BE A REBEL.
BE YOU.
Merging artistry, humanity, and emotional health.
Our Story.
WHY WE CREATED REBEL.
We want a movement. We want nourishing. We want elevated, modern, up-to-date training. We want to prepare the next generation of artists in new and useful ways. We will teacher and offer training that hasn't been offered before.
We will strive to always be evolvuing in the pursuit of elevating artistic training. If the demands are greater, then we must be greater teachers, and provide greater tools.
We are committed to putting the personal back into The Business.
If we are asked to wear our hearts on our sleeve as artists, for the sake of the most moving performance, then why isn't our heart at the center of our study?
We will weave real-world training with conversations of emotional health and the pursuit of well rounded success.
Us.
WHY REBEL CREATED US.
Dear Rebels,
"It's not personal, it's just business."
Nope. Our business is incredibly personal. Being an artist is incredibly personal. Being personal is very vulnerable.
We promise to never have all the answers, to continue learning, to continue to better ourselves to provide the best to the student. You are enough. But maybe the current standard of training isn't enough for you. Boom - Rebel Born.
The rules of the Industry were designed decades ago, along with expectations, the structures and ideals of success, the training tactics, and how easy it is to put an artist in a box. Lucas and I, we don't fit in a box. Why should we try in order to serve the Industry. It's time to rebel against the idea that we have to fit a mold in order to stand a chance in getting cast or finding a job in the theatrical arts (or arts industry). Sure, keep the rules of safety, but ditch the rules of self modifying.
The next generation faces a world of emotional health challenges and their art should be a safe place. Their training shouldn't be stale and a "one size fits all." Students being trained with no new innovation or awareness are not being set up for success or even fully prepared for the world their going to face - on or off the stage.
It's time to rebel. Reclaim our individuality and creative possibility. It's time for teachers and leaders to ask what the students need in the current Industry and future Industry expectations. We can honor traditional training without making it the rule book. Make your own rules.
"Show them who you are." I don't know who I am. My mental health requires me to ask that question every day. Who am I today? What kind of leader do I want to be? Woman I want to be? Creator I want to be? So Rebels, show them what you're capable of. Show them who you are in just that moment, what you want them to see, what they didn't know they wanted! Because ... hell, yeah - you're enough.
Love, Kellie & Lucas.
Get to know more...
... about the Rebels in the wings?
Our Story. With More Words.
WHY WE CREATED REBEL.
There are many wonderful studios and theatres across North Texas (and the country, for that matter) that provide training, production experience, technique ... However, the INDUSTRY is demanding more and more from artists, more than what has been the tradition mold for Triple Threat training. We want to have a training program that fills in the gabs of what is still needed for young artists, striving to discover themselves and find a future in this business. In a world where artistis are continuously questioning themselves, their ability, their worth, their furture, we wanted to stop the overwhelming question of, "how do I make myself fit in the Industry" and start asking, "how can the Industry fit for me?"
Artists are asked and expected to give so much of themselves, physically and emotionally, for the sake of telling a story, truthfully and fully. And then we walk out the stage door into a society that doesn't always support what we're feeling - eesh, put those feelings away! So the internal confusion for an artist to feel and be vulnerable and bravely tell stories but then turn around and not know how how to be brave enough to tell their OWN story, know how they are off the stage, feel safe enough to tell their OWN feelings ... well ... here we are. This is what Lucas and Kellie wanted to talk about. Rebel against the demands of the Industry that has the potentional to rob the joy from this profession. Strip down the ideals that our worth is twisted within what casting you receive, what job you have next, from wearing your stress as a badge of honor.
Why are we doing that? Why must artists be starving, feel neglected, or feel insecure in order to feel as if they are succeeding? If the lead isn't stressed, well, do they really care? REDEFINE THAT. No, rebel against the tradition.
We want a movement. We want nourishing. We want elevated, modern, up-to-date training. We want to prepare the next generation of artists to disregard that "survival mode" the only mode.
REBEL MODE - ON.
Lucas and Kellie, Chapter One.
Lucas and Kellie met at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York. We connected through our passion for what we do, for performing, teaching, inspiring, and both eager to become our healthiest and happiest selves. We were confronted with struggles and challenges in our personal lives , which further propelled us to be, not just excellent instructors, but motivators and mentors. Rebel brought us back to ourselves. Rebel put the spark back into our daily lives. Rebel brought safety back into our craft.
