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Camp & Education Fair
Thank you to our
visitors and participants for very successful Camp and Education Fairs.
at Millwood
School
and
at Collegiate School
Athletic Center
For More Information and Space Reservation
for 2008
Call Kathy Godsey 804-288-3030
email: kgodsey@richmondpublishing.com
FAX : 804-673-5308
Camp & Education Fair
Choose the link beside to help you choose an enjoyable way
for your child to spend their summer and even get that extra help with
their studies. Find a camp, an interesting and educational after
school activity, or even a great preschool for the little ones.
Another Summer Full of Drama
By KIMBERLI RUSS VIDA
Do your kids act up every summer? Why not help them excel in their drama? Many great programs in Richmond offer children with a flair for the dramatics the chance to have fun and learn some great skills. We introduce you to several options below.
Theatre IV’s Stage Explorers Camp allows rising first- to sixth-graders to discover life backstage and onstage, filling the many roles it takes to put on a show. Divided by grade level, campers explore acting, singing, playwriting and set design at Barksdale Theatre at Willow Lawn. The camps run June 18-29 and July 9-20 in the morning. 783-1688, www.TheatreIV.org
Although Swift Creek Mill Theatre’s full-day camps are divided by age for singing, dancing and acting, all ages come together for enrichment classes on special effects, lighting, acting in TV commercials and so on. At the end of this sampler of theatrical activities, campers put on a show for their families. Camps run June 25-29 and August 13-17. 748-5203, www.swiftcreekmill.com
A variety of themes will intrigue dramatic campers at Drama Kids. For example, “Drama in Far Away Lands” explores drama in Asia, Africa and Europe. “Make Them Laugh” is a comedy camp, while “The Mystery of Puppetry” incorporates creating and using puppets along with acting. Other options are available. Parents can choose half-day or full-day camps for ages six to eight, nine to 11, and 12-17. 639-2282 (Chesterfield) or 569-3866 (Henrico, Hanover, Richmond), www.dramakids.com
HATTheatre also offers a palette of programs. “Pop Idol!” for ages eight and up, transforms campers into rock stars. “Fairy Tale Theatre,” for ages six to 10, explores improvisational theatre by dramatizing classic fairy tales. “Who Pushed Humpty?” puts kids ages eight to 13 in a “whodunit,” while “What If…” will help children nine and up transform their scripts into a play. And the choices don’t stop there! Each camp is a week long. 343-6364, www.hattheatre.org
Other dramatic opportunities include “On Stage!” with Neighborhood School of the Arts. From July 17-28, second- through eighth-graders collaborate to put on a musical. A morning-only program during that same period allows children as young as 4˝ to put on a junior production. 359-1656, neighborhoodschool.org
Christian Youth Theater, or CYT, has five one-week sessions for ages 6-11 and a middle school camp. A week-long, overnight inspirational high school camp is also available. 778-7979, www.cytrichmond.org.
Rising third- to ninth-graders at Luther Memorial School’s “Luther Under the Lights” summer camp will work on “Godspell, Jr.” from June 18 to July 13. The morning camp culminates in performances July 13 and 14 in the school auditorium. 321-6420, www.luthermemorial.com
The School of Performing Arts for the Richmond Community, otherwise known as SPARC, holds two camps. Bravo! is SPARC’s full-day camp for rising fifth- to eighth-graders. It offers a chance to grow onstage and off, covering all the basics of the stage from June 25 to July 20. The camp ends with a performance showcasing new talents.
Sparclers, SPARC’s camp for rising first- to fourth-graders with little or no experience, lets parents choose from one or more different sessions. Campers learn songs from Broadway musicals and movies, theater-related arts and crafts, dance and skits. Morning and afternoon sessions are June 18-July 6 and July 9-27. 788-6446, www.sparconline.org
While most drama camps simply enroll campers, Luther Memorial School and SPARC also have camps for which auditions are required.
“Each year, we have waiting lists for our camp,” commented Patricia Scott, summer programs director at Luther Memorial School. “Two years ago we started holding auditions for the program [for older students] because of the growing amount of children interested in participating,”
Auditions for Luther Memorial’s performance of “Annie Get Your Gun” are on February 11 and 12 for rising sixth- to ninth-graders. Chosen campers work with Richmond actors in camp July 16-August 10. Performances will be at the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen on August 10-12.
Auditions for actors age 10-15 for SPARC’s tour of “Godspell, Jr.” will be held on February 3 and 4, 2-5 p.m. at Tuckahoe Presbyterian Church. Camp includes singing, acting and dance training, rehearsal and performances. It meets June 18-July 20 at Beth Ahabah.
Visit www.richmondparents.com for more thrilling summer acts!