DISNEY'S FINDING NEMO KIDS to Launch Summer Theatre Intensive at Shawnee Playhouse

The Shawnee Playhouse, celebrating its forty-eighth season, will be hosting a three-week S.T.A.R.S. Academy Disney's Finding Nemo KIDS Summer Musical Theatre Intensive, on weekdays, from Monday, June 22nd, 2026 through Friday, July 10th, 2026, with a guaranteed weekend of four performances for all participants, at The Shawnee Playhouse, from Friday, July 10th, 2026 through Sunday, July 12th, 2026. This one-of-a-kind, summer intensive is open to all children, ages five to eleven years-old, and will be held from 9AM until 3PM, weekdays, at The Shawnee Playhouse and The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort. All intensive participants will be cast in roles for this production, and will receive musical direction, choreography, professional mentoring, and training from Della Baird, Mikaela Lipitz, and Midge McClosky, veteran performer, thespian, and executive director of The Shawnee Playhouse.

Disney's Finding Nemo KIDS is a thirty-minute musical adaptation of the beloved 2003 Pixar movie Finding Nemo, with new music by award-winning songwriting team Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Marlin, an anxious and over-protective clownfish, lives in the Great Barrier Reef with his young son, Nemo, who longs to explore the world beyond their anemone home. However, when Nemo is captured and taken to Sydney, Australia, Marlin faces his fears and sets off on an epic adventure across the ocean. With the help of many lovable characters, including forgetful and optimistic Dory, laid-back sea turtle Crush, and the supportive Tank Gang, Marlin and Nemo both overcome challenges on their journey to find each other and themselves. Featuring memorable songs such as 'Just Keep Swimming,' 'Fish Are Friends Not Food,' and 'Go With the Flow,' Disney's Finding Nemo KIDS brings a vibrant underwater world to life on stage in a beautiful story that encompasses the themes of family, friendship, and adventure.

This three-week program is designed to provide intensive instruction in drama, music and dance, while mounting a full-scale junior production, comprised solely of program participants. Prior theatre experience and training is not necessary. All shows will be on stage at The Shawnee Playhouse, and all participants will be evaluated through entertaining, hands-on class participation, activities, and auditions to determine casting. There will be a plethora of singing, dancing, acting, and theatre games. Every participant will be cast and will be familiarized with the story of Disney's Finding Nemo KIDS. Cast members will finalize learning the script, the songs, movement, staging, and blocking, whilst having a ton of fun. During the third week of camp (tech week), costumes will be put together and the set will be built. Every cast member will become a seasoned pro and will be ready to wow their audiences. Individual costume sizing and ordering will occur after casting is completed.

Camp pricing is below, and can be paid in three separate installments. A limited number of scholarships are available. The payment of a costume fee is required and non-refundable.

Attendance for all three weeks of the intensive and all five shows is mandatory. There will be no understudies cast and tickets will need to be purchased in advance to attend any of these performances. Proper footwear and undergarments are required for performances. Lunch, snacks, and drinks are not provided, so please have your camper bring an appropriate lunch daily and pack accordingly. Tickets for the shows are not included in the program and a registration fee and must be purchased separately. Show tickets are also open to the general public and for groups to purchase.

Summer Intensive and Show Dates, Times, and Ticket Prices are as follows:

9AM-3PM, Mondays through Fridays, June 22nd through July 10th (Three Week Summer Intensive)

11:00AM: Saturday, July 11th (Performance)

3:00PM: Friday, July 10th, Saturday, July 11th, and Sunday, July 12th 2026 (Performances)

Summer Intensive Camp Participation Fees are $500.00 for the three weeks, payable in increments of $200.00, $150.00, and $150.00 per week, plus a small convenience fee.

Show tickets are $15.00 each for all audience members, plus a small convenience fee. Meal and a Show tickets are $43.00 for adults and for children ages thirteen to seventeen years old, and $28.00 for children ages four to twelve years old.