2026 OCTA Youth Conference
Students who are age twelve through high school senior are eligible to partake in the Oklahoma Community Theatre Association’s Youth Conference. Youth Conference is a two-day event in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, at the Wyndham Garden hotel Oklahoma City Airport. This conference is a two-day intensive theatrical training workshop for performance and technical skills, including auditioning, musical theatre, acting, and much more, which will culminate with a Saturday 4:00 pm Showcase performance.
Each attendee will have the chance to select classes. (Not all selections will be guaranteed.) Classes include: Mind Your Miming, Emotional Theory in Acting, Conquering Cold Readings, Overcoming Stage Fright, Salsa Dancing, How to Ace That Musical Theatre Audition, Master Class in Musical Theatre, Master Class in Acting, Tech Tournament, Stand up and Deliver, Stunts, Classical Acting Styles, and College Q&A.
This year’s OCTA conference is in Oklahoma City, OK, at the Wyndham Garden hotel Oklahoma City Airport. The youth conference is March 19 -21, 2026. The cost of attendance is $100, and this does not include lodging. If you need financial assistance, please contact info@oktheatre.org.
Conference Tuition – $100 (lodging not included)
- 2026 OCTA Youth Conference T-shirt
- 2 Tickets to the OCTA Youth Final Showcase
- Either a Makeup Kit or a Tool Kit
2026 Registration
Deadline for Registration!
All forms are due by March 17, 2026. (T-shirts will be ordered on March 1, any registration after that date may not include a T-shirt).
Schedule of Events
Classes will be held at the
Wyndham Garden hotel Oklahoma City Airport
2101 South Meridian Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73108
Each attendee will have the chance to select classes. (Not all selections will be guaranteed.) All will participate in some form in the showcase.
THURSDAY, MARCH 19 (Optional)
7:00 PM – Enrollment
7:30 – 8:00 PM – Orientation
8:00 – 9:00 PM – Fun Evening / Games
FRIDAY, MARCH 20
8:30 AM – Registration Table Opens
8:45 AM – Orientation
9:00 AM – Mind your Miming OR Emotional Theory in Acting
10:20 AM – Break
10:30 AM – Conquering Cold Readings OR Overcoming Stage Fright
11:50 AM – LUNCH (Provided)
12:20 PM – Improv as Acting Training
1:20 PM – Break
1:30 PM – Salsa Dancing
2:50 PM – Break
3:00 PM – How to Ace that Musical Theatre Audition
4:20 PM – Break
4:30 PM – Master Class in Musical Theatre OR Master Class in Acting
6:00 PM – End of Day
6:30 PM – Fun Evening (Dinner provided) – TBA
SATURDAY, MARCH 21
8:30 AM – Doors Open
9:00 AM – Tech Tournament
10:20 AM – Break
10:30 AM – Stand up and Deliver OR Stunts
11:50 AM – LUNCH (Provided)
12:30 PM – Classical Acting Styles
1:50 PM – Break
2:00 PM – College Q&A
3:00 PM – Break
3:30 PM – House Opens for the OCTA Youth Camp Production
4:00 PM – OCTA Youth Camp Production
Camp photos to follow.
5:00 PM – End of Camp
Class Descriptions
Mind your Miming
Learn how to hold space for imaginary props that open your acting to an immersive world of your creation using your mind and body.
Emotional Theory in Acting
This class will discuss and observe non-verbal communication, emotional research, and five stages of grief. Then apply emotional layering for character development. Students will act out scenarios using physiological theories.
Conquering Cold Readings
Cold reads can be super daunting. The way you prep your cold read sides in the waiting room on a time crunch can mean the difference between getting cast or not. Let’s learn how to make choices on the fly, feel grounded and connected in the room, and put your best foot forward! This workshop will cover everything you need to know about cold read callbacks/auditions, techniques, and succeeding when put on the spot. Scripts will be provided, and we will all get a chance to put what we learned to the test!