We work because we challenge each other. We are each uniquely and elaborately creative. We like to make magic. We don't fit the mold of standard. We work because at the base of all our lessons, we have the goal to leave a student feeling loved, not just advanced.
When trying something unknown, creating something new, the base of a partnership has to be bricked with trust. We trust ourselves, we trust each other, and we trust the power and necessity of Rebel.
We will be committed to continued learning in order to best serve our students and their education. We will be committed to introducing new teaching methods and customized methods that fit the individual student and not just the past expectations of the Industry. We are committed to keeping focus on health, creativity, passion, and the potential of each student. We are committed to creating something bigger than ourselves, a movement, an empowerment. We are committed to putting the personal back into the buisness.
It IS Personal. It's not just business. (For Kellie).
Kellie Carroll doesn't believe that everything happens for a reason.
But she does believe you can make a reason out of everything, including personal tragedy.
Carroll is the founder of Rebel Theatrics. While it’s primarily a theater and dance training company, part of their curriculum is dedicated to mental health, because she feels there’s a huge lack of support in that area in the fine arts.
It's support that she knows is needed after losing her brother, Scott, to a mental health crisis in May of 2017.
"We did not have much, if any, warning signs for his choosing to stop living his life," Carroll says. "In the process of my family healing from such a sudden, tragic and confusing loss...more and more (of my) students were coming to me...with bigger things about their self-worth and self-esteem and emotional health. And that's when I knew I wanted to be more than just a dance teacher and just a theater teacher."
So two years ago, Carroll and co-founder Lucas Atkins, founded Rebel Theatrics.
PUBLISHED Monday, May 1, 2023, 12:51 PM
https://www.kelliecarroll.com/media
A Note From Kellie.
I don't fully know what Rebel is or will be. I hope to never fully know. I hope there is never one answer for "what it means to be a Rebel." My wish and goal is that every time a student is asked, "what it means to be a Rebel," they will have a different and personal and empowering answer. Rebel should be very personal. As it the road to individually defined success.
My brother was a rebel. My brother instictively lived full out. He brought life and ruckus into every room.
Upon losing my brother, it was my students, on the dance floor, that taught me what "holding space" felt like and looked like. The students helped push me into my chaper of "more than just a dance teacher." The students helped push me into a movement that was more than just triple threat training.
Trust.
Dear Rebels,
We want you to know us and when earned, trust us. Lucas and I connected during a chapter of life when we were both facing uncertainties in our artistc journey and in our individual, personal journies. While we were seperately navigating paths of grief, loss, unknowns, and self discovery, we found creativity and comfort and conversation in our connetion. We began conversations of "what ifs," "why nots," "how comes," and more. Why is the education of auditioning so grand and yet the aftermath of emotions barefly brought to the table? How do we feed ourselves and the stage, instead of losing ourself in someone else's story and "the show must go on?" We have to go one. We have to be brave. We have to value ourselves, not just the show. Not just someone else's definition of success.
When trying something unknown, creating something new, the base of a partnership has to be bricked with trust. We trust ourselves, we trust each other, and we trust the power and necessity of Rebel.
We will be committed to continued learning in order to best serve our students and their education. We will be committed to introducing new teaching methods and customized methods that fit the individual student and not just the past expectations of the Industry. We are committed to keeping focus on health, creativity, passion, and the potential of each student. We are committed to creating something bigger than ourselves, a movement, an empowerment. We are committed to putting the personal back into the buisness.
Trust us, you matter. Your story is worth exploring and sharing. Trust yourself. And then, the audience will.
Love, Kellie. (and sitting next to Lucas.)
KELLIE CARROLL
For over seventeen years, Kellie Carroll has been a luminary in the field of dance and theatrical arts education. Her journey began with a film degree from KD Conservatory in Dallas and culminated in the hallowed halls of The Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City. But her education was just the prelude to a career marked by both breadth and depth.
Kellie isn't just an educator; she's a performer who has shared the stage with industry icons like Destiny's Child, Kelly Clarkson, Sheryl Crow, and Jessica Simpson. Her prowess extends beyond the live stage into the realms of film and commercials, showcasing a versatility that's as impressive as it is rare.
