Hosting a Theatre Day Camp: Why and How

So you’re thinking about hosting a  Theatre Day Camp… are you crazy!?!   No, and here’s why…  After having considered it for several years, three years ago I hosted my first Theatre Day Camp.  I am proud to say that it was a success.  Honestly, I had dreaded it because I thought it would be really hard.  In the end, I found it was easier than directing a full length play.

Since that first year, hosting a Theatre Day Camp has gotten so much easier.  I’ve learned many tricks for making it run simply and smoothly.  I want to start by telling you why you should host a theatre day camp followed up with how to go about setting it up and running it.

First of all, hosting a Theatre Day Camp is a fun venture that serves three main purposes: fundraising, program awareness, and a fun activity for your students to practice their leadership skills.

1.Fundraising

Theatre Day Camp is a fundraiser for future productions, tournament fees, club activities, etc.  In order to have a profitable fundraiser, you have to be cost efficient.  Start by taking advantage of what you already have on hand in terms of set, props, and costumes.  Also have your students and their parents sign up as as volunteers to run the camp.  You can post a goal poster in your room showing how many campers have pre-registered, with a goal in mind of how many campers you would like to attend.

2. Program Awareness

Hosting a Theatre Day Camp helps to raise awareness of your program in your local community and helps to recruit future students.  I create a flyer that I email out as an invitation to all of our local schools.  Our district also aids us by posting the flyer and/or information on the school website. Then my officers and any other interested students help to post those flyers around town as advertisement for the camp.  We also post these flyers on social media.  Along with the flyers, we provide online links to registration forms and the camp schedule.

Additionally, we have all of the campers who enjoy our camp and are excited about future camps as well as joining our drama classes and club once they enter high school, as our camp is for students ages 6-14.  Through experience, we’ve found that really don’t want to go any younger than 6 because of possible potty training issues.

3. Fun Activity for Your Students to Practice Leadership Skills

Since your students will get to participate in every aspect of camp, they will be having a blast as they are learning to be leaders. I organize and facilitate all of the activities but ultimately put my students in charge of running each individual event within the camp.  This not only provides my students with the opportunity to learn leadership skills, but it frees me up to serve as the director of the camp, sort of like the dean of a summer camp.

Setting Up a Theatre Day Camp

Choosing a Theme

To choose a theme, I either choose a play or have my students write a short skit of our own.  For plays, go through Plays Magazine scripts (for which I have a subscription that includes my royalties and permission to make as many copies of scripts as needed) and choose an appropriate play that is approximately 10 minutes.  From this, I develop my theme.  I like for my theme to be similar to either a play that I just closed or am about to produce.  This way I am either using costumes, props, and set that I have readily available or am preparing for what I will need shortly anyway.  Sometimes you can create a small bit of choreography from a mash-up of songs related to your theme, although this is optional.

Getting Volunteers

A month in advance of hosting a theatre day camp, start recruiting students to help run the camp. At the beginning of each class during the bell ringer, display reminders.  Post a volunteer sign up sheet in the classroom so students can sign up for what they would like to do.  Provide volunteers with a Volunteer Registration Form and a Camp Schedule.  You are welcome to make a copy of mine and update with your own information.

Camper Registration

Place paper Camper Registration Forms in the school office so that they can be picked up.  Also provide online links for a Google Form that can be completed and submitted online as well as a Google Doc that can be completed and mailed, dropped off, or returned on the first day of camp.   *Feel free to make a copy of my Camper Registration Form to update with your own information, including the Remind101 codes. Speaking of Remind101, if you already have  Remind101 set up to communicate with students and parents, you can use this as a means of seeking volunteers and providing information and forms regarding your camp.

I usually don’t know exactly how many campers I will have until the end of registration on that first day.  During registration, we sort campers into groups according to age (colored name tags greatly assist in this process). Then, once everyone is there, if necessary quickly redistribute members among the groups in order to keep them evenly proportioned.  This usually only takes a few minutes.  My age groups are initially 6-8, 9-11, and 12-14.

*The colored name tags help campers identify their group leader.  Name tags help with learning names in a short amount of time. Plus, calling campers by their name helps to make them feel comfortable more quickly.

Communication

You will need a way to quickly communicate with volunteers, campers, and parents.  For this, set up separate Remind101 codes for campers and volunteers.  It’s a great way to communicate without giving out your personal number.  I provide this information on the flyer, registration form, schedule, and at the registration table.

Safety

Never leave a child unattended.  In addition to you being present, assign two group leaders to each group so that if one has to take students to the restroom, the campers are never left without direct supervision. Make sure that you have contact information for each child.  Have a sign in/sign out sheet for each day for both campers and volunteers.  Include a safety statement on the registration form that the parents/guardians sign such as the one that I have:

“By providing my signature, I agree to the following:  My child is physically able to participate in the Theatre Day Camp listed above.  I also agree that there are certain risks involved. I agree to assume all risks associated with any injury that may incur while my child is participating in camp.”

The Schedule

I schedule my camp for the week following the last week of school.  Any further out, lessens the chances of registration and will have to work around summer building maintenance.  Beginning each day after lunch eliminates providing a daily meal.  Also, my students, campers, and I all tend to have much more energy in the afternoon as compared to in the morning, so it’s a win, win for everyone!  12:30-1 drop off works well for parents on their lunch break, and the 4:30-5:00 pick up works well for parents getting off of work.  Rarely have I had a camper not picked up by 5:00.

