CYT Dallas Annual Report | 2021-2022

PLANTING OUR ROOTS &

Christian Youth Theater is a community that champions and advocates for youth discovering their Identity in Christ.

At CYT Dallas, we believe in the power of building character through the medium of Creative Arts. With our supporters, we can impart discipline and integrity while instilling self-confidence in each student who accepts our challenge. While students are busy creating characters on stage, we are focused on helping them build character that will shape their future and ours.

CYT Dallas has made a name for itself in Denton County in a few short years. In our 2021-2022 Season, CYT Dallas produced classes, camps, and four MainStage productions. Our students, volunteers, and artistic teams continued to elevate our program quality. CYT stands at the forefront in its commitment to the highest ethical, moral, technical, and artistic standards of excellence.

Our vision is to have a theater arts studio of our own. This year, we became steadfast in our search and enlisted consultants’ expertise to help us. A home venue will generate new revenue and allow us to reach more audiences to serve and impact thousands of lives with year-round arts education programs. It is time for CYT Dallas to enter a new phase of growth.

We are always in awe of the extraordinary talent of our CYT Dallas community and their passion for live theater. Thanks to your financial contributions, we can continue empowering individuals of all ages across the metroplex to shine on and off stage.

We are growing to be one of the most well-known theater groups in Denton County, and we don’t take our role for granted. Thank you for your ongoing support. Together, we can raise the curtain on the exciting journey ahead of us.

Shannon Mahoney

Managing Director

CYT Dallas shannon@cytdallas.org

Tyler Hutchinson Artistic Director

CYT Dallas tyler@cytdallas.org

&

BUILDING FOR GROWTH

CYT DALLAS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sybil Mulokwa, Chair

Dave Holden, Treasurer

Diana Henao, Secretary

Camey Armstrong, Member

Mike Reisinger, Member

*Tyler Hutchinson, Member

Bruce McGaha, Member

*Shannon Mahoney, Member

*=Non-Voting Members

WHAT WE DO

Our mission is to develop character and creativity in children of all ages through quality theater arts training that brings families and communities together while reflecting the Creator.

WHAT WE VALUE

• Treating every individual with respect and significance.

• Developing character traits including discipline, self-confidence, and integrity.

• Bringing families together through the use of individual talents and abilities.

• Share the love of Christ in word and deed.

WHAT WE SEE

Research has shown that children who receive regular exposure to the arts are four times more likely to be recognized for academic excellence, earn on average a 15% higher GPA, and have a 34% higher graduation rate.

THE CYT COMMUNITY IS YOU

Alumni

Many of our alumni go on to pursue careers in theater arts education and land roles in television and on Broadway. They say that CYT helped prepare them for their future path, and they graciously return to visit us and share their inspiring experiences with the next generation of CYT students. We couldn’t be prouder of each and every one of them.

Community Partners

Our community partners provide us with the venue space and equipment we need to hold our classes and shows. We also partner with local organizations and businesses to participate in community events to raise our visibility and give back to the communities that give so much to us.

Donors & Sponsors

Our generous family of donors and sponsors make CYT possible. Our revenue comes through class tuition and ticket sales, but donations and sponsorships enable us to cover the costs required to deliver the premiere programming we are known for and reach even more children in our communites.

Volunteers

Community volunteers donate their time to help us create and deliver our arts education curriculum. It is all “hands on deck” at CYT and volunteers do everything from building show sets and sewing costumes to selling refreshments and helping backstage. The opportunity brings families and communities together and fosters lifelong friendships.

WHY INVEST? YOU MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

According to “The Value and Quality of Arts Education: A Statement of Principles”, students who participate in the arts do better in school, stay in school longer and win more academic awards. They are also three times more likely to go to college and become more confident, considerate, pro-social, and pro-civic citizens. Your donations to CYT Dallas ensure that our students are given these benefits, so that they can go on to build a stronger world for future generations.

CYT is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization. Since revenue from ticket sales and class tuition is not enough to cover operating costs, every dollar you contribute ensures that we can continue to deliver top-notch, affordable programming to our goals.

As a result of your generosity this fiscal year, we received over $330,000 in donations and sponsorships that we put right back into our program.

Where Contributions Come From

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

As a sponsor, you are incorporated into everything we do from advertising and marketing to community engagement activities to special events, to reach thousands of individuals of all ages who appreciate the arts as much as you do.

