ADULT STAFF:

Kerby Criss, Director, started dancing at age four. The first theatrical role she ever played was Sally in A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS when she was just 7 years old. Kerby wrote and directed her first play in the 6th grade.
In 1971, Kerby started with SJCMT. She was 11 years old and played the part of Gloria in THE WIZARD OF OZ directed by John P. Healy Jr. It was during OLIVER in 1972 that SJCMT was privileged to perform in the brand new Center of Performing Arts. After their performance - the ceiling fell in and they always joked that SJCMT brought the house down! They had to rebuild the ceiling and there it has stood for the past 34 years. In 1973, John Healy decided to do a younger show and an older show at the same time so he held auditions for CINDERELLA and ANNIE GET YOUR GUN - together. Even though they were only 13, Kerby and her friends wanted to be in the older ANNIE GET YOUR GUN instead of the younger CINDERELLA. So, at that point, a revolutionary thing happened. The Little Cast/Big Cast shows were born. Kerby got to play Annie in ANNIE GET YOUR GUN in the first ever Little Cast and went on to play Kim in BYE BYE BIRDIE, Mrs. Paroo in THE MUSIC MAN and Mrs. Sowerberry and the understudy for Nancy in OLIVER.
When her family moved to Oregon, there was no CMT so she put together and directed A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS at the local High School. She talked a football player, Steve Criss, into playing the part of Charlie Brown and that led to their marriage in 1979.
Kerby did some theatre in college then moved back to the bay area where she directed CINDERELLA for SJCMT in 1979 and SCROOGE in 1980.
Steve and Kerby started having children of their own and in 1982 - during during second pregnancy - she was called by John to stand in for Widow Corney in The Sunnyvale Players' OLIVER three days before the show opened. After that, she participated in SJCMT's Center Stage Productions and went on to help John manage THE DICKENS CAROLERS.
Steve and Kerby moved to Washington State where she directed an adult and children's choir for the next 10 years before starting her own children's theatre. By this time, she and Steve had seven children of their own. Kitsap Children's Musical Theatre has been growing and thriving since the Fall of 2000. They do two shows a year and double-cast every show. Kerby encourages live stage performances for youth because it is an extremely fulfilling and fun thing to do! At KCMT they insist on a G-Rated atmosphere during rehearsals and a professional atmosphere during performances. Every child who auditions makes it into the show and KCMT double-casts leading roles in order to give more kids a chance to experience a speaking part and solos. Kerby's family and staff hope to someday have their own facility where Kitsap Children's Musical Theatre can continue to grow and thrive. Kerby has written 9 full-length plays, directed over 56 productions and has performed in more than 39 musicals.

John Healy, founder of the first Children's Musical Theater, recently passed away. To learn more about the man who was Kerby's mentor, check out the following links:  San Jose Children's Musical Theatre  and John's wife's   guestbook . He will be greatly missed.


Sara Adams, Choreographer and Lobby Coordinator, was married and started her family very young. She settled in the Northwest with her husband, Joe and their first son, Caleb from Southern California 12 years ago and they have never looked back. While in Portland, Oregon Sara gave birth to their second son, Boaz and upon arriving in Kitsap County, Washington Sara finally had her daughter, Micah Joy. While juggling 3 kids, home schooling, and bookkeeping for a local Home Health Care business, she finds time to knit ferociously and is always on the prowl for another creative outlet or project.
Sara comes from a very creative background and attended dance, art, & drama lessons throughout her entire life. There is even rumor that she dabbled with learning the cello as well as the piano for a time in her childhood. She comes from a long line of pastors on both sides (male and female alike). She had opportunities to be on stage from the time she was very little and loved it all. The gift of singing was predominate in the family as well and Sara found that an exciting challenge in her younger years. She was part of many production groups as a youth and was in some community plays at that time. Sara’s Mother was a music theory major in college and then became a well known Interior Designer in Southern California. Sara spent her extra time assisting her Mother on projects and found her gifting with numbers. It was then that her bent on finding a career that developed her creative side was put to rest and she found a niche in bookkeeping and administration.
During her family’s journey northward Sara has kept her creative heart alive by taking on many projects of her own. In Portland she developed a ministry program in her Church that was mainly based on the aesthetics of the environment to a new comer. This developed into her being delegated to redesign the entire meeting area. She was also in charge of many special events at the church and found her love of one word “theme”. She recently has developed a workshop for women using the 5 senses and exploring the “Piéce de Résistance” in each of us. After moving to this area and after her wave of baby mania came to an end she found a need to be creative once again. That was when her son, Caleb found his love for theater and KCMT. Since then she has been developing her photo skills and exercising her love of desk top publishing in the attempt to create the “theme” of the show in our lobby with pictures and décor. She says her driving emphasis is, “On showcasing our talented kids and giving our audience a chance to really get to know what a great group of kids we have before they even get to experience one of our amazingly entertaining shows.” Sara counts each show her son does with KCMT as a blessing for their entire family.


