PTYA – Was founded in 1999.  A California Nonprofit Organization, The Performance Theatre for Young Artists provides education, training and experience to the young artists of Ventura County by offering workshops, year ‘round community theater and other performance activities.  Through these programs, children learn and develop acting, singing, dance, literacy, technical theater, and performance skills, as well as build self-esteem, self-confidence and experience in teamwork, decision-making, communication, and other important life skills.

MISSION STATEMENT

PTYA’s mission is to provide education, training and performance opportunities to kids and teens in acting, singing, dance, live performance and technical theater. We also provide live public performances to the community of all ages. PTYA’s vision is that young people feel successful, creative, confident, accepted and accepting of themselves. We work to inspire youth of all different backgrounds and situations to learn, grow and think outside the box. By discovering and developing their talents and expressing themselves, we can break down barriers and help create positive youth development and other important life skills. For our audience members we offer a family oriented cultural experience in the enjoyment of our performances which can inspire them as well.

Creative Team

Executive Director | Artistic Director

Marta Dewey

Marta Dewey founded PTYA in 1999 while teaching at Santa Clara Elementary School in Oxnard where she was the music teacher from 1998-2003.

Marta Dewey founded PTYA in 1999 while teaching at Santa Clara Elementary School in Oxnard where she was the music teacher from 1998-2003. She was also the after school activities director where she put on school musicals twice a year. Seeing a need for youth performing arts in Ventura County, in 1999 she created a nonprofit youth organization, Performance Theatre for Young Artists, and a private voice studio. In 2003, Ms. Dewey accepted a position at Santa Clara High School as the Drama Instructor, as well as producing plays and musicals at the school. Ms. Dewey has also taught private voice lessons for the past 24 years. With the steady increase of voice students and with PTYA growing by leaps and bounds, in 2006, Ms. Dewey left her teaching position at Santa Clara to work at her Ventura studio full time, teaching voice and running PTYA. Ms. Dewey was trained in classical voice by one of the county’s leading voice teachers, Linda Brice. Prior to teaching, Ms. Dewey performed in numerous musical theater and opera productions, and worked in technical theater in a variety of Southern California locations.
Choreographer

Jared Lantiegne

Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts.

Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean. A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary regelialia. It is a paradisematic country, in which roasted parts of sentences fly into your mouth.
Assistant Director | Costumes

Julie Lantiegne

Julie runs The House of MAGIC Foundation, a nonprofit educational center for the arts.

Technical Director

James Lantiegne

James Lantiegne, Professional magician, videographer, and sound engineer.

Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean. A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary regelialia. It is a paradisematic country, in which roasted parts of sentences fly into your mouth.