From Charlie Brown to Willy Wonka to puppets: Children's summer theater program sign-ups
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EDITOR'S NOTE: A clarification was made on March 22, 2023, in the level of participation children would have in classes at the Cape Playhouse Theater School.
“Hey kids, let’s put on a show!”
Times have changed since the long-ago days when a young Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland got the gang together in the old barn and put together a wow musical, in Depression-era film classics like “Babes in Arms” and “Strike Up the Band.”
These days the thespian drive is just as strong for the younger crowd, while opportunities to participate are certainly more organized and widely available. On Cape Cod, these summer programs introduce children to the world of theater, from performing in front of the lights to learning the ropes of backstage tech.
Teen theater enthusiast Leah McManus has participated in four years of Kids on Broadway programs, and a one-week camp.
“I look forward to being a part of these shows all year long,” she said. “My favorite part ... is the amazing shows we always put on and the fun experiences and new friends I meet every summer.”
Speaking of her favorite role so far, that of “Matilda,” she said that it was “very challenging ... but worth all the hard work.”
Programs are enrolling students now for the summer.
Cape Cod Kids on Broadway (June 26-July 14; July 10-Aug. 6)
Founder Gwen Bainier has been director of the Kids on Broadway summer program for a decade. Working from the classic 100-year-old Barnstable Comedy Club, Bainier directs a series of three one-week workshops (June 26-July 14) that offer children as young as five “a chance to learn and perform songs and short scenes from favorite Broadway musicals,” including one week each of Disney hits, “Willy Wonka” and “Annie.” A stage performance caps off the week, for an audience of parents and friends.
Bainier also directs a concurrent four-week Junior Theater Workshop for ages 10 through teens (July 10-Aug. 6), offering the opportunity to perform in an “all kids” production of the full-length Broadway musical “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” on stage Aug. 3-6 for live audiences at the Comedy Club.
“It’s all kids,” playing all the roles, she said. They “get to be on a real stage.”
In addition to performing, students help make sets and props and act as backstage crew, often with older teen alumni from past years, who’ve returned to take part as volunteers and mentors.
Cape Playhouse Theater School (July 10-Aug. 25)
Age-appropriate classes give young performers, age 6-16, a chance to work together in three workshops to stage, produce and star in separate 40-minute versions of Broadway classics “Annie,” “Seussical” and “Shrek,” with an outdoor performance at the end of each week for family and friends.
Students will participate — such as through set design — in constructing a new, moveable outdoor stage outside the Nickerson Building where classes are held, on the grounds of the widely known Cape Playhouse in Dennis. The portable stage will be moved indoors in the off-season for use with other productions.
According to Nora Carey, executive director at the Playhouse, a highlight of this summer’s program is the new “Adventures in Theatrical Puppetry.” The workshop explores the use of puppets in theater, including in current Broadway hits. Attendees also participate in a special tour of the Edward Gorey House in Yarmouth Port, to see many of the late artist’s award-winning creations. Students will make their own hand puppets, based on characters from poet T.S. Eliot’s famed “Book of Practical Cats.”
Cape Cod Theatre Co./Harwich Junior Theatre Co. (July 3-Aug. 18)
Classes in musical theater, dance and technical theater are taught year-round at CCTC, with plays featuring children presented on the company's Harwich stage several times a year, according to Tamara Harper, who’s been director of education and community outreach at CCTC for 27 years. The children’s summer program follows on the other seasons, focusing on what Harper calls “the process of theater,” where separate classes for ages 3 years through high school help students learn about the value of theater and the impact it can have on a participant’s life.
We’re “like a second family,” Harper says, referring to the many students who return year after year, and the lifelong friendships that develop in the course of a season. New stage management classes enable young people to learn a variety of skills they’ll be able to use in theater groups all around the Cape.
How to sign up for children's summer theater workshops on Cape:
Registration is ongoing.
Cape Cod Kids on Broadway (Barnstable Village)
Sign up: www.capecodkidsonbroadway.com
Ages 5 through teens. Inclusive dates: June 26-July 14 (workshops); July 10-Aug. 6 (musical)
Cost: Five-day workshops for younger group: $350
Full-length production: $1,275
Limited scholarships available, details online
Cape Playhouse Theatre School (Dennis)
Sign up: www.capeplayhouse.com/theatre-classes/
Ages 6-16. Dates: July 10-Aug. 25
Cost: 10-day workshops: $675
Adventures in Theatrical Puppetry: $325
Cape Cod Theatre Co./Harwich Jr. Theatre (West Harwich)
Sign up: www.capecodtheatrecompany.org
Ages 3 through high school. Dates: July 3-Aug. 18
Cost: Two-week classes range from $150 to $800 (day camp)
This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Cape theaters offer summer camps, classes and workshops
