As part of our mission to educate and inspire, we frequently hold classes for both children and adults to learn acting, creative drama, dance, and more.
Class Cancellation Policy:
In the event a class needs to be cancelled due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances, you will be notified via your registration email.
Posted prices are for all eight weeks of class
(unless otherwise specified).
Classes with fewer than 4 participants will be cancelled and registrants will be notified and refunded.
If you have questions or concerns and would like to contact a staff member for assistance, please email Director of Education and Innovation Chuck Tuttle at chuck@theatrecentre.com.
Acting the Character
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Creative Drama
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Directing Series
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Acting for the Camera
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Beginner Tap
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Intermediate Tap
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Intermediate Theatre Dance
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Zumba
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Become a Better Singer
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Acting the Character + Creative Drama + Directing Series + Acting for the Camera + Beginner Tap + Intermediate Tap + Intermediate Theatre Dance + Zumba + Become a Better Singer +
ACTING
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Wednesdays, January 20 - March 10, 2027
Eight week session
Time: 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
Cost: $180
Instructors: Jinny Jagoditsch
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Thursdays, January 21 - March 11, 2027
Eight week session
Time: 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
Cost: $180
Instructors: Chuck Tuttle
MEET THE INSTRUCTORS!
Chuck Tuttle - Chuck is the Director of Education and Outreach for the Chattanooga Theatre Centre. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Children’s Theatre and Creative Drama from the University of Texas at Austin and has over 30 years of experience doing theatre with and for young people. His professional background includes serving as Directors of Education at Austin Theatre for Youth in Austin, Texas, and Children’s Theatre Workshop in Pleasanton, California. Mr. Tuttle has taught theatre classes to all ages in Acting, Play Writing, Technical Theatre, Shakespeare, Voice, Movement, Improvisation and Comedy, among others.
Jinny Jagoditsch - Jinny is a performer and educator local to the Chattanooga and Northwest Ga area. She began as a student in youth theatre at the age of 6 and has been working behind the scenes for over 20 years. She is the tour manager and a proud team member of CTC's Theatre for The Very Young program, which brings interactive educational theatre to small children in the community.
Creative Drama
Tuesdays, September 15 - November 10, 2026 (no class October 13)
Eight week session
Cost: $125
Description: Through games and creative play, we’ll build a character together by adding places, plots, problems, and resolutions to create a story that students will act out using their bodies, voices and imaginations.
Acting the Character
Step into the shoes of another person. A dynamic performance starts with a believable character. Through improvisation, scripts, and theatre exercises, you will learn the techniques to create characters that come to life on the stage.
COST: $185 (Total amount for 8 week session)
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Tuesdays, September 15 - November 10 (no class October 13)
Eight week session
Time: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Cost: $185
Description: Step into the shoes of another person. A dynamic performance starts with a believable character. Through improvisation, scripts, and theatre exercises, you will learn the techniques to create characters that come to life on the stage.
MEET THE INSTRUCTOR!
Amber Nickki - Amber is the Education Associate at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre. She holds a B.A. in Theatre and Performance Studies from Kennesaw State University and is an M.F.A. candidate at the University of Idaho where she studies acting and directing. Amber has been in professional theatre for over 30 years and has been teaching for 25 years.
DANCE
Week-day Dance Classes
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Wednesdays, Januray 20 - March 10
Eight week session
Time: 5:40 PM – 6:30 PM
Cost: $110
Description: if you’ve ever wanted to tap your troubles away, and would like to learn the basics, this beginning level tap dance class is for you!
Tap shoes required.
Instructor: Lindsey Fussell
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Wednesdays, January 20 - March 10
Eight week session
Time: 6:30 PM – 7:20 PM
Cost: $110
Description: This class is designed for the more experienced tapper.Tap shoes required.
Instructor: Lindsey Fussell
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Wednesdays, January 20 - March 10 Eight week session
Time: 4:45 PM – 5:35 PM
Cost: $110
Description: This class will feature the dance styles from broadway musicals such as The Outsiders, West Side Story, Anastasia, and more!
Instructor: Lindsey Fussell
Saturday Dance
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Saturdays
9:00AM - 10:00AM
Cost: $10 per class
Join us for an energetic and fun workout! This Zumba class is designed for everyone, combining upbeat music with easy-to-follow dance moves to get your heart rate up and leave you feeling great. All levels are welcome. No registration necessary, Just drop in and move!
