EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Christine has been wonderfully installed as the Executive Director of ATY since February 2023. Her love of the stage started early when she was frequently cast in her school and church musicals in featured singing roles. Her love of singing took her to pursue her bachelor's and master's in vocal performance and into the career of professional opera singer. However, her first love was and has always been music theatre and she has been enjoying flexing her acting and comedic skills through cabarets, musicals and concerts throughout Alaska. She is known for her delightful stage presence and musical laugh!

Christine has owned and operated her own small business for over 20 years. In the non-profit arena, she has served on the Board of ATY and NATS (National Association of Teachers) in numerous positions as President, Secretary, and Treasurer. She has worked with youth of all ages in schools, through artist in residence programs, ATY programs, musical productions and through her own work as a voice instructor. She loves to see the transformation that happens in kids from the first day of auditions to the final curtain - seeing them blossom, feel confident in their skills and the thrill of successfully completing difficult projects together.

Christine is honored to serve the youth of Alaska in her position with ATY. Her vision for ATY is to provide an inclusive, welcoming, and inspiring theatre environment where all kids feel heard, respected, and safe enough to make brave choices with their artistry.

Christine enjoys couch snuggles with her cat, Kittypaws, getting out in nature for walks, laughing, and dreaming about vacations in sunny destinations!

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Janet has appeared on or backstage with almost every theatre company in Alaska. She has been with ATY for more than twenty years as an actor, director, instructor, playwright and Artistic Director.

A graduate of  Willamette University with a Bachelor of Theatre degree, Janet has written more than a dozen plays for Alaska Theatre of Youth. In 2020, she was voted Best Director of the Decade by Broadway World Anchorage for ATY’s The Velveteen Rabbit. Some of her other favorite shows include: Charlotte’s Web (ATY), The Rainmaker (Anchorage Community Theatre), The Witch of Blackbird Pond (ATY), Two Jews Walk Into a War (RKP Productions), Harvey (Anchorage Community Theatre) and This Is Where We Came In (Cyrano’s Theatre Company)

Passionate about improv, Janet started taking classes as a teen and has performed with Scared Scriptless as well as being a founding member of Off The Cuff Improv and A Little Off The Top Improv.

She was part of two Shakespeare in American Communities productions funded by the National Endowment for the Arts which toured Alaska and traveled to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre.

Janet would like to thank her husband Mark and Diet Coke for making all things possible.

PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Austyn was born and raised in small-town Tupelo, Mississippi (the birthplace of Elvis.) She started performing as soon as she could walk, and at the ripe age of 6, she could name every character in Andrew Lloyd Webber's masterpiece, Cats. Over the years, she studied dance, gymnastics, and aerial arts, and has had the privilege of performing in, choreographing, and stage managing countless productions. In High School, she served as President of Troupe 1949 and the Mississippi Ambassador for the Intentati International Association. Her love of theatre continued, and she graduated from The University of Mississippi with dual degrees in Theatre Arts and Speech Pathology. While there, she acted as Artistic Director for Ghostlight Repertory Theatre and wrote a children's musical that toured to nearly 3,000 students across North Mississippi. 

For the last 12 years, she has worked as a choreographer, teaching artist, and stage manager for regional theatre companies across the United States. Favorite shows include Legally Blonde (Florida Repertory Theatre), The Wizard of Oz (Lexington Children's Theatre), The Aristocats Kids (Vault Theatre Company), My Dear Watson (Chicago Musical Theatre Festival), The Arc Trials (Mudlark Theatre Company) and Get Your Head In The Game (Adventure Stage Chicago). In 2021, she even accidentally won a Broadway Regional Award for lighting design! 

Her passion is using the power of theater to tell stories that matter. Whether an existing show or a devised piece, she has been fortunate enough to work on productions that address critical social issues, mental health, and other topics close to her heart. She feels incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a lively and dynamic artistic community. When not at the theatre, you can usually find Austyn with her nose in a book and a jar of peanut butter nearby. 

PRESIDENT

Kids doing theater at ATY learn so much more than theater. ATY is building in young actors the skills they need to be anything they choose to be as adults. I’m proud to be a part of supporting all that ATY gives to each actor and to our community.

PAST PRESIDENT
Ella Ede has served on the ATY board since 2019. As a theatre kid herself, she is passionate about providing a safe space for students to express themselves and build confidence. All four of her children participated in ATY programs and gained valuable skills while having a lot of fun.

VICE PRESIDENT

SECRETARY

TREASURER

MEMBER
I performed with ATY when I was a teen and I’m so honored to be able to support this invaluable organization by serving on the board.

MEMBER

MEMBER