Hershey Area Playhouse Theatre Academy Announces Summer Drama Camps

Taught by instructors with experience in theatre and education, Hershey Area Playhouse Theatre Academy announces its 2015 Summer Drama Camps, The Play's the Thing, running the weeks of June 15-19 and 22-26, and Robin Hood, running the weeks of July 27-31 and Aug. 3-7.

As part of The Play's the Thing camp, students will be able to participate in one of three sessions, depending on grade level. In the Kids Camp Jr - Stories on Stage session, students entering grades 1-3 will explore story making, storytelling and story creation to create an original script and put it on stage.

For students entering grades 4-6, the Kids Camp - The Plot Thickens session will examine elements of script making using collaborative drama techniques to devise their own plays. Students will learn how character, setting, action and dramatic tension combine to create a story arc as "the plot thickens."

In the Studio & Scene Study - A Comedy Tonight...Or Not session, students entering grades 7-12 will dive deeply into text from classic works, learning to analyze scripts, create a character, and find that character's motivation and comic action. Campers will also contrast comic and more serious works to find their favorite story and style.

"The Studio & Scene session is all about learning that characters take action," said Wilkerson. "Students will prepare contrasting monologues and scenes, fully staged complete with costumes, lights, sound effects and music to create a free form play at the end of the session. This is a great class to learn audition skills."

All The Play's the Thing camp sessions will be held at the Playhouse, located at Sandhill Road and Cherry Drive, Hershey, the weeks of June 15-19 and 22-26, and will culminate with a 7 p.m. performance on June 26 at the Playhouse.

Through a partnership between the Playhouse and Hershey Gardens for a third summer, students entering grades 4-9 will be able to hone their acting, improvisational and theatrical combat skills at the Robin Hood drama camp, the weeks of July 27-31 and Aug. 3-7. Monday camp sessions will be held at the Playhouse while Tuesday through Friday camp sessions will be held at the Hershey Gardens, 170 Hotel Road, Hershey.

This camp will culminate with a performance of Robin Hood at the amphitheater in The Children's Garden at the Hershey Gardens. Friends and family will be invited to attend this lunchtime performance on Aug. 7.

This popular camp has a registration limit and fills rapidly. Interested persons should apply online to reserve a spot.

For more information on these summer drama camps and to register, visit www.HersheyAreaPlayhouse.com.

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