Hershey Area Playhouse Offers Summer Camps for Students in Grades 1 to 12

Hershey Area Playhouse has announced several summer camps for students in grades 1 to 12. The June Performance Camp will run from Monday to Friday at the Playhouse, from June 14 to 25 with evening performance on June 25. The Gardens Summer Theatre Camp will run Monday to Friday at the Hershey Gardens and the Playhouse from July 12 to 23 with a performance on Friday, July 23 at noon.

June Performance Camp

Dates: Monday-Friday, June 14 to 25, with evening performance June 25

Grades 1-3: 9 to 10:30 am; $135 plus registration fees

Grades 4-6: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm; $170 plus registration fees

Grades 7-12: 1:30 to 4:30 pm; $245 plus registration fees

Campers will enjoy two weeks of education and fun in person at the Hershey Area Playhouse. They will experience acting through age-appropriate games and exercises, and a full performance including costumes, set pieces and props, lights and sound on the Playhouse stage. Run by Theatre Academy teachers, the students will experience auditions, casting, rehearsals, memorizing lines, blocking and performance for a live audience June 25 in the evening. No prior acting experience is necessary.

The camp will meet in-person at the Playhouse every day. Depending on weather, some classes may be held outside on the Playhouse grounds. Masks may be required depending on the current CDC suggestions for the state of Pennsylvania in June. If masks are not required, but you would prefer your child to wear one, the teachers will honor your family preference for your child. For performance, we may ask if a clear shield will be sufficient so your child's face can be seen and the audience can hear more clearly.

Gardens Summer Theatre Camp

Dates: Monday-Friday, July 12 to 23 from 9 am to noon, with a performance at noon on July 23 at the Hershey Gardens in the outdoor theatre in the Kids Garden. Monday rehearsals take place at the Playhouse; Tuesday through Friday rehearsals are at the Hershey Gardens.

Grades 4-8: $275 plus registration fees. As part of the camp fee, two tickets for the Gardens will be given to each registered family for the Friday performance.

Once again the Hershey Area Playhouse will partner with the Hershey Gardens to offer a special two-week camp for 4th through 8th graders. With the exception of Mondays at the Playhouse, students will meet in the Gardens and explore the beauty and vastness of the area. The camp will meet in the Education Center for an indoor space and outside in the outdoor theatre and surroundings.

Once auditions are complete, the cast of Peter Pan, written by Jennifer Feldser, will begin rehearsals in "Neverland." The show will be complete with memorized lines, blocking and sword fighting. We will add costumes, props and small set pieces for a polished performance in only two weeks! This popular camp sells out quickly, with a cap of 30 students. Students who were enrolled in last year's canceled session will be given priority. Once the slots are filled, we will begin a waiting list.

The camp will meet in-person at the Playhouse and the Hershey Gardens. Masks may be required depending on the current CDC suggestions for the state of Pennsylvania in June and the Garden's requirements. If masks are not required, but you would prefer your child to wear one, the teachers will honor your family preference for your child. For performance, we may ask if a clear shield will be sufficient so your child's face can be seen and the audience can hear more clearly.

Registration information

Registration information can be found at the Playhouse website www.hersheyareaplayhouse.com in the Theatre Academy section. The appropriate age group is based on the grade the student will be going into in the fall. Cut off for registration is May 21 or when the classes are filled.

The Hershey Area Playhouse is located at 830 Cherry Drive, Hershey, PA 17033 on the campus of Country Meadows. For more information on the camps, please contact Jill Panyard, jillpanyard@gmail.com.

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