But where Kellie truly comes alive is in the world of musical theater, especially here in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. With a decade's worth of performances under her belt, she understands the local theater landscape intimately.
Yet, for Kellie, the spotlight has never been the ultimate goal. Her true calling lies in children's theater education. It's this dedication that led her to co-found Rebel Theatrics. Seeing a need for a more rigorous yet emotionally healthy approach to youth theater training, she envisioned Rebel as the answer—a place where young artists could not only develop their skills but also grow as complete, well-rounded individuals.
Her specialized expertise in narrative dance complements the Rebel Methodology perfectly, offering students a unique lens through which to explore their artistic identities. Kellie Carroll is not just a co-founder; she's the heartbeat of Rebel Theatrics, embodying our commitment to holistic education and artistic excellence.
LUCAS ATKINS
Lucas is a man of many talents—teacher, actor, videographer, photographer, and coach—but at the core of each role is a singular mission: to shape the next generation of artistic minds. His teaching credentials are both broad and deep, including stints at esteemed institutions like The Neighborhood Playhouse and LaGuardia High School in New York City. Teaching alongside industry professionals has not only honed his own skills but also enriched his capacity to mold young talent.
For Lucas, education is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor but a comprehensive process. He thrives on guiding those who are thirsty for knowledge and takes special pride in rigorously preparing students for the fiercely competitive world of acting. His passion isn't just for the craft but for the entire educational journey—from the first tentative steps of a novice to the confident strides of a student ready to make their own mark in the world.
What truly fuels Lucas is the opportunity to teach art to children who possess an insatiable desire to tell stories, to be great. Each child represents a unique narrative, a singular opportunity to make an indelible impact. It's this joy in educating, in shaping each student's individual story, that makes Lucas not just a co-founder but the soul of Rebel Theatrics.
Together with Kellie, Lucas completes the yin and yang of Rebel Theatrics' educational philosophy, ensuring that students experience a holistic, well-rounded training that prepares them not just for the stage, but for life itself.
Our Teaching Philosophy, One.
LEAD WITH LOVE.
Fear works faster, but love lasts longer.
Artistis are storytellers. The story will be our guiding light. And as we learn to tell stories, we learn to be brave enough to tell our own.
Our Teaching Philosophy, Two.
ELEVATE YOUR ARTISTIC TRAINING.
A Comprehensive Approach to Performing Arts Education That Prioritizes Personal Connection, Emotional Intelligence, and Skill Mastery
Introduction to the Rebel Methodology: Tailored Learning Through Personal Connection
At the heart of our teaching philosophy lies a commitment to personalized education. We believe that the path to mastering the performing arts is as unique as each student who walks through our doors. That's why we start every educational journey with one-on-one consultations to understand the specific aspirations, strengths, and challenges of each individual. This allows us to tailor our approach to what truly motivates them, using that intrinsic drive as a catalyst for amplifying their skills.
Smaller class sizes are not a logistical coincidence but a pedagogical choice. They enable us to have frequent emotional and mental check-ins, ensuring that our students are not just technically sound but also emotionally balanced and mentally focused. This is particularly vital in an art form that demands as much emotional vulnerability as it does technical prowess.
Communication with parents is another cornerstone of our approach. We consider parents to be partners in this educational journey. Regular updates and consultations ensure that everyone is aligned on the student's progress, challenges, and upcoming milestones. This triad of student-teacher-parent communication creates a supportive ecosystem that is indispensable for sustainable growth in the demanding world of performing arts.
Conventions, Limited Series, and Rebel Retreats.
Conventions: An immersive experience for rapid skill acquisition and a celebration of the theater community.
Limited Series: Short-term, intensive courses that turbo-charge specific skills without pulling students away from their ongoing theater commitments.
Rebel Retreats: A week-long getaway focused on emotional rejuvenation and reconnection with the core love for theater.
The Unifying Theme: Holistic Development
Our diverse offerings coalesce around the goal of holistic education. From the classroom to the stage, and from the heart to the mind, we aim to develop complete artists—individuals who excel in their craft while possessing the emotional intelligence and resilience to navigate the complexities of life.
Our Board of Advisors
Our Industry Teachers
