Youth Academy · Ages 6–17
Where Young Actors Grow Up Booking
The Posey Youth Academy is a fully supervised, age-appropriate training ecosystem for kids and teens serious about acting. Led by Jesse Posey and John Ahle Kellar, with every coach DOJ background-checked and every kid in their own private community — separate from the adult side. Train weekly in-person at Toluca Lake or live on Zoom, starting at $199/mo with a 7-day free trial.
Youth Academy Leads
Jesse Posey, John Ahle Kellar & John Posey
Working actors who genuinely love teaching kids. Jesse Posey leads the younger rooms — he grew up in this craft and knows what it's like to be the youngest one in the room and still be expected to deliver. John Ahle Kellar runs the 10–13 Scene Work room with the warmth, patience, and structure young performers need to take real risks. John Posey personally leads the 14–17 Audition & On-Camera Conservatory — Saturdays 4:00–6:00 PM in-person at Toluca Lake — bringing four decades of working-actor and teaching experience directly to the teens preparing for real auditions. Together they've built a program where kids are challenged like real actors and protected like family.
+ a growing roster of vetted Partner Coaches — every one DOJ background-checked before they ever meet a student.
Safety First, Always
Built for kids. Built for parents.
Acting training for young people only works if parents trust the room. We built the entire Youth Academy around that trust — the safeguards below aren't an add-on, they're the foundation.
DOJ Background-Checked Coaches
Every coach who works with our youth — Posey staff and partner coaches alike — clears a Department of Justice background check before they're allowed in a class. No exceptions. No shortcuts. This is non-negotiable.
Private Kids-Only Community
Youth members get their own community feed, their own classmates, their own messages — completely walled off from the adult side. Kids never share a community space with adult students. Ever.
Parent-Supervised Messaging
Parents have full visibility into their child's account. Parents can also message each other directly to coordinate carpools, run-throughs, and showcase tape collaborations — a real parent community, not just a kids' app.
Toluca Lake Studio + Live Zoom
Choose in-person at our supervised Toluca Lake studio or join from home on live Zoom. Same coaches. Same standards. Same safety protocols on either side of the camera.
The Curriculum
Age-Appropriate. Genuinely Challenging.
Most kids' acting classes either coddle young performers or push them too hard, too fast. We do neither. The work is built to fit where they are — and stretch them just enough to fall in love with the craft.
Imagination Lab
Ages 6–9
Story games, character play, and improv built for young minds. Kids learn how to listen, react, and bring a scene to life — without ever being talked down to.
"The room they leave smiling about."
Scene Work
Ages 10–13
Real scenes, real partners, real notes. Kids start using the same toolkit working actors use — broken down for where they are.
"Where craft becomes a habit."
Audition & On-Camera
Ages 14–17
Self-tapes, cold reads, callback prep. The teen conservatory trains the exact muscles casting tests in the room.
"Walk into the audition like a pro."
Showcase Reps
All Ages
Every month young actors can submit a tape to the Monthly Showcase, get peer recognition, and earn industry visibility — supervised every step of the way.
"Big stage. Safe spotlight."
Why Train Here
A program parents trust. Kids actually love it.
Small Rooms, Real Reps
Class sizes are intentionally small so every young actor gets on their feet, every session. No one disappears in the back row.
Coaches Who Are Working Actors
John Posey, Jesse Posey, John Ahle Kellar, and our partner coaches are still actively working in the industry. Kids learn from people who live in the craft — not just teach about it.
Tools Built for Their World
The same tools the adult pros use — scene reader, memorize mode, rehearsal studio — work right on a kid's phone or iPad. They can practice on their own, anytime, without parents having to run lines.
Built for the Long Run
Acting talent compounds. Kids who train weekly for years are the ones who book consistently as teens and young adults. We're built for that long arc — not a one-off summer camp.
More Than A Class
Everything inside the Youth Academy
Your child's membership is a complete training ecosystem — not just a weekly Zoom link. Every tool below is included. Built so young actors keep growing between classes, on their own, on their phone or iPad.
