About
Our Hearts, Our Mission.
Kaleidoscope Performing Arts is a youth-based theatre company striving to empower youth not only in their performing skills, but through encouragement, creating a safe, non-judgmental, God-honoring environment, while shining Christ’s love, and building up the next generation spiritually, emotionally, confidently, and creatively. We believe that God has created each individual with gifts to not only glorify Him, but to shine before others.
KPA welcomes and is open to all students of differing backgrounds and beliefs, with the understanding that prayer, biblical references, and Christ’s love will be shown and expressed in creating together our stories and dances in rehearsals, and on the stage.
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not changes like shifting shadows.” James 1:17 NIV
Meet the Staff
Cami Thomassen is a 2001 graduate of Bethel University with a BA in Theatre Arts (emphasis children’s theatre) and Creative Writing, who also studied children’s and youth theatre abroad in Australia. She has a love for the stage herself, and has been cast in several shows, playing prominent and noteworthy roles earlier on in her career. Having worked 20+ years with students of all ages in theatre, and in 3 different countries, she has written original scripts for both churches and casts she has directed. Cami has several years of experience directing for the stage, and has taught diverse acting classes (Shakespeare, Playwriting, Beginning and Advanced Acting, Dialects, and Improvisation to name a few).
Cami has 10+ years of ministry experience, including drama ministry, and having organized, led, and helped build a women’s ministry at a nearby church for 4 years. She was an active board member for a homeschool co-op where she taught acting for the 8 years, and currently, Cami is a hired tutor at WEST teaching Acting.
God placed starting a performance company on Cami’s heart over two decades ago, after a prophetic word was spoken over her while studying through YWAM in a M.A.D. (Music, Art, and Dance) school. She has dreamed of providing a safe, Jesus-filled space for youth to grow in the arts. Her passion is to help lead youth into a deeper relationship with Christ, encouraging them in their creativity & confidence for the stage and beyond. And through speaking life into student’s gifts and talents, she longs for students to fully know and glorify Jesus through their unique set of performance abilities.
If your child is looking for a positive, Christ-centered, loving environment to belong to, Kaleidoscope Performing Arts may just be where God wants them! Reach out with any questions you may have about Kaleidoscope, and where your child may best fit and grow in this company!
Abigail Nielsen is beyond excited to be jumping on board with KPA! Since elementary school, she has spent countless hours on, and behind, the stage. After finding an excitement for theatre as a performer, Abigail began exploring the behind-the-scenes aspects of the artform as a student director, stage manager, props master, assistant director, and lead director. While pursuing a degree in Vocal Music Performance from North Central University, Abigail discovered her passion for young performers. She added a Theatre degree to her diploma with the goal of equipping herself to facilitate opportunities for young people to find their confidence and their voice on the stage.
Abigail believes that the power of theatre is for everyone, not just those destined to spend their life on the stage. As a young performer, she grew in self-confidence and understanding of herself through the roles she portrayed and the fears she overcame, and now hopes to open the door for the next generation of artists to do the same.
Emily Wirth received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from Concordia College in 2004 with a small dream to joyfully teach music to children. Since graduation God has given Emily many wonderful opportunities that have accumulated to over 18 years of experience as a music educator. Some of those roles include teaching K-12 music, young, middle and high school choirs, private piano and voice lessons, directing many concerts, helping students lead chapels, and presenting other musical and theatrical performances. Emily has also spent many years serving in her church as a volunteer with the children’s ministry, singing and playing piano with the church worship teams, and now serves as the Worship Minister and leads worship every Sunday with her husband (also a vocal musician). While she has spent so many years dividing her time between many different musical opportunities, her favorite role is serving as a mother to her three daughters.
The opportunity to serve on staff at Kaleidoscope has been a gift from God. It has provided Emily the incredible opportunity to walk alongside young and talented performers and encourage them as they learn to serve God with their gifts.
Ashley Beebe is thrilled to be joining the KPA team and believes that this opportunity is a true answer to prayer! She started dancing when she was 2 ½ and has a competitive, studio dance background. After an injury, Ashley gave up competitive dancing and started to pursue dance as worship and a point of expression and connection with God. She has a love for storytelling and just being on the stage and has been a dance company member and cast in several theatrical roles over the years. Ashley has 8+ years of experience as a choreographer partnering with dance ministry and most recently choreographing 3 musicals at Birch Grove School for the Arts in Brooklyn Park.
About 8 years ago, during a Disciple Training School with YWAM in South Africa, God spoke the gift of dance as worship and an expression of joy over Ashley. She is passionate about loving others well and inspiring people to tell their stories, especially through the art of dance. Ashley is currently in her 8th year of teaching first grade and can’t wait to share her heart for celebration and positivity with the young performers! She hopes to cultivate a safe space that fosters confidence and freedom in movement. Her hope is that each performer would step on the stage with an understanding of their unique gifts and perform from a lens of understanding that they are special, fully known, and loved.
Rachel Otterness comes to KPA with 13 years of ministry experience leading volunteers for kids ages birth-5th grade. When a bunch of kids enter a space and most people would get overwhelmed, you might hear her joyfully exclaim – “It’s okay! I’m a kid’s pastor!”
One of her greatest passions in life is pointing out the goodness in others and helping them realize how important they are. This is true of kids and adults! Expect to feel loved when you’re interacting with Rachel. If you don’t know what you’re good at, she’s sure to find it.
Rachel recently stepped out of vocational ministry in the church to explore new ways to put her gifts to work in the world. Enter: Kaleidoscope Performing Arts! She’s the ninja behind the scenes organizing registration info, communicating with caregivers and making sure kids are coming and going safely from rehearsals. She’ll have a smile saved for you every time you pop in! Outside of her role here, she enjoys library hopping with her 3 young daughters, reading, listening to podcasts, running an Etsy shop and adventuring with her husband.
When your kids sign on to join KPA, Rachel will do her very best to make sure they feel safe, known, special and loved.
