Summer is a busy time here at Civic Theatre. Singing, dancing, and laughter can be heard throughout the building as our summer campers dive into their classes. We caught up with Jenna Pope, Summer Coordinator for a recap on all the fun!
Over the last ten weeks, Grand Rapids Civic Theatre has been filled with over 500 students learning about the magic of theater! With plays tied into the fairy tales found in Shrek, campers from ages 4 through 12 learned about acting, voice, dance, set/props, and costumes classes in order to produce a full production on the mainstage at the end of each week. Campers said that they loved “making new friends” and “being involved in all aspect of the play from props to character lines.”
Our older students auditioned for, learned, and produced Shrek Jr. and Robin Hood within one week, each! They were able to participate in a genuine rehearsal process, work with theatre professionals, and put on impressive performances each week.
In addition to our campers, we have had over 30 teenage leaders, our Theater Assistants (TAs), volunteer for over 2,000 hours total. They worked as classroom assistants, lead groups of students around the building, ran the sound and light boards, and were wonderful examples of young leaders.
Our campers got a great introductory taste of the world of theater, including onstage and backstage responsibilities. They were able to use their creativity, imagination, and talent to generate incredible performances each week!
