Basic Classes

Students ages 10 to 18 will be taught basic acting, stage presence, character building, improvisation, and audition techniques. They will also learn a piece of music, how to care for their voice, basic dance steps and combinations, proper stretching, and vocal warm-ups.

Intermediate and Advanced Classes

Students who want to sharpen their skills and build on the basics of Biola Youth Theatre can audition to be part of the Intermediate or Advanced classes during summer camp. Advanced techniques will be taught that build upon the Basic classes.

Prerequisites for Intermediate and Advanced Classes:

• Student must be at least 12 years old by July 28 to audition for Intermediate or Advanced classes. - No Exceptions.
• Students must have completed a previous Biola Youth Theatre Summer Camp.
• Student auditions will be held on July 28 and July 29 at the Biola Professional Building. Map
• Auditions are required. You may call the office at (562) 906-4574 to reserve your audition date.
• Students will be notified of their placement in either Basic, Intermediate, or Advanced classes on July 30.

Audition Requirements

• Prepare a one minute monologue and 35-40 seconds of a song (bring accompaniment music).
• A dance will be taught at the audition.

Staff Information

Lori Shanebeck - Acting

Lori Shanebeck is the Executive Producer and Director of Biola Youth Theatre and has produced 26 shows with BYT. A graduate of Biola University, she was involved in traveling drama teams and competitive speech as a student. For the last 20 years, she has been acting, teaching, directing, and writing; most recently, as Director of Drama at First Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton. A love of drama, combined with a desire to teach and train students to use their gifts in the fine arts to serve the Lord Jesus Christ brought her to Biola in 2000.

Michele Stevens - Dance

Michele has been involved in the performing arts for 25 years, and her passion is ministry in the arts. Michele worked professionally in the arts regionally as an actor, singer, dancer, and choreographer. Favorite roles include Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Minnie Fay in Hello Dolly, Morales in A Chorus Line, and Catherine Marshall in A Man Called Peter, for which she was nominated for an Obie (Best of Off-Broadway) award. Choreography credits include The Pajama Game, Once Upon a Mattress, and The Music Man for the City of Rancho; Oliver for Fontana Mummers Theatre; Camelot and The Spirit of Christmas for the Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theatre and Hot Coffee for the Lamb’s Players Theatre in NYC. She has choreographed industrials in Colorado, California, and New York, as well as concert pieces for various studios in Colorado. She has also worked with various college and high school show choirs such as The Citrus Singers in Azusa, California, and The Upland High School Show Choir in Upland, California. Michele has a B.F.A. in Acting from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, and a Master’s of Organizational Leadership from Biola University. She has worked for BYT for 5 years, as both a director and choreographer, and she continues to be blessed and humbled to work with such dedicated students who long to glorify God with their creative talents.