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Sleepaway musical theatre summer camps for 15 year old?

Sleepaway musical theatre summer camps for 15 year old?

HeatherDuke
#1Sleepaway musical theatre summer camps for 15 year old?
Posted: 5/14/17 at 10:43am

Hi! I am really excited for the summer this year becuase I am allowed to pick one musical theatre summer camp to go to. Right now, I am choosing between camp Ballibay and camp Long lake. If anyone has gone to either one of these camps, please tell me. Any input would be great! And for each camp, what are the audition processes like? Which camp is better? I am a very indecisive person so any input would be fabulous. Thank you guys so much!!

thesinginglaywer
#2Sleepaway musical theatre summer camps for 15 year old?
Posted: 5/14/17 at 11:27am

Hi There, 

I attended Long Lake for 3 summers ages 14, 15 and 16. I would highly recommend it-- they were the best summers of my life. To be surrounded by all theater kids (or at the very least all artsy kids) was amazing-- such a change from my normal high school life where we were the weirdos. Long Lake is amazing because of the vast variety of activity choices you have. In addition to being in a show you can be in any style of dance class or production, circus, music lessons on any instrument or vocal style, all styles of fine arts PLUS things like sports, horseback riding, ATVing etc. During my time at long lake I not only was able to get roles in amazing musicals, I also learned how to sew, wakeboard, play trombone, performed the spanish web in the circus and learned how to tap dance, a genre my childhood dance studio didn't offer at the time. 

 

Regarding the audition process, here is how it went when I was a camper. I should note that this was now over 10 years ago so it may have changed some, but I am betting it is still mostly the same. If you want to be in a show you will be in a show. I also recall that you can say wether you want to be in a play or a musical and they almost always respect that. The audition process is as follows- Day 2 of camp (first full day) you audition in front of all the different directors. Everyone in camp sings the same song (just a portion of it) and everyone performs the same very short monologue. So they teach both to you first and then one by one everyone performs it on stage in front of the directors. Both are short and usually quite easy. Its pretty low pressure because everyone is doing the same thing. The next morning you wake up and call back lists have been posted. So the next day during the different periods of the day (there are 7 activity periods) you attend call backs. Not everyone will get lots of callbacks, some might get 5 or 6 while others might get only 1 or even none. That doesn't mean you won't be in a show, it just means that they're pretty sure they're gonna put you in an ensemble role or a role that doesn't have a lot of competition so they don't need a callback. Callbacks are show specific- you might attend an into the woods callback first period and a pajama game callback 4th period. in those theyll teach you a song or have you learn a scene, much like the day before, but now the material is specific to the show and role you're being called back for. Once all that is done, finally on the morning of day 3 everyone wakes up early to see how theyve been cast. Cast lists are posted and everyone swarms them to find out what show theyre in. Shows rehearse either in the morning (periods 1-3) or afternoon (periods 4-5). So being in a show will take up 2 or 3 of the 7 activity periods. 

In addition to the main plays and musicals, you can also audition to be cast in the dance production, which rehearses periods 6 and 7 (sometimes youll be in both slots sometimes only 1, depending on what dances/styles youre cast in). Again you can have a pretty big say in this. If you say you want to do ballet youll be in it at some level, if you say you want to do jazz or tap, they make it happen. There is usually a variety of dances at different experience/talent levels. You can still take dance class all the other periods of the day if you don't want to do the dance show. Dance happens during all activity periods too. 

Additionally, the other thing that rehearses every day if you want to be in the production is Circus. Circus auditions happen the same day as callbacks and you just have to go down to the circus hill at some point to try out some apparatus and then they cast you in an act. Some circus comes down to casting but I honestly think some of it is just a matter of scheduling. But if you're in circus your act will rehearse 1 activity period a day. 

I obviously can't make a direct comparison to Ballibay since I didnt attend but Long Lake was amazing and you should totally go, you will have an amazing time. 

C.Jack
#3Sleepaway musical theatre summer camps for 15 year old?
Posted: 5/14/17 at 12:52pm

I'd also recommend Stagedoor Manor in The Catskills. Amazing place, went there for 5 years!

dramamama611 Profile Photo
dramamama611
#4Sleepaway musical theatre summer camps for 15 year old?
Posted: 5/14/17 at 1:31pm

Isn't it too late for these programs? Aren't they already full? 


If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.

thesinginglaywer
#5Sleepaway musical theatre summer camps for 15 year old?
Posted: 5/14/17 at 6:05pm

dramamama611 raises a very good point. If you're not signed up yet you need to get on that STAT. It is very late in the game and some camps may not have spaces remaining. 

Speed
#6Sleepaway musical theatre summer camps for 15 year old?
Posted: 5/14/17 at 6:14pm

Interlochen Arts Camp is the best because it's also a real summer camp experience and it's all music and art so it's more all-encompassing.  I spent 3 summers there and it was magic.  Kate Baldwin was a camper there during my 3rd summer.  Josh Groban was a camper there about 2 years later.

Updated On: 5/14/17 at 06:14 PM

KathyNYC2
#7Sleepaway musical theatre summer camps for 15 year old?
Posted: 5/14/17 at 6:15pm

Also French Woods in upstate New York as another option. 

KathyNYC2
#8Sleepaway musical theatre summer camps for 15 year old?
Posted: 5/14/17 at 6:15pm

Also French Woods in upstate New York as another option.