About Us
The Player’s Studio is a non-profit drama club and performing group based in North McAllen, Texas. We exist to serve the greater McAllen area with particular focus on youth and youth/community involvement through access to the performing arts and education.
Our Story
The Player's Studio began as a homeschool cooperative class. In the fall of 2016 the original organizer of the class moved away from the area and our current director, Karen Culbertson, agreed to take the club until a replacement could be found. However, by the end of the spring semester she had become fully invested and has been running the program ever since. That first semester in the spring of 2017 the group had nine students and performed a Showcase of four short skits. The Player’s Studio has now enrolled more than 400 students and participants and has performed 35 plus full length plays. We currently have three educational levels, a growing collaboration with RGV Down Syndrome Association, and a Community Player's performing group. The Player’s Studio also proudly collaborates with other local performing arts institutions in the McAllen area.
Our Mission
The Players Studio promotes accessible Theater Arts and education to foster confidence and creativity for the young and young at heart in south Texas.
Our Mission
Our Mission
Our Vision
Everyone, particularly youth, should have access to appreciate, consume, or participate in theater as a way of life and a force for good.
Our Mission
The Players Studio uses theater to nurture creativity and confidence in a dignified and fun manner, opening our eyes to a world of possibilities - Theater is for Everyone..
Our Values
Meet Our Team
Karen Culbertson
Founder and Director
Karen is the Founding Director of The Player's Studio. She took over the club in 2016 when it was a cooperative class for homeschoolers and has since been blessed to see it grow into a thriving educational and performing program. Outside of the studio setting, Karen has a variety of educational experiences across multiple age groups including 12 years homeschooling, 2 years as a preschool teacher, 10+ years of Literature and Writing Cooperative classes, and 3 years as a personal tutor. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and United States History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also a poet and playwright and has written several plays for The Player's Studio, including adaptations of William Shakespeare, Wonderland - an adaptation of the work of Lewis Carol, an adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, Peter Rabbit Tales which is a compilation of the stories of Beatrix Potter, and Peter Pan: Saving Neverland - an adaptation of the works of J. M Barrie. Karen also has two original works: The Spelling Bee Buzz and Jack, the Giant Thief. She has directed more than 35 productions.
Ryan Culbertson
Set Design
Ryan Culbertson has been the backbone of The Player's Studio since day one. In support of his wife's vision Ryan has created set pieces for every show that has been produced by TPS. Some of his most impressive pieces include a foam fireplace with working lights, Aslan's Stone Table that could break apart and come back together, and a ten foot tall Beanstalk. With every production his knowledge grows and with it, the quality of TPS programming. Ryan is also responsible for most of the graphic design work used at The Player's Studio.
Elanor Culbertson
Costume Design
Elanor is a graduate of The Player's Studio where she acted for seven years. Her love of theatre began at an early age when she was cast in the Disney Jr musical 101 Dalmatians. Since then Elanor has participated in more than a dozen shows. She was the White Witch in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, the caterpillar in Wonderland, Emily in Our Town and Rosalind in As You Like It, just to name a few. Elanor was also been a student leader at TPS for several years. She is a graduate of South Texas College where she earned her Associate Degree in Graphic Design and is currently enrolled at UTRGV where she is seeking a bachelor's in studio art and theatre technology.
Maya Wylie
YPS Assistant Director/High school Stage Manager
Maya Wylie is a student at South Texas College where she is studying Theatre. She is also a singer. Maya has been singing since she was 11 years old and is currently a soprano in the STC Choir. She was also afforded the opportunity to act in two summer theatre productions at 13 years old. She began her volunteer time with TPS the summer of 2023 as Stage Manager for Hamlet Gone Wrong. She has also starred in three community plays with TPS playing as multiple characters in The Alibis, as Barbara in Murder Most Fouled-Up, and as Maria in Twelfth Night. Most recently she served as Stage Manager for Macbeth. Maya looks forward to helping actors produce the best play they possibly can.
Aaron Aguilar
JPS Assistant Director and Acting Coach
Aaron Aguilar is a student at UTRGV where he is studying Theatre and Kinesiology. He has been acting since high school and continues to star in productions both at University and with The Player's Studio Community group. For UTRGV Aaron has been in the productions of The Rocky Horror Show and The Book of Will. With TPS he has been the much abused lawyer Seymour Mead in Murder Most Fouled-Up, Sir Andrew Aquecheek in Twelfth Night, and the title role in Macbeth. This is his second year serving as a volunteer for TPS.
Sofia Ayala
JPS Assistant Director and Acting Coach
Sofia Ayala is a Theatre major at UTRGV. She has been acting on stage for many years and enjoys encouraging the next generation of young performers. In addition to her many roles with UTRGV Theatre department she has also starred in three of TPS' community shows. Most recently she took the stage as the First Witch in William Shakespeare's classic Macbeth. This will be Sofia's second year as a volunteer for The Player's Studio.
Malayna Aguillon
JPS Stage Manager and Acting Coach
Malayna first joined TPS for our production Our Town in 2019. After a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic she returned to star in Little Women as the understudy for Meg March and several roles. Malayna has also performed as Captain Hook in Peter Pan: Saving Neverland, the Ghost of Christmas Present in A Christmas Carol, a Ghostly ancestor in Murder Most Fouled-Up, and Mitzy in A Murder is Announced. This will be her second year as a TPS volunteer. She is a student at UTRGV.
Our 2025-2026 Student Leaders
Melinda George
YPS Class Assistant
Melinda first joined The Player's Studio during a semester of Improv. After a time away she returned for a summer camp and stayed for classes and performances. She has starred as Martha Cratchitt in A Christmas Carol and Mrs. Darling in Peter Pan: Saving Neverland. As she enters her senior year she is excited to take on this leadership role and help young children find their passion for theatre.
Charles Lyons
Props Master
Charlie has been part of TPS since elementary school and he is excited to be entering the high school program and taking a position of leadership. Charlie has starred in The Christmas Witch, Alvin Fernald: Mayor for A Day, A Christmas Carol, and most recently as Dr. Watson in The Baker Street Irregulars. Charlie is excited to learn more about what it takes to run a show behind the scenes and to build with our set designer, Ryan Culbertson.
Faithful Lara
Technical Assistant
Faithful Lara is in her third year with The Player's Studio. Her roles include Mac in You Can't Take it With You and as swing in Little Women. This year she is excited for her second year in leadership in the area of technical theatre and to learn more about light and sound. Faithful is excited to be helpful in any way that she can.
The Player's Studio
The Player’s Studio is a non-profit drama club and performing group based in North McAllen, Texas. We exist to serve the greater McAllen area with particular focus on youth and youth/community involvement through access to the performing arts and education.
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