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!
Ian Handeland is thrilled to be a part of the KPA team! After many years pursuing theatre and musical composition, he is very grateful for the chance to be a part of a Christ centered performing arts company. Ian’s experience includes several musical theatre internships and four years of vocal direction. He carries a passion to help others use their gifts to bring glory and honor to the Lord Jesus Christ, and hopes to create theatre that will continually direct the audience to their creator and savior.
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.
