Welcome to our monthly Spotlight, where we celebrate the incredible cast and crew members who make 20 Performing Arts Academy shine. Each edition will highlight someone who stands out for their talent, dedication, and positive impact on our community. These are the people who inspire us, onstage and off.
APRIL 2026
CHRIS HUNTER-
Chris initially became involved with 20 PAA as a parent of a cast member who was gracious enough to assist us during a load in for ‘Fame’ and eventually took on larger roles until officially becoming the Head Set and Props Designer. His creativity and passionate and phenomenal craftsmanship, we couldn’t have hit a larger jackpot by having Chris as a member of our creative team.
SAWEHATE BOMBERRY-
Sawehate was a wonderful audition to camp last summer and returned to us for Footloose as the no-nonsense Coach and is currently portraying the hilarious Royal Museum Guard in Descendants. She is a fantasically strong performer and we are excited to watch as Sawehate hones her craft as a budding triple threat.
OLIVIA COLE-
While Olivia first joined us as a Summer Camper, she has quickly become an integral part of our Not So Basic, Basics Program. Playing dual roles in ‘The Royal Runaway’ as social status opposites, the King and a Circus Performer; she returns our Fundamentals program in ‘Divine’ as the villainous voice of reason – Killer Croc. Olivia arrived already a strong actor and we are beyond thrilled to continue to watch as she grows in her journey.
March 2026
MATTHEW SKINNER –
Matt has been an integral piece of the 20 PAA team for every single Musical Theatre Intensive show. His passion for music, instruction and of course conducting is evident every moment of rehearsals, performances, auditions and the prep work in between. He is a phenomenal and invaluable member of the 20 PAA family and we are so incredibly grateful that he shares his skillset and time with us!
KAIE MCMILLIAN-
Kaie is a veteran cast member of the Musical Theatre Intensive program. He is currently working on his fourth musical. In addition to being King Beast, he returns as Dance Captain for ‘Descendants’. For the second summer upcoming, Kaie returns as a Camp Instructor, focusing on Stage Combat and Acting. We are thrilled to have such a dedicated and talented member of the 20 PAA family!
AUTUMN WALKER-
Autumn initially joined 20PAA as a double week Summer Camper and then returned as our Royal Runaway in the fall session of The Not So Basic, Basics’ production of ‘The Royal Runaway’. She quickly emerged as a strong leader with quiet confidence in every program she is involved in. This session of The Not So Basic, Basics’, Autumn brings the comedy with the hilariously evil Mega Croc in ‘Divine’. We are so delighted that she continues to choose us to hone her talents and grace our stages.
WHITNEY WALKER-
Whitney is a bonafide spotlight grabber by simply walking into a room. Her dedication to the craft and her talent often surpasses the standards of artists with twice her experience. Whitney puts her all into everything she does from rehearsals, performances to camp games. This makes us all the more excited to watch her save the world as Nina in the upcoming Not So Basic, Basics’ performance of ‘Divine’. We are so incredibly grateful that we get to be apart of her artistic journey.
February 2026
LYDIA SMITH-
Since joining 20 Performing Arts Academy in 2024, Lydia Smith has truly been a shining star, growing from dedicated student and performer into a choreographer for Descendants. She is the company’s new Program Director for Not So Basic, Basics, even writing the script that brings the program to life. Cast as leading roles in two of our Musical Intensive Programs, she is also returning for her second year as a camp instructor. Lydia’s dedication, talent, and work ethic make us so proud to watch her continue to flourish.
LAURA HUNTER-
Laura Hunter, our incredible Costume Designer at 20 Performing Arts Academy, brings creativity and heart t everything she does. Always thinking outside the box and generously volunteering her time to ensure our costume department runs seamlessly. Her unwavering support of our students and readiness to jump in and help the entire crew makes her truly special; her talent, dedication, and spirit are such a gift to our company.