Rehearsal Studio
Your kid's private self-tape booth — scene partner, memorization tool, and recorder all in one
One workspace does three jobs. Your child picks a script (ours or one you upload), pulls up the automatic Scene Partner to run lines with them out loud, switches to Memorize Mode to drill the lines, then hits record and tapes the scene right inside the same studio. As long as they can read, they can practice — without a parent in the room. Watch it back, re-tape, and save it private to the family. This is the single biggest reason kids in this program show up to class prepared.
- ✦Automatic Scene Partner reads every other role out loud — works on phone or iPad
- ✦Memorize Mode hides lines progressively so they actually learn them
- ✦Built-in recorder — they tape, watch back, and re-take themselves
- ✦Parent-free, kid-led practice — only you and your child see the takes
Casting-Style Script Library
Real, age-appropriate sides — sorted the way casting actually thinks
Material organized by age bracket from 6–9 all the way through teen, with relationship and tone tags. These are the kinds of scenes young actors actually get sent for — not stiff old monologue books. New material added regularly.
- ✦Age brackets 6–9, 10–13, 14–17
- ✦Family, school, drama, comedy
- ✦Fresh material added regularly
Upload Their Own Sides
Got a real audition tomorrow? Upload it.
Real audition sides drop into the platform with one upload. The scene reader, memorize mode, and rehearsal studio all work on YOUR child's material — not just ours. Audition prep and weekly training live in one place.
- ✦PDF or text upload
- ✦Auto-detected characters
- ✦Private to your family
Upload Tapes for Coach Review
Send work directly to their coach — between classes
Upload a self-tape, mark it Coach Only, and it lands in the coach's review dashboard. Personal notes on the work that doesn't fit into class time. The kind of access most kids' programs charge per-session for — included in the membership.
- ✦Direct-to-coach private review
- ✦Notes delivered inside the platform
- ✦No extra cost
Monthly Showcase
A real shot at being seen — every single month
Each month, young members can submit a self-tape to the Posey Monthly Showcase. The community votes, and the Top 10 winners — plus 10 Honorable Mentions — get featured to the casting directors, agents, and managers who use the platform. Recognition wins live on their talent profile. Discovery happens supervised, from your living room.
- ✦Submission window the 1st–24th each month
- ✦Top 10 + 10 Honorable Mentions featured to industry
- ✦Winner badges live on their profile
Industry Discovery (Youth)
A real directory — supervised access only
Approved agents, managers, and casting directors who work with young talent have a separate Talent Discovery portal for our youth members. Active, complete profiles surface in their searches. Every contact is parent-supervised — industry pros can't directly message a minor without going through parent channels.
- ✦Searchable by age range, type, location
- ✦Parent-supervised contact only
- ✦Real industry pros, real visibility
Resource Library for Families
How representation actually works — for kids and their parents
Step-by-step guides written for acting families: how to find a youth-experienced agent or manager, how to approach them, what materials to send, what to avoid, how to handle the meeting. The business side of the business — translated for parents who didn't grow up in it.
- ✦Youth agent & manager outreach playbooks
- ✦Parent-friendly query templates
- ✦On-set & audition etiquette for kids
Replay Library
Miss a class? Watch it back the same night.
Every live session is recorded and dropped into the Replay Library. Catch what your child missed, review notes, study the room. Sick days don't have to mean lost weeks.
- ✦Full session replays
- ✦Searchable by date and class
- ✦Watch on any device
Talent Profile
Build a profile the industry can actually find
Headshots, reel, credits, bio — all in one place, parent-managed for younger members. Active members appear in the Talent Discovery directory the industry side of the platform searches when looking for young talent.
- ✦Headshots, reel, resume in one spot
- ✦Discoverable by approved industry pros
- ✦Parent-managed for under-13
Private Kids Community + Parent Messaging
A real, walled-off room — for kids AND for parents
Young members get their own private community feed and class messages — totally separate from the adult academy. Kids see how their classmates approach the same scene, share wins, build real friendships with other young performers. And parents have their own messaging layer to coordinate carpools, run-throughs, and showcase tape collaborations. A community on both sides.