Instructor: Ariana S.
MEET THE INSTRUCTORS!
Lindsay Fussell - Lindsay is the choreographer of numerous Chattanooga Theatre Centre productions, including “La Cage Aux Folles,” “Peter Pan,” “Mary Poppins,” “Something Rotten, The Musical!” and most recently “Frozen,” “The Spongebob Musical,” in addition to her many off-site credits.
Ariana S. - Ariana is incredibly excited and honored to be able to teach and share Zumba with the Chattanooga Theatre Centre community! What began as a convenient and somewhat cooler (temperature wise) way to train for a half marathon in the dead of summer in Texas, quickly became one of those things you just can't live without. Ariana completed her Zumba certification class fifteen years and has been teaching ever since.
SPECIALTY
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Satudays, February 13-April 3
Time: 10:00AM-1:00PM
Cost: $450
eight week session
Description: join Actor –writer– Director Dylan Kussman for an eight–week on– camera acting seminar focusing on character building and scene work for the camera. This is a hands-on class designed to teach actors how to break down a scene and make relevant character choices before shooting their performance in a simulated on – set atmosphere with on– set time constraints. Beginners and on screen veterans alike willl get something out of this class, but ideal participants will have a solid acting background with a strong desire for more practical film and TV experience.
Please note: the purchase of Robert Benedetti’s, ACTION! Professional Acting for Film and Television, 2nd Ed. Will be required for participation in this class.
Instructor: Dylan Kussman
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Saturdays, January 16 - April 3 (no class March 20)
10 week session
9:00AM-12:00PM
Cost: $420 (Includes the cost of the certification)
Description: Ready to Slice and Dice?! This winter term, SAFD Certified Teacher Will Snyder is offering a 30-hour Stage Combat Knife Certification course! The knife is the most visceral weapon on the stage, capable of creating unforgettable acting moments. Expand your performance palette and learn how to make every cut look deadly while keeping your audience on the edge of their seats. No experience required, just a love of theatre and performance. There's something genuinely thrilling about learning to fight like the characters you've always wanted to play, and this course lets you do exactly that.
Instructor: Will Snyder
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Wednesdays, January 20 - March 10
Eight week session
5:00PM-6:30PM
Decscription: Build a better voice! Geared toards beginner to intermdiate singers, this class will help you prepare your voice for auditioning and performing in a musical
Instructor: Neshawn Calloway
COST $425
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Thursdays,
January 19 - March 9
Eight week session
Time: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
This directing course focuses on applying the director's main tools to rehearsals and performance: research, picturization, movement, and communication with actors. This course will operate as a workshop where we activate these elements to bring ideas to life. Additionally, participants will learn the vitally important communication skills needed to work with designers and collaborators. This course is all about application and activation. All students are welcome; no prior directing experience required.
Cost: $185
Instructor: Blake Harris
MEET THE INSTRUCTORS!
Will Snyder (Stage Combat) - Will is a Certified Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors and has been training in stage combat for close to 20 years. Since relocating to Chattanooga in 2021, he has coordinated Tennessee's only stage combat workshop Scenic City Slam in conjunction with UTC's Theatre Department. He has choreographed fights all over the Chattanooga region and is stoked to be partnering with CTC to bring the first ever SAFD Certification Class to Chattanooga.
Blake Harris - [he/him] (Directing)-Blake is a theatre director, entrepreneur, and educator. He received his MFA in Theatre Direction from CalArts, MA in Arts Administration from Rowan University, and BA in Gender & Sexuality Studies from UTC. He has been fortunate to teach theatre at The Strasberg Institute of Theatre & Film (Los Angeles), Salisbury University (Maryland), and UTC, where his courses have focused on directing, play analysis, devising, global theatre history, and feminist performance theory. After freelancing as a professional director in LA, he established Obvious Dad, a Chattanooga-based theatre company that produces bold, aesthetically driven contemporary works. As a researcher, his primary focus is on the intersections of performance theory and the paranormal.
