Who We Are

Mission Statement

Homeschool Performing Arts (HPA) is a program of Vessel for Arts, a 501(c)(3) organization.  HPA's purpose is establishing a community of homeschool families in which students and parents work together to produce music, drama, and musical theatre productions that glorify and honor the Lord. Our mission is for students to experience spiritual growth, personal growth including the areas of commitment, responsibility, self-confidence, composure, interpersonal communication, social understanding, conflict resolution and work ethic, as well as artistic growth in their performing abilities, including public speaking, singing, dancing, and acting.

HPA Executive Staff

Brad Garnaat founded HPA in 1997 and serves as the Executive Director as well as Director of the mainstage productions. Brad is a former homeschooler and a graduate of the teacher education program at Cornerstone University. Brad has been very involved in music and drama for most of his life, performing in many shows and choirs throughout high school and college. He has played the roles of Perchik in Fiddler on the Roof and Gaston in Disney's Beauty and the Beast with Caledonia Community Players. He also played Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance with Master Arts Theatre. In 2018, he was again in The Pirates of Penzance, but this time playing the Pirate King in the HPA staff/alumni production.

Tanya Garnaat, Brad's wife, is an executive officer for HPA who has been faithfully serving behind the scenes since it's inception. Brad and Tanya have homeschooled their four children, recently graduating their youngest.

CJ Pletcher is the Assistant Director for HPA mainstage shows and serves as an advisor to the executive board. CJ grew up in Pennsylvania, performing in community theatre, where she performed The King and I (Tuptim) and Carousel (Julie Jordan), and was involved in a ministry-focused traveling mime group. CJ studied voice and theatre while getting her BA in Special Education at Calvin College. She also participated in one of their traveling improv teams. Since college, CJ has taught in public and private school settings and been busy fulfilling her calling as a wife and homeschooling mother of three children. She currently teaches voice and acting from her home. More recent Michigan performing experiences include Brigadoon (Meg), The Sound of Music (Maria), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Narrator) and The Pirates of Penzance (Ruth).  

Trent Garnaat is an HPA alumni and has been HPA’s Business Manager since 2019. Even though Trent loves to perform, he has a passion for the production side of theatre and HPA. He has worked on and performed music since a young age, on the stage, competing, and leading worship, as well as participating in the Evangelical Choral Society. He has been in the cast for numerous mainstage shows with HPA and served as stage manager for several shows as well as tech crew for many more before assuming the role of Business Manager.

Beverly Bishop is an executive board member of Vessel for Arts, and has been involved with HPA since 2004. She has a Bachelor of Science in Business Education from St. Cloud State University and has taught adult, college, high school, and middle school computer classes. She also has a published book named My Friend with Autism. Beverly grew up performing in community theater with her family and toured with EPIC Ministries International presenting the Gospel in mime during her college years. Beverly and her husband, Thad, homeschooled their two children.