- ✦Kids-only community feed (walled off)
- ✦Parent-to-parent direct messaging
- ✦Full parent visibility into kid accounts
My Sessions & Calendar
Their week, your reminders — handled
All upcoming classes, private coaching, and self-tape sessions in one calendar. Local timezone. Zoom links auto-generated. Parents see it. Kids see it. Nobody misses a Tuesday.
- ✦Auto-generated Zoom links
- ✦Local timezone everywhere
- ✦One calendar per family
All of this is included in your child's membership. One price. One login. The class, the tools, the private community, the parent messaging, the recordings, the showcase, the directory — everything built to grow a young actor safely.
Start My 7-Day Free Trial$199/mo after trial · Cancel anytime
For The Parents
You're not just paying for a class. You're joining a community.
Parent-to-Parent Messaging
Coordinate carpools to Toluca Lake, swap notes on auditions, set up tape sessions with classmates. A real parent network, built right in.
Full Account Visibility
You manage your child's profile, see their tapes, review their messages, control what's shared. They train. You stay in the driver's seat.
Parent Resource Library
Guides written for acting families — how representation works, what to send agents, what NOT to send, on-set etiquette. The business side, plain English.
From The Families
What parents say
"My daughter actually rehearses now — by herself, on her iPad, before I even ask. The scene reader changed everything in our house."
Youth Parent · Daughter, age 11
"The coaches treat the kids like real actors but never push too hard. My son started shy and now he's the one running scenes with classmates between weeks."
Youth Parent · Son, age 13
"It's the safest, most professional kids program I've put my child in — and the only one where I've seen real, measurable growth month over month."
Youth Parent · Long-time member
The Schedule
Pick a class. Start free.
Browse the weekly Youth Academy schedule below. You'll select your class on the next page.
On-Camera Bootcamp — Ages 10–13 (Mondays)
Google MeetWeekly on-camera training that turns curious tweens into bookable young actors — with working pro John Ahle Kellar.
The Saturday Set — Ages 10–13
In PersonA Saturday on-camera lab where tweens shoot scenes, get notes, and walk out with audition-ready chops — led by John Ahle Kellar.
Spotlight Starters — Ages 6–9
In PersonA playful first stage where young actors learn to listen, imagine, and bring stories to life — taught by Jesse Posey.
Audition & On-Camera Conservatory — Ages 14–17 (Saturdays)
In PersonTeen conservatory with John Posey — self-tapes, cold reads, callbacks, and on-camera reps for ages 14–17.
Monthly
$199/mo
Start with a 7-day free trial
You won't be charged today. Your card is only charged on day 8 if you decide to continue.
Enroll NowNo charge today. Cancel anytime within 7 days.
Included With Membership
A Supportive Learning Space
Your child's membership includes access to a private, structured training platform with live classes, replays, scripts, monthly challenges, and parent resources — all in a safe, supportive environment.
Guided Training Modules
Age-appropriate lessons that build confidence, creativity, and real acting skills in a structured format.
Replay Library
Parents and students can revisit class sessions to reinforce learning and track progress over time.
Script Library
A curated selection of age-appropriate scenes and scripts to practice between classes.
Monthly Showcase Challenge
Young performers can record takes and participate in monthly challenges, building confidence and earning recognition.
Live Class Access & Calendar
Easy access to live sessions with reminders and a calendar so families stay organized and prepared.
Self Tape & Media Uploads
Students can upload self tapes and assignments for instructor review and supportive feedback.
Parent Resources & Communication
Parents stay informed with dedicated guides, progress insights, and direct communication with the academy.
Structured Growth Between Classes
Training continues between sessions with guided activities that keep students engaged and improving.
Questions
Before you sign up
Ready When You Are
Try one class. No charge today.
Start your child's 7-day free trial. Choose the weekly class that fits your family on the next page, then checkout securely.
Start My 7-Day Free Trial$199/mo after trial · Cancel anytime · Questions? support@poseyactingacademy.com