Overcoming Stage Fright
Improv as Acting
Salsa Dancing
How to Ace that Musical Theatre Audition
Master Class in Musical Theatre
Master Class in Acting
Tech Tournament
Stand up and Deliver
Stunts
Classical Acting Styles
College Q&A
Meet the Instructors
Shawn Hancock
Mind Your Miming
Shawn Hancock is an Oklahoma artist with many creative outlets. He is an illustrator/cartoonist, graphic designer, screen printer, painter, sign painter, sculptor, mime, mime teacher, theatrical set designer and builder. He is also an amateur writer, book binder, drummer, and hypnotist. In recent years, he has been breaking into film making. He and his wife Missy have been fortunate enough to have raised six amazing kids in a loving and creative household. He is a proud member of the Choctaw Nation and is currently living in Guthrie, OK.
Julie Tattershall
Emotional Theory in Acting
Julie Tattershall has her Bachelors of Fine Arts, Masters in Human Relations and is a retired artistic theatre director. She was awarded the Mary Kay Place Legacy Award, given for lifetime achievement and contributions to the Tulsa theatre community, from the Tulsa Awards for Theatre Excellence. Currently she is a teaching artist for the Oklahoma Arts Council.
Ashley J. Mandanas
Conquering Cold Readings
Ashley has been performing (and auditioning) professionally for over two decades. With a OU BFA in Musical Theatre, Ashley brings not only a formal education to the table, but a lived-experience across several different markets nation-wide. An instructor in acting, singing, and dance, Ashley cherishes the opportunity to share valuable knowledge with the next generation of stars.
Emily Hector Godwin
Salsa Dancing & How to Ace that Musical Theatre Audition
With over 15 years of teaching, choreography, and professional performance experience, Emily Hector Godwin brings a dynamic blend of artistry and education to our dance workshop. She holds a Master’s in Dance Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is an adjunct professor of dance at the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma, where she also coaches the USAO Dance Team. A versatile choreographer, she has created work for films, music videos, university productions, and award‑winning competitive teams. Her choreography has earned numerous top honors and multiple state placements. She is also the owner of Love To Dance Studio and serves as Executive Director of the Davis-Waldorf Performing Arts Series. Her performance credits include Celebrity Cruises, American Spirit Dance Company, Shoji Tabuchi, Smoky Mountain Opry, and Ballet Oklahoma’s The Nutcracker. Passionate about inspiring young dancers, she has dedicated her career to fostering creativity, confidence, and excellence in every student.
Shannan Bilyeu
Master Class in Musical Theatre
Shannan Bilyeu attended the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma completing two bachelor degrees, Music and Theatre, and was honored with the Outstanding Graduate Award for the Department of Arts and Humanities. She earned her master’s degree in Theatre from Kansas State University where she was inducted into the national theatre honors fraternity Theta Alpha Phi. A professional performer, director and stage manager across the Midwest Shannan currently resides in Oklahoma where her focus is with community theatre.
C.W. Bardsher
Improv as Acting Training & Stand Up and Deliver
C.W. Bardsher is a graduate of the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma where he graduated with a BA in Theater and He has trained in Chicago in the Second City’s Improv for the Actor program and performed stand up onstage at IO. He has a passion for helping instill a love of the arts to persons of all ages.
Janie Huebert
Stunts
Janie has a bachelors degree in vocal music and has been working as a Stunt Actor for 7 years at Frontier City. She loves being part of local short films and theater. Janie grew up singing, acting, and dabbling in dance. Janie received all her stunt training onsite at Frontier City and her skills now include stage combat, ground work, and falling off buildings.
Katie Davis, MFA
Classical Acting Styles
Professor Katie Davis earned a Master of Arts degree in New Play Development and a Master of Fine Arts in Directing. She was the Artistic Director of Corinth Theatre-Arts, a community theatre serving NE Mississippi and SW Tennessee. She also worked for years with professional and regional theatres in Philadelphia, New York, and Texas. She has been the director of more than 150 productions and has been a teacher and the Coordinator of the Theatre Arts Program at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma for almost twenty years.
Scholarship Opportunity
OCTA does offer scholarships for the Youth Conference.
Deadline for scholarship is March 1, 2026
Applicants will need a letter of recommendation from a school/church/organization official.
Scholarship Recipient will be notified by email upon receipt of scholarship.
Hotel Information
Recommended Lodging:
Wyndham Garden Hotel Oklahoma City Airport
2101 South Meridian Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73108
Phone: 405-685-4000
The hotel offers an OCTA group rate for $65 + tax = $74.19 per room per night, which includes a full complimentary breakfast and has an indoor pool. Book a room by calling the front desk at (405) 685-4000.