Musical Theatre and Acting

Let your light shine!

 

We believe that Theater is a great art form for everyone to explore, and an exciting way for students to develop many skills. Our young actors are given so much more than just training in acting, singing, and dancing. They are given confidence, friendships, positive role models, and lasting memories. Nurture your gifts and get ready to SHINE!

Mission and Values

Mission

SHINE Musical Theatre programs develop character, confidence, and community through quality theater arts training that brings families together while reflecting the light of Christ.

Core Values

Shine the light of Christ in everything we do and to everyone we meet

Treat all people with respect, allowing kindness to be our guide

Develop and use our gifts and talents to the glory of God

Classes and Coaching

Musical Theatre Classes

Our Rising Stars and Shining Stars classes will have your young actor on their way to becoming a triple threat!

SHINE! Musical Theatre Productions

CAM proudly stages several musical theatre productions each year, immersing each student in the full musical theatre experience, from auditions to rehearsals to showtime!

Acting, Dancing, and Audition Skills Workshops

CAM hosts workshops on audition preparation, resume building, vocal technique, and more.

Voice Lessons

Learn proper technique to protect your voice and how to “act a song” with our highly experienced voice faculty.

Matilda Jr

Summer Mainstage Production

Join the revolt in Broadway Junior’s adaptation of the Tony Award-winning hit, Matilda! Packed with high-energy numbers and catchy songs such as Naughty, When I Grow Up, & Revolting Children, Matilda Jr. features the power of imagination, courage, and cleverness. This beautiful and inspirational show will have you celebrating both the quiet & the revolution inside all of us!

We are doing the entire show in just 2 weeks this summer! And if that wasn’t enough, we will be taking our Matilda cast to the Jr Theatre Festival in Atlanta to perform in January 2026!

There are so many great roles in this show. Check out the Character Breakdown and Plot Synopsis.

For more information and to sign up, see here.

Beauty and the Beast Jr

Congratulations to our cast and crew!

For a few months this past winter we stepped into the enchanted world of Broadway’s classic, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.  In February, our talented Beauty and the Beast cast brought this beloved tale as old as time to the stage, performing to sold out audiences! We cannot say enough good things about this hardworking cast! It was a dream working with such amazing kids and teens on this production.

We hope you’ll enjoy these photos taken by the wonderful K. Clay Photography.

 

Fall 2025 Musical Theatre Classes

Our SHINE Musical Theatre classes will be back this fall for the third consecutive year! Under the direction of Marissa Hertzfeld, your child will learn acting and vocal technique, choreography, how to “act a song,” and prepare for their Musical Theatre Showcase.

Rising Stars

Ages 5-8

In Rising Stars, your child will explore musical theatre through song, dance, and acting. We start each class with improv games and vocal warm ups, then dive into singing, acting, and choreography. This class establishes the building blocks of musical theatre performance while nurturing creativity, confidence, and imagination. This class will culminate in a spectacular Musical Revue on November 11th!

SHINE Cast t-shirt included. 10 week session

Tuesdays 4:30-5:30 PM
September 9 – November 11

Shining Stars

Ages 9-13

Shining Stars focuses on developing those Triple Threat skills… singing, dancing, and acting. Your child will learn techniques for creating believable characters, while also building musicianship skills that will prep them for future auditions, such as our Winter Musical Production. Shining Stars is also excellent preparation for winter and spring productions at school and community theatre. Using music from some of the greatest Broadway shows, the class culminates in a Musical Revue on November 13th for Shining Star families. New this year, our Shining Stars will perform in the opening number of our Fall Mainstage Production!

**Shining Stars students will receive discounted tuition for our Spring Mainstage Musical Production!

SHINE Cast t-shirt included. 10 week session

Thursdays 4:30-5:30 PM
September 11 – November 13

Annie JR

Summer 2024 Mainstage Production

Bravo to our cast, crew, and directing team on our Summer Mainstage Production of Annie Jr! In just ten days this talented cast produced magic on stage. Annie is such a beloved and timeless classic. It has been eleven years since we did Annie at CAM, and it was pure joy bringing it back to the stage!

Thank you to Marissa Hertzfeld, our Director, and Brandy Caton, our Choreographer, for all of their hard work and leading with such enthusiasm and passion for theatre!

