Young Actors Studio
A Pittsburgh children's acting school that teaches theater in a safe, positive environment.
Fall Registration is Now Open!
Register now for our Fall Studio options!

What Is Young Actors Studio?
Saltworks Young Actors Studio (YAS) is a theater school for 7- to 16-year-olds in Pittsburgh, PA. Through our after-school classes and summer day camps, we have helped kids learn about the wonderful world of performing onstage.
Our ever-changing curriculum covers a wide range of topics in the theatrical arts. From monologues to scene study, scriptwriting to movement, we endeavor to give our students a variety of opportunities to learn something new and build on existing skills.
The best thing about our courses is that kids of all skill and interest levels are welcome. Our teaching artists are professionals dedicated to making sure every student has a fun, successful experience in each class.
What Makes Saltworks Unique
We believe the arts are a wonderful outlet for self-expression and growth. While we teach theater here at Saltworks, what we really hope our students will learn is self-confidence, friendship, and respect.
Process over Product
While we frequently put on exceptional final productions, we are most invested in how much our students learn and grow throughout the course of the classes or rehearsals. We understand that different students will need different types of challenges to help them develop.
Have a Woo-Hoo Attitude
We encourage our students to jump in with both feet to every activity and exercise with an excited, positive mindset. We believe everyone should support their fellow actors through every challenge and embrace imagination and creativity when it's their turn.
Creating a Safe Haven
Every Saltworks student gets the chance to shine, no matter how long they’ve been coming to classes or had an interest in performing. No disability or fear has been a barrier for long for any of the students who have come to Saltworks’ Young Actors Studio over the years.
About Our Classes
In our classes, we emphasize building acting skills as well as important character traits that will help students out as they go through life. Things like cooperation, problem-solving, confidence, and communication are addressed in the acting classes.
About Our Staff
All Saltworks instructors for our acting classes have extensive theater training and professional experience which enables them to both challenge and inspire young people.
Committed to Positivity
Our staff is committed to making our acting classes and theater training a positive experience. We also specialize in small class sizes to ensure each student has the best learning environment.

Become a Saltworks Teacher
Each year, we hire five School Tour actors to work as teaching artists on tour in schools. Artists are chosen on the basis of their artistic excellence, experience with and commitment to educational theater with children, and personal integrity and comportment.
In addition, we employ teaching artists year-round in our Young Actors Studio and at various community-based events and activities. Teaching artists lead classes and camp sessions, educating students in theater arts and socioemotional skills, challenging kids and youth to try new things and realize their potential, and inspiring young people to pursue everything they do with passion and excellence!
If you're interested in becoming a teacher, fill out our inquiry form.
Contact Information
Experience
Types of Programs
Located in the Bellevue/Avalon area, our acting classes and workshops are places that encourage students to try new things in a fun atmosphere.
Fall and Spring Acting Classes
We offer after-school classes to introduce kids to the wonderful world of theater arts in a fun, supportive environment.
Our curriculum covers improv, scene study, scriptwriting, monologues, movement, and more! All skill and interest levels are welcome.
Each season concludes with an informal showcase for family and friends.
Young Actors Ensemble
YAE is for students who have taken at least one Saltworks Young Actors Studio class or the equivalent with another theater. This class teaches more advanced acting techniques through exercises, games, and improvisation, building to a final performance.
Summer Studio Acting Camp
Our YAS summer camps are day camps where students can play, perform, and partner with friends, new and old! Students learn a variety of theater skills through games, improv, and activities. The week culminates in an informal showcase for family and friends.
Parent's Praise for Young Actors Studio
Young Actors Studio FAQ
Where are you located?
Saltworks is located in the Bellevue/Avalon section of Pittsburgh, PA. We hold classes and camps at Greenstone United Methodist Church at 939 California Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15202.
Is the Young Actors Studio a highly competitive environment?
No! Our program is intentionally designed to be supportive. Unlike many theater programs, every student at Saltworks gets a part and an opportunity to shine. We make sure each child’s unique talents are highlighted while also encouraging them to build new skills. While we do expect students to work hard and take pride in the parts they earn, casting is always a low-stress and encouraging process—whether it’s for a scene study or a show.
At our Young Actors Studio, students learn to value the strength of the ensemble rather than focusing only on starring roles. Our teachers consider teamwork, attitude, and enthusiasm just as much as talent when working with students.
My child has a physical/mental/social/emotional disability. Will the Young Actors Studio be a good place for them?
Only you and your child can know whether a certain type of activity or location will be appropriate for them. However, we have had a number of students with a range of different disabilities who have all thrived at Saltworks. We approach each student with the mindset that everyone can do everything and then make adjustments as necessary. Our location is handicap accessible. Saltworks can be a noisy, seemingly chaotic, joyously wild place at times and that is something that cannot be changed. The Young Actors Studio might not be the right place for everyone, but everyone is welcome.
Is Saltworks a Christian theater company?
Everyone is welcome at Saltworks! Saltworks was founded on the Christian principles of caring for others and choosing joy. Our classes and programs are open to students of all backgrounds, faiths, and traditions. Our mission is to educate, challenge, and inspire students to make positive choices both on and off the stage, while nourishing their spirits through creativity and performance. We do not pray in class, teach the Bible, or ask students to make any statement of faith. Instead, we focus on creating a welcoming environment where all children can learn, belong, and shine.
What if I’ve never acted before?
Then Saltworks will be a great place for you! We pride ourselves on making sure that all of our classes are appropriate for students of all levels of experience and commitment to theater. Our teachers are all equipped to work with students who maybe need extra support or a greater challenge.
Who teaches at Saltworks?
Our teachers are all theater professionals who love to teach their craft! We look for a very special kind of enthusiastic, positive person to teach at Saltworks, so we frequently have teachers return year after year for our classes and camps. We are also lucky to have many alumni come back to teach or assist every year. All of our instructors have their necessary clearances.
Will I be in a class with people my own age?
We always endeavor to put students with people near their age, but the size of the class dictates whether or not we are able to split classes into age groups so sometimes a 10 year old will be with a 14 year old. A mixed-age class is an excellent experience, though! We always encourage our students to learn from and support each other during class so it can be wonderful to have people of different ages contributing to one learning environment.
How many students are in a class?
At the Young Actors Studio we always aim to have at the most a 1:10 teacher to student ratio. This is because we believe that having a lot of one-on-one time with our students leads to more successful experiences all around.
Support Our Work with Pittsburgh Youth
Together we will continue to make a great difference for thousands of children.