KIDSTAGE
Meet a KIDSTAGE Teacher – Issaquah Edition
KIDSTAGE teachers aren’t just educators—they’re working professional artists who bring their craft, their passion, and their industry networks into every classroom. Olivia Sutherland and Janet Cole Hamilton are wonderful examples. Let’s shine the spotlight on them and all they have to offer!
Olivia Sutherland – She/They
Teaching: Mini musicals, Broadway kids, Musical theater workshop
Olivia is a Seattle-based performer and vocal coach who is thrilled to be back at KIDSTAGE for another great year! A lover of all things music, they earned a BFA in Music with a concentration in Vocal Performance from Western Washington University in 2021.
While they spent their college years studying and performing opera, after graduating they dove headfirst into discovering themselves as a teacher and director. They are incredibly grateful to KIDSTAGE for providing a space where they can continue to learn and grow alongside their students.
Village Theatre: What do your students say they love most about their KIDSTAGE classes/camps?
Olivia Sutherland: It’s hard to beat the games—Night at the Museum and Poison Dart Frog for the win! But beyond the classic fun, when we get into the meat and potatoes of class, I try to get as much student input on the class content as possible. I’ve found that when students love what they’re singing, they’re able to access a deeper level of artistry and learning, and they enjoy their time in class even more.
VT: Sure, you’ll get better at whatever skill you’re practicing like acting, singing, or dancing—what other good stuff do students get out of a KIDSTAGE class?
OS: Lasting friendships! Beyond sharing my love of theater and music, my favorite thing about KIDSTAGE is seeing students come out of their shells because of the encouragement they receive from their peers. Theater has a way of bringing people together, and I’ve seen those bonds last well beyond the classroom for years.
VT: What are some particular things you do to create a space in which every student feels comfortable and welcome, regardless of skill level?
OS:I like to start my classes with a check-in. Students are invited to share a “yay” from their week and, if they’d like, a “nay” as well. I’m mindful of the fact that I only get to see my students for a brief period each week, and being a kid is hard! There’s so much that can be happening outside the classroom that affects how students show up in class. Whether they choose to share with the group or privately later, I always try to create space for every student to participate at the level they’re comfortable with.
VT: Anything else you would like to share?
OS: Words cannot express how grateful I am to KIDSTAGE for the supportive and welcoming environment they have created and fostered over the years. Theater and the arts thrive in a place of acceptance, and I think it speaks volumes that KIDSTAGE has been a pillar of the youth theater community since the mid-1980s. Your students are in such good hands, and I am so honored to have the opportunity to work with and teach such wonderful young artists!
Janet Cole Hamilton (she/her/hers)
Teaching: Village Theatre’s Institute, Foundations level acting – Issaquah; enrichment classes at various sites.
Janet has been with KIDSTAGE since 2006. She developed her own, “Skills for Theatre… Skills for Life” through acting, directing, forming a theatre company, serving on boards for arts organizations, and time in corporate America working with freelance artists, graphic designers, and game designers. Janet has served KIDSTAGE in a variety of roles and at different points has managed classes, camps, productions, and Institute/Pathway. KIDSTAGE allows Janet to pursue her lifelong passion for arts education as she mentors fellow teaching artists and develops school outreach programs. Personal motto: Duck for Luck.
Village Theatre: What do your students say they love most about their KIDSTAGE classes/camps?
Janet Cole Hamilton: The feedback I consistently receive is that students feel connected to each other and valued for who they are in my classes. I am told that I see them. I consistently incorporate student input into curriculum. I want students to bring their whole authentic selves to the work so that they can succeed on their own terms.
Sure, you’ll get better at whatever skill you’re practicing like acting, singing, or dancing—what other good stuff do students get out of a KIDSTAGE class?
I want students to come out of a KIDSTAGE class with a better understanding of themselves – how they work, what they think is important, how to set goals and track their progress, how to collaborate. This is the same whether it’s an hour-long general drama class for K-5th grade, or a more intensive acting class for teens. It just comes together in different ways depending on the age of the students.
VT: What are some particular things you do to create a space in which every student feels comfortable and welcome, regardless of skill level?
JCH: Starting each class with a Question of the Day is a really common KIDSTAGE activity, and it allows each student to contribute. I like introducing randomization into activities so that the pressure is off to make decisions. Students so often feel stress about being right, but it’s usually more important to just commit. If a wheel of choices, or a roll of dice determines what an actor needs to do in a scene, that can be really freeing, and allow students to focus more on the skill building, rather than trying to think of the perfect choice.
VT: Anything else you would like to share?
JCH: I manage Village Theatre’s KIDSTAGE outreach programs within schools and other learning environments. I love to collaborate with other educators on bringing theater skills beyond the usual KIDSTAGE facilities.
Originally published August 31, 2026