 

 

 

Coaches

  • Kirsten Beach

    From growing up around the coast of North Carolina to studying in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, Kirsten Beach is a vocalist, actress, and active … More Kirsten Beach »

  • Emma Hans

    Emma Hans is a dedicated pianist and vocalist with over twenty years of experience in the music industry. With a Bachelor of Music degree in … More Emma Hans »

  • Angela Renée Simpson

    Angela Renée Simpson is a passionate and motivated voice teacher with over a decade of experience working with students of all skill levels. Her goal … More Angela Renée Simpson »

  • Laura Black

    Laura Black is an accomplished performer in both musical theatre and opera. Originally from Gastonia, North Carolina, Laura relocated to the Charlotte area from New … More Laura Black »

  • Marissa Hertzfeld

    As a Charlotte native, Marissa grew up performing in local community theatres. She decided to pursue her love of theatre at Appalachian State University where … More Marissa Hertzfeld »

  • PJ Barnes

    New York born actor PJ Barnes, like most, started performing early in his life. From putting on shows for his family, he eventually stumbled onto … More PJ Barnes »

  • Sara Jackson voice teacher charlotte academy of music

    Sara Jackson

    Columbia, SC native Sara Jackson has studied and performed a variety of musical genres, from opera, to musical theatre, to heavy metal! Sara earned her … More Sara Jackson »

  • Brandy Caton

    Brandy Caton found her love of dance at a young age when she wouldn’t stop dancing around the house, and so her parents enrolled her … More Brandy Caton »

  • Tomeka Leaphart Chaney

    Having experience in the music, acting, dance and modeling industries, Tomeka brings a diverse experience to her students. Tomeka holds a Bachelor of Arts in … More Tomeka Leaphart Chaney »

Willy Wonka

Congratulations, Wonka cast!

The delicious adventures of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory lit up the stage in February of 2024 with a captivating adaptation of Roald Dahl’s fantastical tale. Featuring the enchanting songs from the 1971 film, in addition to a host of fun new songs, Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka JR. is a scrumdidilyumptious musical!

Our cast gave spectacular performances at the Kerr Recreational Center in Mint Hill. Bravo to our cast, directing team, and crew. We are so proud of you!

 

The Addams Family

SHINE Musical Theatre and Charlotte Academy of Music proudly presented The Addams Family young@part summer of 2023. Congratulations to our Directors PJ Barnes, our cast and crew. Enjoy this video montage of clips from the show!

 

 

 

 

Aladdin

Charlotte Academy of Music and SHINE Musical Theatre, in partnership with Music Theatre International (MTI), presented Aladdin KIDs in July 2023. Based on the iconic animated film, with an Academy Award-winning score by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, Disney’s Aladdin KIDS sent our audiences soaring on a flying carpet ride filled with romance and adventure.

Congratulations to our Aladdin cast and crew on an amazing production!

 

Legally Blonde

Harvard’s beloved blonde took the stage by glittery pink storm in this fun and upbeat adaptation of the hit film and award-winning Broadway musical. Congratulations to our Legally Blonde cast on an incredible show! This cast performed two shows at PPC on January 14, 2023. We could not be more proud of this fantastic cast, directing team, and crew. It was an absolute hit to our sold out audiences!

Many thanks to PJ Barnes (Director) and Tomeka Chaney (Production Administrator) for leading this incredible cast to such a terrific production.

 

 

 

Sister Act

SHINE Musical Theatre and Charlotte Academy of Music presented the hilarious musical comedy, Sister Act JR, May 6-7, 2022. Filled with powerful gospel music, outrageous dancing, and a truly moving story, Sister Act JR. left our audiences rejoicing! A sparkling tribute to the universal power of friendship, Sister Act JR. was such a fun show. Our cast took the Kerr stage at Philadelphia Presbyterian Church giving three wonderful performances.

Congratulations to our tremendously talented cast, our crew, and Director Joanna Dendrolivanos.

 

 

 

 

High School Musical

Our incredible cast of High School Musical Jr performed to a packed audience at Philadelphia Presbyterian Church in Mint Hill on May 29, 2022. In this 5 day musical theatre intensive, our cast was immersed in what it takes to put on a show… and that they did! The Jocks, Brainiacs, Cheerleaders, Thespians, coaches and teachers were, dare we say, all in this together. We loved seeing this cast become a cohesive team working together to produce something wonderful.

Congratulations to the cast, crew, and our phenomenal Director, PJ Barnes.