Dylan Kussman (Acting for the Camera)- A working film and television actor since the age of 14, Dylan Kussman got his big break as Richard Cameron in 1989’s Dead Poets Society. He has since appeared in such feature films as Richard Jewell, The Mule, The Mummy (2017), Jack Reacher, Flight,X2, and The Way of The Gun. His television credits include Memphis Beat, House, Without A Trace, Monk, Cold Case, One Tree Hill, and Drop Dead Diva. He has worked alongside such cinematic luminaries as Tom Cruise, Clint Eastwood, James Caan, Kathy Bates, Benicio Del Toro, Brian Cox, Alfre Woodard, Sir Ian McCellan, Peter Weir, Christopher McQuarrie, and the late Robin Williams. Dylan is also a professional screenwriter and member of the Writers Guild of America, having recently worked as a production writer on Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, Mission: Impossible - Fallout and The Mummy (2017).He is the writer, director, and star of the hit web series The Steps and director of the feature film Wrestling Jerusalem. He has 20 years of writing and acting teaching experience, and currently teaches cinema history and on-camera acting at UTC. This past spring, Dylan directed William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night in the Circle Theatre at CTC, and is set to direct Much Ado About Nothing for the Main Stage this coming February.
Neshawn Calloway (Become a Better Singer) -Neshawn has completed her thirtieth year in music education and twenty-fifth year as Vocal Music Director at Center for Creative Arts (CCA) where she conducted six vocal ensembles. In 2020 and 2025 Neshawn was recognized by the CMA (Country Music Association) Foundation as a music teacher of excellence. In addition to her work at CCA she also teaches private lessons and is often a guest soloist in churches in the Chattanooga area. She has appeared at Nightfall, Riverbend and the Levitt Amp Concert Series with her band. Neshawn is known throughout Chattanooga for her performance of the music of blues legend, Bessie Smith. In 2012 she traveled to Hamm, Germany where she performed a concert of jazz and blues to a sold-out audience. She returned in May of 2023 with a group of students that were well received in churches and other venues in Hamm. In 2027 she will appear as a guest conductor in the Carnegie Hall Concert Series. Neshawn’s experience with CTC extends back to 2017 with the cast of The Wiz where she played Aunt Em and Glinda. She has also served as music director for Once on This Island, Jr and The Lion King, Jr, and Aladdin Jr., The Color Purple and Ain’t Misbehavin’ and Dreamgirls.
Home School Classes
Home School Theatre Academy
This new initiative offers our top-quality theatre classes for home school children.
Amber Nickki (ages 12-17)- Amber is the Education Associate at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre. She holds a B.A. in Theatre and Performance Studies from Kennesaw State University and is an M.F.A. candidate at the University of Idaho where she studies acting and directing. Amber has been in professional theatre for over 30 years and has been teaching for 25 years.
Chuck Tuttle (ages 8-11)- Chuck is the Director of Education and Outreach for the Chattanooga Theatre Centre. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Children’s Theatre and Creative Drama from the University of Texas at Austin and has over 30 years of experience doing theatre with and for young people. His professional background includes serving as Directors of Education at Austin Theatre for Youth in Austin, Texas, and Children’s Theatre Workshop in Pleasanton, California. Mr. Tuttle has taught theatre classes to all ages in Acting, Play Writing, Technical Theatre, Shakespeare, Voice, Movement, Improvisation and Comedy.
Ages 12 - 17
Acting the Character
Mondays, January 18 - March 8 1:00PM- 2:30PM
Description: The fundamental job of an actor is to tell the story of the character. This class will help you understand the steps to creating a dynamic and believable character.
Cost: $185 SIGN UP HERE
Ages 8 -11
Acting Fundamentals
Wednesdays, January 20 - March 10 1:00PM - 2:30PM
Description: Ready for the stage? Whether you’ve never acted before, or just want to advance yours skills, this course will use theatre exercises to help you learn to speak, move and think like an actor. Each class is designed with age-appropriate activities and materials.
Cost: $185 SIGN UP HERE
Classes for Very Young Children & Parents
Storytime Theatre Play
Introducing a new class for children ages 2 - 5 years and their parents
Storytime Theatre Play
Step into the story! Designed for young children and their adults, this interactive class introduces early learners to theatre and literacy through play, music, and movement. Together, you’ll explore the basic actor’s tools—Body, Voice, and Imagination—as you explore stories and bring them to life through imaginative play, build book care habits, and nurture early social skills in a fun, supportive setting
Bring stories to life through songs, chants, and movement
Build early literacy and social skills together
Join us for a joyful adventure where stories jump off the page!
Eight week session
Thursday Mornings, January 21 - March 11
9:00AM-10:00AM
Cost: $130 for one child and one parent