Photo from Adventure Theatre The cast of “The Frog Prince” prepares for a performance at Adventure Theatre’s Musical Theatre Camp.

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Photo from Adventure Theatre The 2010 cast of “The Wizard of Oz” performs at Adventure Theatre’s Musical Theatre Camp.

Photo from Adventure Theatre The cast of “The Frog Prince” prepares for a performance at Adventure Theatre’s Musical Theatre Camp.

 

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At Adventure Theatre’s Musical Theatre Camp, success is all about ambitions — not auditions.

The children’s camp prides itself on being a welcoming place where children learn to work as a team and not hog the spotlight, says Kathryn Hnatio, Education and Outreach Director.

“We try to take out the competitive edge in the program, which is something unique to us,” Hnatio says.

Children, ages 6 to 15, who enroll in the two-week day camp inside Glen Echo Park are guaranteed a role in one of four plays: “The Frog Prince,” “Annie Jr.,” “Snow White” and “Camp Rock The Musical,” with scripts adapted for the program. Each play is written for 20 performers, and shows are grouped by age range.

Summer Program Manager Mallory Shear is proud that the camp is not meant to be stressful. The informal audition process is intended to be a way for campers and staff to get to know each other. Still, children who do have training in singing or dancing get a chance to showcase their skills.

“We get the full range, and we tend not to cast based on experience, but enthusiasm,” Shear says.

With only two weeks to prepare for their performances, students rotate through rehearsal blocks including singing, dancing, acting and costume fitting, Shear says. With a 10-to-one student to teacher ratio, each student is able to be coached to reach his or her highest potential.

“You’ll notice that these kids do an amazing job given their age and given the [rehearsal] time,” Hnatio says. “The whole philosophy that we teach is working together as a team and having a shared experience. It speaks volumes in that final performance.”

Children are learning how to act on stage, and also are learning vital skills like public speaking and teamwork, which is another reason for the program’s popularity, Hnatio points out. The summer camp has run since 1981 and its four sessions are often full, with 80 campers each.

While the summer camp has had numerous success stories of students continuing their passion for theater beyond their camp years, the other successes that are harder to measure are the impact of the teamwork and confidence gained at a crucial stage in a child’s development, Shear says,

“While those aren’t huge, grand successes, they are successes each session for us,” Shear says.

Playing the part

Hnatio offers some advice to children and their parents who are interested in being a part of a show at Adventure Theatre’s Musical Theatre Camp.

For students:

-Acting is a team effort, so it is important to support your fellow cast members on and off the stage.

-Keep in mind the story you are telling with your role, and how it fits into the bigger story of the show.

-There are no small parts, only small actors. Even if your character only has a few lines, it is an important part of the show.

-Each actor has the ability to craft the character beyond the written words in the script.

For parents:

-If your child didn’t get the role his or her heart was set on, enforce that the role is vital to the show.

- Remain a source of positive encouragement to help instill self-confidence.

-Encourage children to ask questions of their director and other camp staff so they get the most out of their experience.

If you go

Performances by students at Adventure Theatre’s Musical Theatre Camp are free and open to the public at the theater’s main stage inside Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd. There are four shows on Friday: 10 a.m. “The Frog Prince” (first cast), 11:15 a.m. “Snow White”, 1 p.m. “The Frog Prince” (second cast) and 2:15 p.m. “Annie Jr.” Registration is still open for camp sessions running from Aug. 1 through 12, and Aug. 15 through 26. The cost is $800 plus a $10 registration fee. For more information and to register, visit www.adventuretheatre.org.

ccalamaio@gazette.net