ArtsSplash Summer Theater Camp Grows Self-Esteem
Forest Flynn, 11, plays Robin Hood in the theater camp’s production. (Wave photo)
By KAREN JOLLY DAVIS
Cape Charles Wave
July 25, 2012
The Palace Theater swirls with youthful energy. On stage, choreographer Amy Watkins directs a swordfight. Kids with sticks, plastic swords, bows, and quivers (also full of sticks) lunge at each other with cries of delight.
“So much of what you do in the fight scenes is shown by what you do with your body,” said Watkins, gently organizing the pandemonium. “You don’t really have to hit each other.”
Thirty campers in the ArtsSplash Summer Theater program have two weeks to memorize their lines, movements, songs, and put on two live performances. It’s a lot for a kid to learn, and many of these children are very young.
“The kids learn how to cooperate and take direction,” said Mary Ann Roehm, co-director of Arts Enter, the nonprofit that sponsors the theater camp. “It’s a big confidence booster for them to get on the stage.”
All of the camp staffers are volunteers, said Roehm. Three years ago, Emily Bates —- who runs a children’s theater group in Florida and spends part of the summer in Cape Charles -— walked through the Arts Enter doors.
“When she first came in she volunteered to do a musical theater camp,” said Roehm. “We said yes. The program has grown significantly over the past three years, with all 30 openings filling very quickly. Several of the campers are from out of town and out of state. They either summer in Cape Charles or are grandchildren of Cape Charles residents.”
Bates suffered a family emergency this year, so Clelia Sheppard stepped in as director. Sheppard stands like a rock in the bubbling torrent of the rehearsal, refusing to accept underperformance.
“Say it LOUD,” she calls to one actor from the edge of the stage. “Acting is not just talking.”
Sunny Trippel is the campers’ vocal coach, and has children in the play. Watkins has choreographed several Arts Enter shows, including the 2012 spring performance of the Seussucal Musical.
“We do it because it presents such a nice opportunity for artistic experiences for those on the stage, and those in the audience,” said Roehm. “Plus, it’s another opportunity to showcase the restored Palace Theater.”
ArtsSplash Summer Theater Program presents Robin Hood, the Musical, on Saturday, July 28, at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Adults $10, Students $5 at the Palace Theater on Mason Avenue.
Our children participated in ArtsSplash several years in a row and we were impressed to see them rapidly develop admirable self-expression and performance skills. The camp stimulated their imagination and developed feelings of pride and empowerment that, from our perspective, are directly attributable to the ArtsSplash experience. It was great fun that they relived their summer performance well into the fall – even now, years later, they still recall the songs and perform many of the moves they first encountered in ArtsSplash. I recommend it highly for parents considering it for their children next year. We are in awe of the talented and very cool volunteers at Arts Enter.