St. Thomas Playhouse will offer kids a summer of fun and exciting theater for 2010. The Summer Theater Project will perform the classic pop and rock musical "Pippin" at The Community School Theatre in Sun Valley.
The Summer Theater Project will take place June 16-20. Open auditions for "Pippin" will take place on Saturday, May 8, from 12-4 p.m. at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Sun Valley. Rehearsals will begin on Monday, May 17. Freddie Harris returns to direct the show with musical direction by Alyssa and Brad Hershey and choreography by Sherry Horton and Sara Gorby.
Young adults, youth entering ninth grade fall 2010 through college, are requested to audition.
"One of our big conversations at the playhouse is about outreach," said Camp Administrator Sara Gorby. "We like to do things for the community and have the community be a network for us all."
Staging a production such as "Pippin" will give young actors and musicians an opportunity to collaborate on a show that pulls the heartstrings about what it means to have a family, a home and a heart. For details, call 726-5349, ext. 16.
Conservatory Camp
Head to the Sawtooths for a theater experience like no other.
"It's something you don't get at school," said Gorby. The biggest thing about the St. Thomas Summer Performing Arts Conservatory Camp [SPACC] is how it has grown. We take risks and grow with kids who are in the performing arts and care as much about the discipline of theater as we do."
SPACC is a safe and extremely creative environment at Camp Perkins, which is north of Ketchum near Alturas Lake in the Sawtooth Mountains. For its third summer, SPACC will take place June 26-July 2 and will incorporate the theme "Rolling on the River." The water theme will be part of the camp experience including songs such as "Proud Mary (Rolling on the River)," "Bridge Over Troubled Water, "Singing in the Rain" and excerpts from Shakespeare's "The Tempest and Richard Nash's "The Rainmaker."
The camp is for fifth graders through high school seniors who will work with returning guest artists including Beth Kennedy from Los Angeles, hip-hop artist Mary Kennedy from New York City and voice artist of opera and musical theater James Martin also from New York City. In addition, older kids are returning too.
"There's nothing like it in the state of Idaho and kids say they will not miss it," Gorby said. "It's about the classes, the relationships that are built, fun nighttime activities and artists being together."
Participants immerse themselves in a conservatory-like experience in the areas of acting, music and voice, dance and on-camera work. In addition, St. Thomas Playhouse will offer recreational and evening activities such as rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, D.J. night, campfire night, game night and arts and crafts. Also, evening activities include skit night and talent show night.
Tuition is $900 per person and scholarships are available as well as an early bird special and sibling discount. For details, call 726-5349, ext. 16.
Company B productions
The two-week musical theater experience no child will ever forget takes place at the St. Thomas Playhouse Company B Summer Performing Arts Camp. This summer Company B will present Disney's "101 Dalmatians Kids" and "Dear Edwina, Jr."
"Company B is morning, noon and night theater," Gorby said. "It's unlike anything else I have ever been part of."
Company B is special because older kids mentor younger kids so the process of learning is fostered through love and passion. The success of Company B is now seeing many returning older kids come back for the summer to help youth.
The Company B Performing Arts Day Camp team of directors, artists, teachers and designers create a two-week musical theater experience for children ages 5-9 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and ages 10-13 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, June 7, through Sunday, June 20. The cost is $350 for ages 5-7 and $475 for ages 8-13. Public performances for "101 Dalmatians Kids" are Thursday, June 17, and Saturday, June 19, and for "Dear Edwina, Jr." performances are Friday, June 18, and Sunday, June 20.
Camp begins at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Sun Valley and final rehearsals and performances will take place at The Community School Theatre in Sun Valley. For details, call 726-5349, ext. 16.
The St. Thomas Playhouse Summer Performing Arts Conservatory Camp covers all aspects of theater including playing in a rock band.
Courtesy photo by Heather Black