Lori Durham,Bookkeeper & Treasurer, is the proud mom of Kristy, 15 and Dale, 5. Lori is also the wife of Tony, her husband of 23 years. Her other jobs include owning Dream Dinners in Poulsbo and the Billing Specialist at Northwoods Lodge as well as the Bookkeeper for KCMT. Her favorite activities include spending time with her kids, reading, scrap booking and an ideal day for her would include a good book with no where to go. Community involvement is important to Lori and her family. Lori’s family regularly attends Christ Memorial Church in Poulsbo. She is also actively involved in North Kitsap Soroptimist and Central Kitsap Jr High’s PTA.



As a homeschooling mother of eight children, Janet Sedy, Costumer, has had plenty of experience getting children dressed for church every Sunday morning. (Thankfully, with homeschooling, it's not imperative that they get dressed during the week!) Getting a cast of fifty or more into costume for six performances in not a whole lot different! This is Janet's second production as Costume Designer, having designed costumes for "The Ransom of Red Chief." She has assisted with costumes for three other KCMT productions. Besides the satisfaction of seeing a concept become reality on stage, Janet loves the pure joy of presenting children with their own special costumes and seeing their faces light up with happiness. It is her goal to give every child a costume he can be proud to wear, enabling him to be the best he can be on stage. Future plans include staying on track raising eight terrific kids who love and serve the Lord, and possibly a weekend away with her patient and loving husband, Gene.


Melissa Palmer, Assembly Coordinator

TEEN STAFF:

Derek Coe, Assistant Director, is 16 years old and is currently a sophomore at Central Kitsap High School. He enjoys the performing arts and has been acting since the 2nd grade. His first debut was, “Herb the Gardner” where he played the lead role of Herb at Seabeck Elementary. Since then Derek has been in love with acting. Some of the more recent shows he’s participated in are: Troy in KCMT’s “High School Musical,” Roger in CKJH’s “Jolly Roger and the Pirate Queen,” Florescent, in PJH’s parody “Buela and the Beast,” the cor oner in PJH’s “Wizard of Oz,” Runny-nose Nick in KCMT’s “Shiver Me Timbers,” and Albert in KCMT’s “Bye Bye Birdie.” He is also the director and administrator for the “KCMT Variety Show” as well as the coordinator for the, “KCMT Carolers.” Derek was also assistant producer, director, and choreographer for “Shiver Me Timbers;” as well as teen assistant for “Bye Bye Birdie.” Apart from acting, Derek participates in choir. He is currently in the Bel Canto “Advanced” Choir at Central Kitsap High School making this Derek’s fifth year of choir. Singing is a major part of his life and his something he will continue to do. Derek’s plans for the future include: attending a four year university which he would like to major in film, become a director, actor, and/or singer, and eventually start his own performing arts school.


Hannah Hibbs: Teen Choreographer










Myriah Riedel: Teen Music Director for SMT She was born on April 9th 1991 and goes to private school Trillium, 11th grade. Plays and parts she's been;
Monkey King OZ,
Mole Wind in the Willows,
Maria Katherine Mote Loves Labors Lost,
Marian Music Man,
Beatrice Balthasar Much Ado about Nothing,
Audrey Airamens As you Like it,
Hermia Helena Lysander Demetrius Titana and other small parts Midsummer Nights Dream,
Perchik Fiddler on the Roof,
Lisa the Cheerleader High School Musical,
Lusionius Hamlet. She has won various awards in Bowling and singing. She loves Bowling, singing, acting, badminton, writing, and anything to do with Harry Potter. She aspires to be on broadway, and marry a beautiful rich man.