 

 

 

Past Shows

CAM Alum Spotlight

Samantha Gangal, Actor and Musician

Samantha Gangal

Samantha is an actress, singer and model originally from Charlotte, now living in Los Angeles. Her career began when she started taking piano lessons at CAM at the age of 7. In addition, she starting taking singing lessons and performed roles in the Charlotte Academy of Music productions of Annie JR and The Sound of Music. A few years later, while taking acting classes in Charlotte, Samantha attended a talent showcase in Florida where she caught the eye of agents in Los Angeles. It was then her family made the decision to move west on a temporary basis.

Samantha has appeared in several national commercials, including Frito Lay, General Motors, and Disney. Her television and film credits include episodes on DreamWorks TV (OMG), Investigation Discovery Channel’s Blood Relatives, and feature films Internet Famous and Agent Revelation. She has also appeared in various web series episodes, short films, and music videos. Samantha’s musical interests include rock, musical theatre, and pop. In addition to recording covers, she just finished recording two original songs to be released later this summer.

Samantha’s  Instagram, Facebook, IMDb, Youtube, Website

Ivan Mallon

“In 2014, I moved to California to pursue acting full time. I was fortunate enough to book one of my first jobs for a Nickelodeon television show “School of Rock” based on a 2003 movie starring Jack Black. During the audition process, they asked everyone to perform a musical skill of their choice, and due to my years of piano classes at CAM I had no problem selecting something to showcase. I worked on that for four years and am thankful every day for that special experience. Flash forward a couple of years. I am currently recurring on a Hulu show, have been given the opportunity to guest star on other projects, meet great people, and continue every day to go after my passion.

I will always be thankful for the amazing support and love that CAM gifted me and my family. I am truly grateful for the amazing teachers and staff that made it some of the most memorable years of my life.”

Ivan on IMDb

Caroline Kirk

Caroline Kirk was a longtime voice and musical theatre student at CAM. At CAM, Caroline played the leading role of the Baker’s Wife in our production of Into the Woods.  After graduating high school, she headed to Catawba College where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre. During her educational career, she performed in 17 productions. She was awarded Best Actress of the Season for her portrayal of the Witch in Into the Woods (2019), Gertrude in Hamlet (2018), and Karen in The Children’s Hour (2017). She was also awarded the Dance Award in 2017, and then received the Jo Ann Smith Dance Award in 2018 for Excellence in Execution for her role as Virtue in Anything Goes. During her junior year at Catawba, Kirk began holding coaching sessions for the students in her program to help with audition packages, classwork, and any other acting/vocal work. In her senior year, she made this an official Master Class program, and used this as a part of her Capstone presentation on actor coaching.

After graduating from Catawba, Kirk began working for Old Town Theatre Company in Rock Hill, SC, as an actress and director. Kirk portrayed Katrina Van Tassel in their production of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in 2019, and also served as the dance captain for that production. In February of 2020, she was cast as the White Rabbit/March Hare in their production of Alice in Wonderland, which was, unfortunately, cancelled due to the COVID pandemic. In July of 2020, Kirk was offered a directing position with Old Town Theatre Company to direct several short Shakespearean scenes for their “Sidewalk Shakespeare” project. Kirk led a crash-course in performing Shakespeare with a fellow company member, then quickly began casting and directing her scenes. She now resides in Atlanta, GA, and is overjoyed to see the return of live theatre to her area.

Caroline’s Website, Instagram

Past Workshops

Adam Pascal

Adam Pascal Workshop at Charlotte Academy of Music

Charlotte Academy of Music hosted a very prestigious visitor. Tony award nominee and Broadway star, Adam Pascal, taught a master class for musical theater hopefuls in the area. Adam is well known for originating the role of Roger Davis in the  1996 cast of Rent on Broadway, the 2005 movie version of the musical, and the Broadway tour of Rent in 2009. He is also known for originating the role of Radames in Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida, for playing the Emcee from the 1998 revival of Cabaret, and for playing Huey Calhoun in the Broadway company of Memphis. Most recently, he played William Shakespeare in the Tony Award-winning musical Something Rotten!

Adam came to Charlotte Academy of Music as  part of the Straight from New York workshop and concert series. This series brings big name Broadway performers to cities around the US so that new talent can benefit from their knowledge and experience. Master classes are a great way for students to get performance feedback from professionals and most students walk away having learned invaluable information about performing and the theater business.

Read more about Adam Pascal’s visit to Charlotte Academy of Music

 

Videos

My daughter has adored every camp she has done at CAM…piano, art and musical theatre. She now insists on signing up for every art workshop and camp offered! She adored her teachers, enjoyed the different activities, and made tons of friends she still plays with now!

~ Allison