OUR MISSION
To educate children through character building activities that encourage a love of the arts and inspire them to succeed.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
We are an organization devoted to enriching the lives of youth through the power of the arts. Using the arts as a catalyst for change, we help guide our students as they seek to impact their world.
Our programs are designed to encourage every child’s creativity in a positive environment. Our hope is that each child will walk away with a stronger sense of self-worth, more confidence and a wildly creative spirit.
Students will receive excellent training in a positive and professional environment. Our classes are designed to bring out the best in each of our students. Our faculty members are all college educated and love teaching and inspiring their students.
We strongly believe ArtWorks Academy is like no other. We invite you to enroll your child in our classes with confidence!
OUR FACULTY
 | Cheryl Morris, Director of Dance
Cheryl began dancing at three and continued to study throughout high school and college. She received a B.S. in Business Management with a minor in Theatre from Oklahoma State University. She continued her studies at University of Central Missouri as a graduate student in the Theatre Program. After completing her Master of Arts she spent a semester studying with Storling Dance Theatre of Kansas City. She continually attends workshops and seminars to learn new methods and ideas for teaching. While visiting New York City she spent time taking classes at Broadway Dance Center.
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Cheryl has taught dance to students ages three to adult for eight years. She has taught predance, ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, pointe, and musical theatre. For almost seven years she was the primary ballet instructor for Center Stage Academy in Warrensburg, MO and for the last three years she was the Director of Ballet. She worked with young dancers preparing them to dance with nationally touring ballet company productions of Nutcracker and Carmen. She has also worked with a national award winning competition team choreographing ballet, lyrical, modern solo and group dances. Cheryl won a choreography award for her work with the Warrensburg High School Girls Show Choir. Some of her theatrical choreography credits include Fiddler on the Roof, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Nunsense. As a performer, Cheryl has worked professionally for Central Missouri Repertory Theatre in numerous productions, as well as many regional and educational productions.
 | Jonathan Morris, Director of Technical Theatre
Jonathan holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Technology and a minor in Computer Information Systems from University of Central Missouri. Jonathan has served as the sound and lighting designer for numerous theatrical productions. He has worked with Central Missouri Repertory Theatre, the Liberty Center in Sedalia, MO, The Barn Players in Kansas City, and Imago Dei in Kansas City. Shows he has served as sound or lighting designer for include: Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Dial M for Murder, Noises Off, Sound of Music, The Wizard of Oz, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Real Story of Little Red Riding Hood, Ruthless!, |
Godspell and Nunsense. He was the sound engineer for Kansas City Repertory Theatre. He was a technical director for the Kansas City Fringe Festival. He has also performed in numerous musical productions with Central Missouri Repertory Theatre and the Liberty Center.
 | Katie Morris, Director of Music
Katie began performing at the age of seven, and has since performed in nearly 50 plays and musicals. Her performance credits include many local, regional and university productions. Katie's passion for the theatre continued into college, where she attended Oklahoma Christian University. Katie graduated Cum Laude with a B.A. in Communication Studies with an emphasis in Theatre, as well as a minor in Youth Ministry. She has continued her education post-college, taking classes in education, child development, speech and hearing mechanisms and language development, in addition to a master class with prominent voice and diction instructor and author Gillyanne Kayes. |
Professionally, Katie has served as the musical director for several musicals, and has also taught musical theatre and voice lessons to children for four years. Following a strong interest in adolescent development, Katie worked with middle school and high school students for a number of years as a youth leader and intern. Recently, she served for five years as Event Coordinator at the Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City.
Michael is a graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma, where he received a B.F.A. in Theatre Arts. While attending UCO, he performed in many main stage musicals, including the Oklahoma premiere of Jane Eyre. In addition to his strong educational focus in acting, music and dance, Michael has also studied music theory, oral training, theatre history and directing. Michael has performed for the past eighteen years in many local, regional and professional theatres. His performance credits include 
Michael Morris, Director of Theatre
Discoveryland!, Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park, Summerstock Productions of Edmond, Open Circle Playhouse and others. Michael's intense love for the theatre has followed him professionally, where he has taught theatre and creative dramatics for the UCO Playtime Theatre, and worked on various projects as a director, choreographer and scenic assistant.
