In Oklahoma City, young thespians have Kismet Arts Studio & Theatre to help nurture their dreams of stardom on the Great White Way. Owners Angela Polk and Laura Himes met while performing in Lyric Theatre’s production of Les Misérables and bonded over the fact that they were both teaching private voice and piano lessons across the city. After initially founding OKC onstage with another business partner, the pair branched out in 2016 to create a studio to house their private lessons, thus beginning Kismet Arts. “We partnered with Special Care because we had a connection with the owner, Pam Newby, and their theatre was available,” Polk said. “Our first semester had 16 students.” The same year, Kismet finished off the semester by premiering the musical Snowed In, which was written specifically for these students by David Dabbon and Tom Bruett.
“We went from having 30 students to 100 in one year, and it all blew up quicker than we expected,” Polk explained. “We now have seven classes offering dance, piano, voice and production classes with nine faculty on staff, teaching over 200 students.” Kids ages 4 through 18 have a home at Kismet, and most return year after year. Classes are divided by age, each with its own catchy theatrical name. Each class performs a full-scale production at the end of each semester.
Polk notes that creating a board was essential for that growth. With the guidance from its board and developing a new partnership with Fusion@Oakdale, Polk and Himes are now gearing up to be housed in a brand-new facility, opening June of this year. This new space will allow Kismet to begin teaching other disciplines like on-camera acting, audition techniques and combat acting for both kids and adults.
Kismet Arts Studio and Theatre is currently in the midst of its spring productions. In April, the 4- to 10-year-old classes performed My Son Pinocchio Jr. Coming May 3-5, the teen classes will be cutting loose and performing Footloose at Special Care. Wrapping up the semester on May 31- June 2, the middle school class will shine in Xanadu, Jr. which will be performed at Oakdale Public School.
There are also two summer camps, called Summertime Storytellers, which are condensed versions of the full semester. In just 30 to 40 hours, students put on a full production with costumes and a live band. This summer, the 4- to 13-year-olds will perform Disney’s Alice in Wonderland Jr. June 28-30. The Oklahoma premiere of Alice By Heart will run from Aug. 2-4, featuring kids ages 14 and up.
“It’s a very special and different environment,” Polk said. “When we can meet kids at their level, they have a great experience. We are teaching kids to enjoy who they are and what their bodies can do, while learning to work together and create a team. We are a healthy space for open communication and honest conversations. These kids are amazing.”
For more information on Kismet Arts Studio and Theatre or to purchase tickets to its upcoming performances, visit kismetartsokc.com.
