About Us
Classes. Camps. Creativity. Connection.
For over a decade, Character Kids has brought quality after school theater classes and summer camps to thousands of students throughout the Midwest and West Coast regions. In our theater program, students learn the basics of acting, singing and musical theater dance while having a lot of fun! We play theater games, build stage skills, work on group songs or scenes - and even produce mini-musicals - so that our students can explore the world of theater.
At the same time, our students are learning important life skills - emotional literacy, empathy, listening, teamwork and thinking on your feet. They’re exploring the world around them and learning more about connecting with others and themselves.
Our mission is to develop imagination, social skills and a positive self image through the performing arts. We want to create a safe, encouraging atmosphere for students to build characters…both onstage and off.
BRENDA DODGE
Founder/CEO
Ms. Dodge (she/her) is a children’s theatre director, producer and teaching artist. For over 20 years, she has worked with public and private schools, community centers, youth theaters, summer camp programs and park districts to create quality theatre education programs for students of all ages.
Brenda is also a professional actress who has worked in theatre, commercials and television throughout the Midwest and Southern California.
In 2008 she created Character Kids, a children's theatre company that provides after school theatre classes to elementary schools and advocates for arts in education. Brenda has worked in close collaboration with classroom teachers, administrators and parents in dozens of school districts throughout the country.
In 2018, Brenda and her husband Randall founded Forte Theatre Company, the first professional theatre company in Milwaukee’s Southwest suburbs. They produce quality plays and musicals for the Greater Milwaukee area. She serves as Executive Director.
Brenda has a degree in Theatre, with a minor in mass communication, from Illinois State University. She resides in Franklin, WI with her husband and two children.
DANA STROTHENKE
Education Coordinator - Twin Cities
Dana (she/her) has loved theatre since she was 6 years old. Since then she has become a director, actor and theatre teaching artist. She has also worked in artistic administration at the Glimmerglass Festival, an opera festival in upstate New York, as well as at Sunset Playhouse, a community theatre in the suburbs of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Since graduating with a comprehensive degree in theatre from the University of WI - Eau Claire, she has worked with various theatre companies in and outside of the Milwaukee area. Heralding from Wauwatosa, WI, Dana now resides in Minneapolis, MN, where she manages the Twin Cities branch of Character Kids theatre programs.
She loves working with children and seeing their confidence grow through the theatre arts! When Dana’s not in the classroom you can find her out on a hike, crocheting, or snuggling with her cat, Gizmo.
ABI HOOD
Education Coordinator - San Diego
Abi (she/her) is the Education Coordinator for the San Diego branch of Character Kids. She is a Theatre Artist and Director originally from LA and she is passionate about making space for children (and adults alike!) to explore and play.
Most recently, Abi graduated with her B.A. in Theatre from U.C. San Diego and was also awarded the Theatre & Dance Scholarship for her work within the T&D Department. When she is not directing, devising, or teaching, she enjoys watching all the amazing theatre in the SD area. Abi has worked as a nanny for the past five years and has been a teaching artist for the past three. She is a passionate member of the Character Kids team and cannot wait to see what lies ahead for the San Diego branch!