July Registration Now Open For Jacksonville's Creative Connectivity For Kids Virtual Summer Camp

Rave reviews have been coming in from children attending the June virtual sessions of Theatre Jacksonville's Creative Connectivity for Kids summer theater arts camp. Joining with talented instructors and guest artists from Magic Box Productions of New York, Theatre Jacksonville is taking campers ages 7-14 behind the scenes of theatrical and artistic processes by delving into aspects such as stop motion animation, radio, news reporting and photography. The virtual format makes the camp ideal for children not just in the Jacksonville area, but all across the nation. Registration is now underway for the four July sessions, which run from July 6-31.

Many campers who started with the first session in June signed up for subsequent weeks, and feedback from the Stop Motion session ranged from how much they enjoyed the teachers and interacting with other campers they did not previously know, to the thrill of learning about storyboards and the different aspects of storytelling. One camper wrote: "I am excited about the next session because now I know how to fully use my imagination and not be limited by what I think."

"We have been so pleased with the direction and the results of our virtual Creative Connectivity for Kids, and it has exceeded our expectations. The parents of our campers have been quite impressed, and we have loved hearing positive feedback from all the kids," said Theatre Jacksonville Education Director Ron Shreve. "Even though the Creative Connectivity programming is centered around virtual technology, each session is also designed to tap into creative engagement with many interactive tactile activities. We have been able to combine the best in distance learning with an innovative immersion in the crucial components of the theater - both seeing and doing." The final four weeks of Creative Connectivity for Kids runs from July 6 through July 31, beginning at 9 a.m. each day. The camps are open to children ages 7 to 14, and a four-week package costs $550. Individual weekly sessions can also be purchased separately for $150 each.

Each session focuses on a unique "between the lines" aspect of theater and utilizes accessible and user-friendly virtual platforms:

Week 1 - Stop Motion (Session B: July 6-10)

Students will learn the detailed art of stop motion, utilizing technology and materials found at home. The week will begin with an introduction to animation, developing the basic tools and culminating in a finished stop-motion short of students' own making.

Week 2 - Radio Play (Session B: July 13-17)

Students will develop a unique story and from there be instructed how to utilize the materials in their home to create the soundscape of their tale. This session is an introduction to Foley Artists, who provided the sound during old radio plays, as well as the movies of today.

Week 3 - Newsroom (Session B: July 20-24)

There is no shortage of news in our current climate, but we often forget about the voices of those who are smaller than us. Since students navigate this world each day just like everyone else, they will create their own bustling newsroom with stories that mean something to them personally. The session will include how to perform in front of a green screen and keep the energy of a cohesive news report, all achieved with technology from the comforts of students' own homes.

Week 4 - Virtual Museum (Session B: July 27-31)

With an introduction to photography, students will learn about composition, lighting, and story as they create their own gallery of moments captured through the eyes of another (photos taken from a bird's eye or a bug's eye view). The week will include an education about the ins and outs of curating an exhibit, which will culminate with the creation of a virtual tour of art from area museums.

To register for July sessions of Creative Connectivity, visit www.theatrejax.com or call (904) 396-4425.

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