Current Teachers:
Amy Blackwood
Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago Amy got involved with CYT when she was 12 and continued in the program until she graduated at age 18. Amy then went on to choreograph 20 plus shows for CYT Chicago. Some of her favorites included Beauty and the Beast, High School Musical (which she Directed) and Jungle Book. Amy has always had a love for Musical Theater and dance. She studied dance at Belmont University in Nashville, and then continued her training at Columbia College in Chicago. Amy moved to Missouri and was fortunate to be able to teach for CYT Kansas. Finding her way back to Nashville along with her family, Amy was excited to choreograph CYT Nashville’s first musical "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown" in 2013. Amy went on to help direct and choreograph some other favorites including Aladdin, Frog and Toad and Annie. Taking a break from theater Amy went back to school to complete her nursing degree. She is now loving working at Centennial Women’s hospital on the high risk OB unit. Amy’s husband Eric is a Franklin native and together they are happily raising their daughter Annabelle who is a 2nd grader at Thales Academy. Her favorite verse is Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans that I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope."
Caleigh Alessi
Caleigh Alessi is thrilled to be part of the CYT community! Caleigh received a BFA in Musical Theatre from Belmont University. After graduating, Caleigh spent 10 years in New York City pursing a career in acting, teaching theatre and working in Children's Ministry. She and her family recently relocated to Nashville to be closer to their extended family. Caleigh has performed on cruise ships and regional theatre across the country. She has a huge passion for bringing the Gospel to the performing arts and is so excited to meet each of you!
Courtney Edwards
God gave Courtney a passion for dance at a very young age, but He gave her an even deeper passion to teach. Courtney has had the honor of teaching and choreographing for professional and private dance companies throughout Southern California for over 20 years. Her trained styles include Jazz, Modern, Lyrical and Musical Theater or Broadway. It is her goal to teach with a loving heart, to inspire creativity, and to instill a confidence in each student’s unique abilities on and off stage. She is honored to be able to help her students find their gifts from God and learn how to share them with any audience! Every opportunity God has given Courtney has been the greatest blessing including moving here to Tennessee in 2021 with her husband, three kiddos and two dogs. She is beyond excited to start working with CYT Nashville!
Kari Cotton
Kari Cotton was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. She graduated from the University of Alaska Anchorage with a degree in Business and Communications. Beyond her daily job, she serves as the Costume Coordinator here at CYT Nashville. She has worked on over 25 shows and has created countless costumes. Kari loves being creative and working with the parent volunteers and the students involved in CYT.
Keagan Edwards
Like the saying goes, Keagan isn't from the South, but she got here as soon as she could! Keagan grew up in Southern California and moved here to Tennessee in 2021. She is so grateful that she was surrounded by all her favorite things growing up; singing, reading, playing instruments, Disneyland, painting, musical theatre, writing, and most importantly, God. Keagan has taken voice lessons since she was 9 years old, played piano and guitar since she was 10, and has been involved with theatre all her life. She did her first musical in 1st grade and caught the theatre bug, performing in shows as often as she could. Some of her favorite musicals she did are "Newsies", "Les Misérables", “Annie”, "Beauty and the Beast", and an original musical called "Twelve". Beyond her musical experiences, Keagan has enjoyed years of volunteer work with her church through VBS, weekly programming, leading worship, and youth leadership. Through it all, Keagan has found a pure love for teaching kids and is beyond honored to now be able to work with CYT and fulfill this new dream.
Mark Allen
Mark has been a part of theatre virtually his whole life: as a studio singer, a professional actor in the Nashville area, an award-winning director and a Broadway musical theatre writer. Graduating from NYU-Tisch School Of The Arts with an M.F.A. in Musical Theatre Writing, Mark has been on both sides of the audition table as an "audition-ee" and "audition-er" on and off Broadway in NYC for over 20 years. Raised in Nashville and thankfully back home again, Mark is honored to join CYT to share his love of theatre, music and Jesus above all!
Megan Roberts
Discovering theatre in her hometown's community theatre at the age of 7, Megan has been passionate about pursuing the performing arts ever since. Performing and working in all areas of theatre throughout high school, she then went on to earn her Technical Certificate and Associate's Degree in Commercial Entertainment from Columbia State Community College. After graduating, Megan has worked professionally and in community theatre around the Nashville area. After returning home from attending a Discipleship Training School (focused in the performing arts) with Youth with a Mission (YWAM) in 2020, she has been writing and directing skits with the youth group at her home church, and teaching theatre at the Boys and Girls Club with Watershed Public Theatre. Megan is so excited to be joining the CYT team and continue to teach what she is passionate about to the next generation (and learn more herself!).
Noel Lvovsky
Noel was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She studied acting at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Circle in the Square and has been working professionally as an actor, singer, dancer, director, producer, and teacher in LA for more years than she’d like to admit. She is blessed beyond measure to call Tennessee her new home with her husband and 2 children. She’s even more thankful to have the opportunity to teach at CYT, Nashville. God is great!
Quinn Usatenko
Quinn was born outside of Detroit, Michigan, and moved to Middle Tennessee when she was nine. Soon after the move, Quinn caught the acting/triple-threat bug and has been thoroughly enjoying every chance God gives her to pursue her passion for acting and musical theatre ever since. In 2019, Quinn graduated from Lipscomb University, where she majored in Journalism and New Media, and she's been working at a local faith film marketing agency, Collide Media Group, since 2020. She also got married to her best friend is 2023 and is tremendously grateful for the gift he is in her life. Quinn's goal is to shine God's love for His children to the world through the entertainment industry and any other opportunity the Lord gives her, and she loves partnering with CYT to do that!
Riley Howell
Riley Howell was a CYT Nashville kid herself and is so grateful to return as a teaching artist after touring the country with True Girl Ministries. In 2023, Riley graduated from Cedarville University where she received her B.A. in Theatre Performance with minors in Theatre Design and Biblical Studies. When she's not theatreing (that's definitely a verb), Riley is always up for a good lavender latte or a thrifting haul!
Samantha Shelby
Sam grew up in Franklin, TN and is a Mississippi State University alumna. She graduated with an Interdisciplinary Studies degree, concentrating in Music, Public Relations and Marketing. At MSU, Sam concentrated in vocal performance, studying opera. During her time as a student she traveled with the State Singers Choir on yearly tours across the country and had the opportunity to sing in Spain. Aside from opera and choral music, Sam continued singing in various competitions on campus and was a 1st place talent show winner, the 2019 Battle of the Bands Winner, and was an opening act for T-Pain at MSU’s Bulldog Bash. Now, she lives in Nashville and is a Promotion Coordinator. Sam is so excited to be a part of this amazing group this year and cannot wait to meet all of the talented students at CYT!