SHOWS

Sponsoring a show is a quick and effective way to support a production while advertising your business to the thousands of patrons in the audience with you. CYT Dallas is grateful for every corporation that partnered with us this year.

GALA

The Annual CYT Greatest Show Gala is an immersive and inspiring evening of experiences! It is always the year’s highlight, complete with performances, dinner, and silent & live auctions. Sponsoring the event is not only an excellent opportunity to be seen by some of the most influential business minds in our community but also an opportunity to help further the mission of CYT Dallas.

Members of the “Standing O” Society are individuals or businesses who support CYT with a recurring monetary gift. This support is vital to our financial health and helps us continue to provide training in the arts in an atmosphere of excellence.

GIVE THE GIFT OF A SCHOLARSHIP

Give CYT to a Student: One Gift, Twice The Impact

CYT aims to give access to theater arts for all children regardless of their financial situation by offering scholarships to families in need. Your matching donations help us give kids who don’t have the financial means to participate in our programs the chance to do so. This year, CYT Dallas gave away over $4,000 in scholarships to students so that they can be part of the CYT family.

YOUR INVESTMENT AT WORK

Classes

cytdallas.org/classes

CYT classes include drama, voice, dance, and behind-the-scenes training in makeup, costumes, tech, and more. A high-energy showcase is held for students to perform the skills they have learned for family and friends.

Shows

cytdallas.org/shows

Our shows are family-friendly, Broadway-style musicals. Students audition to participate on stage or as backstage crew, technical teams, and ushers. We also produce school day performances for local public and private schools to make live theater accessible to more children.

Camps

cytdallas.org/camps

Our Musical Theater Summer Camp is one of the most affordable, high-quality musical theatre camps in Dallas and offers theater workshops, including dance, drama, voice, and exciting theater games. Our overnight camp is jam-packed with games, activities, and interactive workshops that build performance skills, self-confidence and teamwork. Through praise, worship, prayer, and daily devotions, CYT teen camps are particularly focused on spiritual growth.

PROGRAMS

cytdallas.org/programs

CYT@School

Our after school and residency programs support performing arts training in public and private schools and include drama, voice, and dance training. Residency programs are offered during the school day and are customized to the individual school and their program needs.

School Field Trips

Literature from the classroom comes to life on stage in quality productions with colorful costumes, professional staging, energetic choreography, and singing, paired with optional curriculum guides to help tie into the state educational standards. CYT School Day performances are designed specifically for elementary and middle school classes. The school day shows are typically only 90 minutes in duration.

Christian Community Theater (CCT)

The purpose of CCT is to provide a place for children, teens and adults to take the stage together. CYT Dallas has produced three CCT productions: The Wizard of Oz, Disney’s Beauty & The Beast, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

MY CYT STORY: Facing Your Fears

Ashley T, CYT Alumni

CYT is everything to me! I have grown so much as a person, I have found community. I think everyone should consider doing CYT if they want community, life skills and a place to better themselves as a performer. At CYT everyone is kind to each other. We had just moved and I didn’t have anyone and CYT gave me community. One of my biggest moments was when I was cast as Dorothy, in the Wizard of Oz. I was in a place where I thought someone finally sees me. It’s important who you surround yourself with and CYT has the best community.

MY CYT STORY: Just Getting Started

Ruth Bennet, CYT National Board Chair

I have a theater background but I didn’t know what CYT was until I met a young man who came to town and spoke of such things!  Tyler’s path and mine crossed when he needed some governing help to start a non-profit. I had never seen a CYT show but after months of setting up and following CYT protocols to open a new Branch, the first show brought tears rolling down my face at the Broadway quality and the godly character being infused in the participants, both kids and parents alike. At CYT hearts are taught about the Creator of their abilities, the purpose of those abilities in their lives to accomplish the Creator God’s goals, and to prefer others along the way.

MY CYT STORY: Giving it All

Sarah

C, CYT Parent/CCT Performer

My favorite thing about CYT is the people, the leaders – CYT is a community that loves the arts and wants to see their kids thrive and do what they love. CYT helped my daughter step out of her comfort zone.

I have really seen her grow through this experience. It has built her character and confidence. She has overcome a lot of fears. I would recommend anyone to CYT who wants to see kids grow, thrive and walk out in their calling.

#FindYourCharacter