Lessons Beyond the Stage at Bethesda Theatre Camp

Shakespeare said “All the world’s a stage,” and kids in a local Bethesda summer camp are learning just how true that is! Since 1981, Adventure Theatre’s Musical Summer Camp at Glen Echo Park has been teaching children ages 6 to 15 not only skills for the stage but also for life, says Gazette.net.

One of the basic tenets of this camp is that you must work as a team with other campers and not “hog the spotlight,” according to Education and Outreach Director Kathryn Hnatio. They keep stress low by using an informal audition process where casting is often based more on enthusiasm than experience, but kids with training do get to show their stuff.

Each group of campers has only two weeks to move through a series of rehearsal blocks for singing, dancing, acting and costume preparation, yet the final shows they present are always fantastic. This is due in large part to the 10-to-1 student teacher ratio at the camp, which means lots of individual coaching and support.

But Summer Program Manager Mallory Shear and her teachers also offer their 80 campers the opportunity to develop essential life skills such as teamwork, public speaking, and confidence in themselves, and these are the successes that mean the most to the team, says Shear. Kids are taught to support fellow cast members both on and off the stage, that even small parts are important, and that you can take your role beyond what the script dictates. Important life lessons indeed.

This year the campers are performing the following four plays: “The Frog Prince,” “Annie Jr.,” “Snow White” and “Camp Rock the Musical.” All performances take place at Glen Echo Park and are free to the public. And there are still spots available for two August camp sessions from August 1-12 and August 15-26. For more information on show times and camp costs, check out Adventure Theatre’s website.

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