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How do I Choose the Best Theatre Summer Camp for My Child?

3/11/2016

2 Comments

 
There are many good reasons to enroll your child into a theatre summer camp. Perhaps you need child care and want something a bit different than a day care center. 
Maybe you're encouraging your child to try new things. 
Some of you may register your child for a theatre camp because they love acting and really want to spend their time at camp becoming better performers. 
This post is largely being written for those of you who fall into that last category, although it might be useful to others as well.

How do you ascertain if a specific program is right for your child and meets your expectations and desired outcomes?

When my children were younger I had them in camps for gymnastics, swimming, tennis, musical theatre, tech theatre, soccer, horse back riding, visual arts, dance, martial arts and MORE. 
My children and I loved lots of the camps they attended but we also found ourselves frustrated and disappointed by many of them. 

Most camps are not inexpensive, so If we were going to spend our money and time on a camp, I wanted to ensure my children would be in a safe, nurturing environment, that their instructors would be highly qualified to provide excellent instruction, that the ratio of teacher to students be easily manageable, that the learning outcomes for the camp be clear to the staff and to parents, and that my children would have fun and would actually gain new skills and grow in ways that would make them feel great about their accomplishments. 

That may seem like a big ask, but I guarantee you, those programs definitely do exist out there!
Here is a list of questions you may want to ask when you call to inquire about a Theatre Arts related Summer Camp for your child:

1-Who will all of my children’s instructors be? What are their qualifications? What experience do they have teaching children in their area of expertise? (There are some hugely talented people out there that are fantastic performers, but that does not always mean that they are great educators of children)

2-What is the maximum number of children that will be in my child’s camp? 

3-How much time during the day will my child be receiving instruction vs lunch, breaks and recess time? (I had my children in a 3 hour camp one summer just to find out that almost half of the time the kids were playing games, taking bathroom breaks, snack breaks, etc…that was not what my 8 and 9 year olds were wanting in their camp experience-they came home saying they were bored-and that was definitely not what I was paying good money for)

4-Will there be a performance for family and friends at the end of the camp? What kind of performance will there be? Is there a fee for tickets or costumes etc…? (I was really upset when I spent a huge amount of money for a camp just to find out when it was time for the performance that the audience had to pay to watch their own children, siblings, grand children etc…I thought this should have been made clear in advance and I also thought the camp fees would cover the cost of watching their end of camp show.)

5-If you register for a performance camp, say for example the Wizard of Oz, how are casting decisions made? If my child is disappointed in the part they receive how is that dealt with? What are the children who are munchkins doing during the numerous hours that the director will need to be working with Dorothy, Tin Man, Lion,….you get the picture. How big will the ensemble be? (Some camps have no limit to the number of kids they will “cast” in their show, they just have a bigger ensemble because that means more money for them, and I have never felt that was equitable.)

6-What does the program aim for each camper to gain from the time they spend at camp?

7-How are more capable or advanced students challenged while making sure students who are newer to theatre also have a positive experience and are not left feeling overlooked?


There is no “right” or “wrong” answer to these questions, as long as you are satisfied that the program they are offering your child matches your hopes and desires for them. I hope this list of questions help you clarify what you want in a Summer camp for your child and whether or not the program you are considering will be able to meet those needs!


2 Comments

How do I support and prepare my child for the world of performing arts?

