Education – Youth

Young at Heart’s next production begins Saturday, March 16th! See the side column for details.

The Raven is delighted to sponsor Young At Heart Theatre to bring arts education to Healdsburg. The inaugural workshop took place in Summer 2019, when the Raven was home to over 40 children from all over Sonoma County!

Led by director Katie Watts-Whitaker, these young actors spent their time working on acting, singing, dance, improv, and more as they prepared for a musical theater review. Both shows were packed and the children received standing ovations from the audience — a sure sign of success! It was fabulous to see a new generation of performers here at the Raven, singing their hearts out and genuinely excited to walk in the door each day.

Young At Heart has been an active and successful theater program in Southern California for over twenty years, run by Katie and her mother, Gloria. Katie moved north with her family and decided to bring her program to Healdsburg — we are proud to offer them a home at the Raven.

For more information and to sign up to audition for We’re All Mad Here, visit: youngathearttheatre.com.

About the Team

Katie Watts-Whitaker, Executive and Artistic Director.
Katie began her theatrical career at the age of four in a production of Peter Pan directed by her mom. Born in San Francisco and raised in Los Angeles, Katie spent her entire childhood and adolescence on the stage. She graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena, California, and continued as an actress, singer, choreographer, and children’s theater director. She also earned a B.A. in English Literature from California State University, Northridge. Katie was last seen on the A&E series, “Bates Motel” and in “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” at the Raven Theater. Katie is a songwriter and plays in the band, “Whitaker and Me” with her awesome and talented husband, Dennis. Her goal is to give to children the same joy of theater that truly changed her life.

Mary Watts, Director of Operations
Mary’s two passions are community and theater. She currently is the deputy director for Community Action Partnership, the largest non-profit in Sonoma County. CAP partners with low-income families and individuals to help them achieve economic and social stability. Mary is the past president of the Wine Country Young Democrats and in 2018 was awarded, “Young Democrat of The Year” from the Sonoma County Democratic Party. Mary holds a B.A in Political Science from San Francisco State University and a Master’s in Public Administration from Sonoma State. Born into a theater family, Mary spent her entire childhood on stage and continues to embrace her love and passion for theater arts. She serves on the Raven Performing Arts Theater’s board of directors.

Dennis Whitaker, Director of Marketing and Technology
Dennis currently works as the Manager of Marketing Technology and Operations for Astra Digital Marketing in Napa. He has a background in marketing, web design, photography, and business. He is also a musician and audio engineer and has worked on many theater productions for children and adults. He is thrilled to be working on a program that he believes to be so important for the world in our current climate. Dennis is the guitarist and songwriter for the band “Whitaker and Me” with his wife Katie. He resides in Sonoma County with his family, dogs, and guitars. His talents do not include writing about himself.

Kendra Gregory, Production Staff
A graduate of Lewis & Clark College, Kendra earned her B.A. in Sociology & Anthropology in 2018. She has an extensive theater resume, having spent most of her childhood and young adult life on stage. Her experience has shown her firsthand the value and importance of theater arts. At age four she began her theatrical journey with Gloria and Katie and is thrilled to have the opportunity to help bring Young At Heart Theatre to Northern California. Kenra helped bring the first summer program to the Raven in 2018 and was thrilled to see so many kids thrive and experience what she did as a child. She is pursuing a Master’s degree and continues to assist in the ongoing production of Young At Heart.

Workshops & Performances

We’re All Mad Here — A New Twist on the Old Classic

Journey down the rabbit hole with us for a new twist on the classic Alice in Wonderland story. Featuring the old text with modern Alice-inspired pop songs from some of your favorite artists like:

• White Rabbit
• We Found Wonderland 
• Just Like Fire
• Flowers
• Are You Ready For It?
• Heads Will Roll and more!

Auditions are on Saturday, March 16th at 10:AM at the Raven Performing Arts Theater in Healdsburg.

Enrollment Fee is $225 per student. Made payable by check to ‘Young at Heart Theatre.” Other payment options are available, please email Katie. 

Rehearsals will be on Saturdays from 10 AM-12:00 PM at the Raven with performances on May 31, June 1, and June 2. 

Please email Katie at katie@youngathearttheatre.com with any questions!

*Payment plans/sibling discounts available upon request

Support Children’s Theater

Please donate to this important program and help to continue to bring theater education to Healdsburg. Your donation will provide scholarships to children in need. ‘Young At Heart’ will always remain a low-cost theater program and be accessible to all. With your donation today, you can help enrich the lives of countless children with the arts.

Past Performances and Workshops

Broadway Bootcamp

Seussical the Musical
June 15-17, 2023

The Wizard of Oz
June 10-12, 2022