Summer Camp: Theatre Style!

by Aimee Alger, Drama Representative

Theatre camps are fantastic way for students to continue to grow their theatrical skills and to meet new like-minded peers. Camps registrations are starting now, and spots can fill up quickly, so if you are looking for a few to recommend to your students, I have compiled a current list for this summer! I’ll be taking on the exciting responsibility of running my own drama camp this summer, so wish me luck!

Edmonton:   

• Citadel Theatre: For children ages 4-17. Ranging from one week to three, camps focus on musical theatre, performance, and technical theatre.  What ever your theatre inclined students are interested in, there’s plenty to choose from. 

• Grindstone Theatre: Camps and classes for kids and teens in Acting, Drama, Improv, Musical Theatre, Clown, Magic, and Stand-Up Comedy.   

• Rapidfire Theatre: Rapid Fire Theatre offers three summer Improv camps for ages 6-9, 9-12,  and 13-18.  There camp culminate with a showcase family and friends can attend. 

• St. Albert City Camps: Designed to include singing, dancing, and acting, these half- and full- day Drama and Technical camps for kids ages 3-19 are meant to create a welcoming space for all theatre students. 

• Visionary Centre for the Performing Arts: VCPA offers a ton of theatre camps for kids ages 3-17 at locations in Edmonton, and St. Albert. They offer fun themed camps in Musical Theatre, Drama, Dance, Acting, Singing, Improv, Rock Band, and Music Production!   

• Strathcona County: Camps of various disciplines are offered through Strathcona County including Technical Theatre, Dance, Drama, Story Creation, and more!   

• Horizon Stage: Musical Theatre and Circus camps for students ages 8-14. Camps are run through the City of Spruce Grove.   

Calgary:   

•  Calgary Young Peoples Theatre: Summer theatre camps for kids ages 4-18. Half- and full- day camps for the younger kids and one to two-week discipline specific intensives for teens. These intensives include Stage Make-Up, Musical Theatre, Acting, Stage Combat, Improv, Circus and more! Bursaries available and camp locations are across Calgary.   

• Mount Royal University: MRU offers camps for students entering grades 1-3. These camps are theme-based and connect the arts with other subjects such as science and design.  

• Pumphouse Theatre: Ensemble based camps for ages 7-14. Each camp will focus on developing acting techniques, speech, physical theatre, and play creation. The play will be performed at the end of the week.   

• Quest Theatre: Camps for ages 6-15 throughout July and August. Each week the instructors guide the students through the process of creating a play, which they perform at the end of the week. Bursaries available.   

• Storybook Theatre: Camps for youth ages 6-17. Each of the camps at Storybook Theatre focus on a production- this summer students can participate in Finding Nemo Kids/Jr., Legally Blonde Jr. or a camp in which you create and perform your own play! Financial Assistance available and camps occur in various locations in Calgary.    

• SummerACT @ Calgary Actor’s Studio: These 1- or 2-week camps (ages 10-18) focus on rehearsing and performing a show in a professional setting. They offer both play and musical theatre productions. Subsidies available.    

• Theatre Calgary: Summer Drama Camps for students entering grades 3-12. Camps have various focuses such as Games & Storytelling, Puppetry, and Clowning, in addition to the 2-week Playmaking and Musical Theatre Intensives.     

• University of Calgary: Summer Drama camps for students entering grades 3-7. Fun-filled days of Drama activities, games and a performance/workshop with U of C’s Drama Troupe WagonStage. This camp balances indoor and outdoor arts and recreation activities including swimming. Other camps through U of C that might interest Drama students are the Radio, Podcasting & Music Production, Dance, or the Filmmaking camps.   

  

Red Deer:   

• Artstrek: A weeklong overnight camp for teens ages 12-18. Participants study a play through classes in acting, movement, voice, devising, design, directing, and dramaturgy. This year, students will be exploring Addams Family the Musical.   

• Treehouse Youth Theatre: A fun, inclusive introduction to theatre for kids ages 9-17. Each camp will build a play to perform at the end of the week. Students will be able to take on and learn about various roles including actor, playwright, director, designer, and stage manager. 

Other:   

• New West Theatre Lethbridge: Weeklong camps throughout the summer for youth ages 6-18. Each camp has a fun theme to get students amped up for an exciting week of acting, singing and dancing. Some of the weekly themes are Disney, Taylor Swift, Broadway, Murder mystery and more! Other camps include puppetry and stage skills.    

• Keyano Theatre Drama Force, Fort MacMurray: Engaging local youth ages 10-17 with an exciting theatrical learning experience and creative performance opportunity. Participants will learn performance skills in a variety of disciplines such as voice, movement, dance, acting and improvisation as well as the dynamics of technical theatre.