3/6/2016

6 Comments

 
All my life I have loved working with children. It was no surprise to anyone when I became a primary school teacher and I couldn't wait to one day become a mother as well. My teaching career began in Beaverton, Oregon and ended 7 years later at the Singapore American School on the day I adopted my son, Alec. The five years following Alec's birth brought with them many changes and challenges for our family. We moved 5 times to 4 different countries, welcomed my daughters Amber and Mia to our family and finally settled in West Linn, Oregon. I thoroughly enjoyed being a full time mother and was actively involved in my children's school, community and church activities. I had no desire to work outside of our home and I was busy and content.
Like most parents, I signed my kids up for various enrichment activities. They tried everything from swimming, gymnastics, dance, horse back riding, martial arts, soccer, tball, you name it. One Summer I registered my 6 year old daughter, Amber, for an acting camp at the Lakewood Theatre. She came home one day and announced she wanted to audition for their Christmas play. I told her I was sure she was too young and had hoped that would be the end of that. The next day she dragged me to the poster on the wall at camp that listed the audition information. They were looking to cast children aged 7-13 for the baby angel choir. I pointed out to her that she was only 6 and started to walk away. She pulled me back and pointed to the date that the show would perform, Dec 11-23rd, and reminded me that she would turn 7 on December 1st. I couldn't really argue with that. I finally agreed to call the director and ask if she would be willing to audition a determined 6 year old and she kindly agreed. You can probably guess how this story will end...she was cast as a baby angel and began rehearsals that October. She was absolutely ecstatic. I had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. All I knew was that my daughter found something that brought out more passion, determination, focus, and a desire to work harder than I ever thought possible for a child so young. She had caught the bug! On opening night she was the happiest I had ever seen her, and on closing night her crocodile tears just about broke my heart. I knew I had to find a way to continue to give her opportunities to act, but I was truly at a loss as to where to start.
Over the next couple of years I would spend countless hours educating myself about opportunities available for Amber to continue to pursue her passion for performing. There was so much I didn't know, and I didn't know what I didn't know! I finally found a website that listed auditions in the Portland area so she started going to some auditions. So often in the beginning I felt embarrassed and as if I was letting my daughter down because we did not know how to prepare properly for these auditions which usually led to disappointment rather than successfully being cast. We didn't know how to create a proper resume, or where to find appropriate monologues for a 7 year old, and the worst one was when we were sent home without being allowed to audition because we didn't know we needed to bring sheet music. We had assumed she could just sing a capella like she had for her Christmas play at the Lakewood Theatre. We registered Amber for several acting classes around town and some of them were really good and others felt like child care and a waste of our time and money. It was frustrating and there really was no where to go to get advice.
Fast forward a few years and we moved to England. I knew I had to find an outlet for Amber's growing interest in theatre. I found and enrolled her in a training program that provided her with a way to spend 3 hours every Saturday acting, singing and dancing. She was thrilled to attend this British program every Saturday and began to witness tremendous growth in her skills. When it was time to move back to the US, I was worried about how Amber would continue to get such excellent and consistent training. Then a thought struck me...what if I were to open a similar school in Oregon? I met with the owners of her program in London and they agreed to let me franchise the first school on the West Coast of the US. And I was soooo excited, and just more than a little bit terrified. I knew so little about the performing arts business, and had made so many ridiculous mistakes myself in supporting Amber's theatre aspirations, but then I realized what I did know, and that is children and what exceptional teaching looks like, and what parents ultimately want in an enrichment program for their children and I thought maybe, just maybe I could pull this off! So, I signed the papers, completed the franchisee training and moved my family back to Oregon. And then the recession of 2008 hit and I thought what in the heck am I doing?!?!?!?
I then had to ask myself some hard questions like, do you truly believe in this program and why?  I realized I believed wholeheartedly in the methodology and ethos of this musical theatre training school. I knew that what I had to offer would benefit our community and all of the children who would train with us. So I began interviewing and put together the finest team of acting, singing and dancing teachers Portland had to offer and we opened our doors with a full roster of students in April of 2009. We have been operating at full capacity ever since. Now, every Saturday I get to work with outstanding teachers, inspiring students and exceptional families as this next generation of aspiring artists develop their talents. It has been the most amazing journey and I want our program, and now this blog, to support these families and children as they navigate the often complex, daunting and unknown world of the performing arts. 
6 Comments

    Lisa Mitchell

    Spotlight Principal

    Lisa Mitchell received her BA in Education from Western Oregon University and her MA in Teaching from Pacific University. Lisa's life long teaching career began with the  Beaverton School District and took her as far afield as the Singapore American School in Singapore. She has always loved working with children and has had a passion for the arts since she was young. Lisa has performed in local theatre and as a child in television commercials. Spotlight Musical Theatre Academy is the perfect way to fulfill both interests while sharing the performing arts with a new generation of students. Lisa's father and grandfather both enjoyed lifelong careers in the film industry, so she was raised visiting film sets around the globe. Lisa has 3 children, and they love to travel and have lived in many different countries together.

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