Most importantly, avoid downtime in your schedule as much as possible.  This will help keep the campers engaged and will help the day pass quickly.  Look at my schedule to see how I arranged each day.  You’re welcome to make a copy and adapt it as needed.

Activities

The majority of our time is spent playing improv games and rehearsing.  Other activities include auditions on day 1, prop making on day 2, and a stage makeup tutorial on day 3.  These activities are geared toward the final showcase on day 4.  If we find ourselves with time to fill, we either do more improv games or have a talent show.  During the talent show, campers can perform something that they’re good at such as singing, dancing, cart wheels, or telling jokes.

Stage Fright

We try to help our campers have as much fun as possible and allow them to be in the spotlight without them feeling alone.  Our showcase performance involves everyone, which helps with this dilemma.  Plus, my volunteers are right there with them during the showcase, so they feel safer and have someone to prompt them if needed.  I am always close at hand for the kids (volunteers and campers alike) with a hug, word of encouragement, or shoulder to cry on if needed.

However, if you happen to have a child that you realize will in no way, shape, or form perform onstage, get them involved in a technical aspect of the show such as costuming, set or props.  Avoid lighting or sound, as you would not want the liability of anyone using the light or sound board that was not already trained.

Snacks

Serving a snack midway through the day provides a much needed break for the kids to sit down and catch their breath.  Near the end of snack time is also a great time to designate as bathroom break time.

Since I don’t know until the end of day 1 registration exactly how many campers I will have, I plan for around 40 campers plus my known volunteers.  Purchasing enough in advance for the entire week ensures that I will have enough for Day 1.  If I need more based on the number of campers, I can go pick them up after camp on that first day and be done with shopping for snacks.

Day 1-3 is a light snack such as individually packaged bags of chips, cookies, granola bars, etc.  Having a variety provides alternatives if a camper is allergic to something (which is a question on the registration form).

For the final day, we serve a meal in lieu of  a snack since they are there for longer.  I typically do chili, nacho cheese, tortilla chips, hot dogs, and buns. Don’t forget to buy forks, napkins, and bowls  (less messy than plates).  I start the day by putting the chili and nacho cheese in crock pots on low so it will be ready when I need it.

Also for the final day, I also purchase two pre-sweetened containers of Kool-Aid and cups .  For the Kool-Aid, all you have to do is measure into a pitcher, add water, and stir.  Be sure to get small cups to limit waste and any messes that might occur.

Props, Set, and Costumes

Use what you already have in terms of props, costumes, and set.  Keep it simple, though.  Our camp only runs four days, so we don’t make extravagant costumes.  Ask campers to wear simple basics on the final day of camp for the showcase that evening.  Any combination of black, white, and grey will usually work well. This provides a neutral palate to match anything.  If they are able to do this, great. If not, it’s nothing to stress over. Keep it fun and hassle/worry free.

For set, rehearsal cubes work well.  If I have specific set pieces that work well, we use them.  If not, we either use the cyc and add color or close the mid-stage curtain and use our imaginations.

Awards

Generate a list of awards before camp starts along with an awards document which has the awards typed and ready to add camper names.  I give each group leader a copy of the list of awards on day 1 so they can begin deciding which award each camper should receive, making sure that no two campers receive the same award.  Once all of the awards are decided upon and I’ve made sure that no one is left out, I print them onto blank certificates, which I buy in bulk.

The Program

Prepare as much of the program as possible in advance.  Prior to camp, type in the names and job titles of all of your helpers.  Once auditions are complete, type up the cast list.  I have a blanket statement of acknowledgements for the back page and then add in any sponsors or individuals who provided special assistance.  Volunteers can hand out programs to guests or leave them on a table display in the lobby for them to pick up as they enter.

Video and Slideshow

Try to get a group picture at the beginning of camp so that if time gets away from you, you’ll have it.  I also like taking pictures and recording bits of our activities throughout camp  On the final day, prior to the audience arriving, I have the campers pose in costume for a group picture.  All of our pictures are combined into a slideshow and our videos merged into one ten minute or less video (I use iMovie) to be showcased at the end of camp performance.  It’s pretty easy to add this last image into the slideshow, but if you’re unable to do this, you can always share it via social media. I also load the slideshow onto our social media (Facebook page) so that parents can download it for themselves.

Showcase

Once your audience has arrived, welcome them and thank them for allowing their children to participate and inform them of how much fun everyone has had at camp.  Then you can play the video and slideshow, which serves as our Pre-Show.  Next, students perform the skit (and possible choreography) that we’ve been rehearsing all week.  Once this is complete, each group leader calls their campers forwards, gives a little speech for each of his or her campers and then present them with their award.

In Conclusion

There are lots of great reasons for hosting a Theatre Day Camp, and lots of planning and work goes into making it run smoothly.  When preparing for Theatre Day Camp, get as much done in advance as possible so that you can focus your attention throughout camp on your campers and helpers.  Doing so will not only relieve stress but allow you to participate and have fun as well.  Once you’ve hosted a camp, your preliminary work will be mostly done for following year; you’ll just need to update dates and the theme, as well as make any changes that you feel should be changed.  If you enjoyed this article, you might also like my article on How to Set Up a Haunted House or Haunted Theater  (another fun and highly popular fundraiser).

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