design as a member of The College Board’s Pre-AP Arts Committee.

Her honors include the CETA Theatre Teacher of the Year, the CETA Medallion for lifetime achievement, EdTA National Volunteer of the Year, and induction into both the EdTA National Hall of Fame and the California State Thespian Hall of Fame. She is also a two-time finalist for the LA Music Center Bravo Award and a recipient of its Chase Fellowship, as well as Claremont USD Teacher of the Year. In 2022, she received EdTA’s President’s Award for exceptional service.

08/21/2026

Musical Theatre Audition Techniques, Performance Skills, & Triple Threat Training

Nicholas Belton is a 4x Broadway veteran whose credits include Wicked, Hair, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, and Carousel. He has also performed with the Chicago company of Wicked and on the national tours of Evita and Hair. His regional credits include Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Court Theatre, American Repertory Theater at Harvard, PCLO, Long Wharf Theatre, and Ford’s Theatre, as well as performances with the Tokyo Philharmonic and Cincinnati Pops. Nicholas holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and has taught musical theatre and audition masterclasses to middle and high school students across the country. Through his teaching, he brings professional performance experience into the classroom, helping students build confidence, authenticity, audition skills, and their own unique artistic voice.

08/20/2026

Workshop: Random Acts of Engagement: Low-Prep, High-Impact Theatre Activities

Bio: Emily Stamets is a storyteller and teaching artist with over ten years in the classroom. She has directed devised works for the La Jolla Playhouse WOW Festival and co-created ten original Hyper-theatre productions with Rogue Artists Ensemble. Her storytelling work centers on original fantasy with female protagonists and a modern lens. She holds master’s degrees in Theatre Design & Production (SOU) and School Leadership / School Design (Harvard).

08/18/2026

Fear Not the Bard: Making Shakespeare Accessible for Grades K–6

Anthony Adu is an A Noise Within Teaching Artist and actor based in Los Angeles. He currently teaches Scene Study through A Noise Within’s Summer With Shakespeare Theatre Camp and Youth Classes programs. He has most recently directed student productions of Romeo and Juliet and Love’s Labour’s Lost for students ages 6–13.

As an actor, his A Noise Within credits include The Skin of Our Teeth, A Christmas Carol, and Misalliance. His additional theatre credits include work with Faultline Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Denver Center, UCSD, and other regional and new-play companies.

Adu holds an MFA in Acting from UC San Diego and trained at the Chautauqua Theatre Summer Conservatory.

Workshop description:
At A Noise Within, Shakespeare is where it all begins. In this playful and interactive workshop, teachers will learn exercises and scaffolding techniques for teaching Shakespeare to Grades K–6. Participants will also receive scaffolded cuts of some of Shakespeare’s most beloved titles. Come make mischief!

08/16/2026

Pasadena Playhouse Artist

Teaching How to Read and Act Shakespeare

Emoria Weidner is a theatre actor, teaching artist, director, and producer with over 15 years of professional experience in teaching, performing, and directing both classical and contemporary theatre. She is passionate about making theatre accessible and engaging for students. Emoria is also a published author of trans-fiction.

08/15/2026

Hotel Dena

Hurry! September 10 is the deadline to book your hotel room for the CETA Teaching Conference!

Join us September 24–27, 2026 at Hotel Dena in Pasadena, CA. Be sure to reserve your room by September 10 to stay at the conference hotel.

08/14/2026

Pasadena Playhouse Teaching Artist

Discovering Presence: Introduction to Neutral Mask

Bia Borinn is a Brazilian American actress, educator, producer, and voice artist based in Los Angeles with over 20 years of experience in theater, film, television, and arts education. She is a Teaching Artist with the Pasadena Playhouse and LAUSD Conservatory of Fine Arts, where she teaches theater, improvisation, and mask performance. Bia brings a multidisciplinary and cross-cultural approach to storytelling and is passionate about using the performing arts to foster creativity, cultural connection, and meaningful learning.

08/11/2026

From Sonnet to Cypher: Remixing Shakespeare Through Hip-Hop 🎭🎤

Devon Glover

Devon Glover is a Brooklyn-based performer, teaching artist, rapper, poet, and director whose work blends Shakespeare, hip-hop, poetry, and contemporary performance. Through his teaching and artistry, he creates engaging ways for students and audiences to connect with Shakespeare through rhythm, language, and their own creative voices.

08/05/2026

Our CETA August Newsletter has officially launched! 🎭✨

We have lots of exciting news, updates, upcoming events, and opportunities to share with our theatre community this month.

Take a moment to check it out and stay connected with all the amazing things happening in CETA!

Address

2210 W. Sunset Blvd, #224
Los Angeles, CA
90026

Website

http://www.CaTheatreEd.org/, http://bio.site/CaTheatreEd

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