Staff

Davila Hernandez

Owner

Davila received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre with an Emphasis in directing from Texas State University in 2008. She directed shows such as The Shadow Box, The Weirdest Honeymoon Ever, and Twelfth Night. At Texas State, she was trained in Improv, Fitzmaurice Voicework, Stylization, Characterization, Movement, and Stage Make-up.

Davila once worked for Extreme Home Makeover to gain knowledge of film sets. She loves to travel and went to London to gain more knowledge of her favorite writer, Shakespeare. She loves doing research on different genres and costuming.

Davila also has extensive experience as a teacher in a Montessori school, where she teaches values such as independence, creativity, patience, and endurance. In her free time, she loves cooking, watching movies, playing and watching sports, planning parties, and spending time with family.

Davila loves being able to be part of any child’s life to help motivate, enlighten, love, and inspire their creativity! Ms. Davila joined the Drama Kids team in January 2012 and is looking forward to another fabulous year!

Krista Forster

Drama & Acting Teacher

Krista began pursuing her love of theatre in college. After graduating from the University of Houston with her BFA in Theatre, she went on to receive her MFA from University Of Delaware. While pursuing her MFA, she had the privilege of spending three weeks in Japan working on a coproduction of Oedipus Rex at the Shizuoka Performing Arts Center with Tadashi Suzuki. Krista has appeared in theatres and on camera all over the country. Locally, at the Alley Theatre, Krista performed with the Academy Award winner Ellen Burstyn in their acclaimed production of Long Day’s Journey Into Night. She is also the proud recipient of the BackStage West Garland award for her lead performance in Kindertransport at Stages Repertory Theatre. In Chicago, Krista was nominated for a Joseph Jefferson award for lead performance and ensemble for her part as Ruth in Book of Days at Steep Theatre. Last year, Krista returned home to Texas from South Carolina, where she was a member of Trustus Theatre Company. It was in South Carolina, as the resident acting coach for Workshop Theatre, that she discovered her passion for teaching drama. As a Drama Kids teacher, Krista hopes to inspire, delight, and build confidence in her students.

Keyna Barahona

Drama & Acting Teacher

Keyna recently graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Biomedical Engineering and a certificate in Philosophy-Pre Law. She became a performer at a young age when she started ballet at eight years old and ultimately became a thespian when she started Destination Imagination at the recommendation of her 5th-grade teacher.

She continued pursuing theatre in middle school where she was part of many plays which included a One Act Play in UIL; she even received a medal for being an “All-Star Cast” in 2015. In high school, Keyna competed in numerous speech and debate tournaments and had the opportunity to judge some theatre competitions. She continued to learn more about theatre production by taking a college course on world theatre and avidly watching multiple Broadway performances.

This year, she is thrilled to share her passion for theatre at Drama Kids by inspiring students to be confident, express themselves, and be leaders in today’s competitive world. In addition to Drama Kids, Keyna is working towards writing a biography, developing innovative apparel, and pursuing a law degree.

Marie Denny

Drama & Acting Teacher

Marie has been performing on stage and on camera for the last 20 years and now channels that creativity through voice-over and long form. improv. She has a communications degree from Northwestern University, and when she wasn’t acting, she was teaching children and adults in after-school settings and classrooms. She’s delighted to be working with Drama Kids, spreading her love for creativity and performance, and teaching young people skills that help them be the best version of themselves!

Crayten Clendion

Acting Teacher & Event Planner

Crayten Clendion, born and raised in Cypress, Texas, is a graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, with a BFA in Theatre performance and directing. She has been doing theatre for 10-plus years and considers herself to be a theatre artist. In her career, she has done children’s theatre shows for The St. Louis Black Repertory Company and The National Theatre for Children. Some of Crayten’s favorite acting credits are Stephen F. Austin University Workshop production of “Such a Pretty Face” and The National Theatre for Children touring production of “Land of Smiles”. When not on stage, she is in the classroom teaching theatre.

Tammy Reed

Drama & Acting Teacher

Ms. Tammy Reed has been teaching theatre in Texas for 26 years, and technical theatre for 22. She holds a Masters of Theatre Directing from Roosevelt University, and a Bachelor of both English with a Teaching emphasis, and Communications with a Theatre emphasis from Fort Hays State University. She has been working in Theatre for 33 years. Reed has four adult children & three amazing grandchildren.

Sarah Thornton

Drama & Acting Teacher

Miss Sarah discovered her love for theatre at an early age, inspired by her father, a talented actor who introduced her to the stage. From sitting in on rehearsals to helping him run lines, she quickly became immersed in the world of acting, stage production, and the unique sense of community that theatre brings.

Over the years, Miss Sarah performed in numerous musicals and productions, where she developed not only her acting skills but also a deep passion for music. Today, she is a published singer-songwriter with original music available on major streaming platforms.

When she’s not teaching or creating, Miss Sarah enjoys swimming in the ocean, cooking for her friends and family, and caring for her pets—as well as any other animals who need a little extra love.

Her goal as a drama teacher is to inspire students to discover their own creativity, confidence, and joy in the performing arts, just as she did.

Sarah Thornton

Musical Director

Coming Soon

Kira Barnes

Drama & Acting Teacher

If you asked Kira Barnes where she thought she’d be as an adult, teaching theater to children would not have been her first guess. That just makes the prospect more exciting, and she’s always ready to pass on knowledge from her own theatrical experience and learn from others. When not “yes, and”-ing, she’s likely to be found drawing or working on some craft.