By MADDY VITALE
The Ocean City Theatre Company (OCTC) offers many ways for young talents to hone, develop or just try out musical theater. From summer camps to Jr. Company auditions for productions to the Show Choir, students from elementary school to high school will enjoy singing, dancing and acting.
“The camps are a great way to introduce theater and let them see if it is what they like,” said OCTC Managing Director Laura Bretherick. “Some kids have done theater for years. The camps help them build upon skills they learned the year before.”
OCTC offers one-week and two-week camps.
“All of the camps are good for kids interested in theater, but don’t want the commitment of the full summer,” Bretherick said. “We know families have vacations planned and other things. These camps are great opportunities for local kids and kids who are here for the summer.”
Now in their 15th year, the theater camps offered at OCTC have helped students grow in areas from acting to dancing to singing to choreography.
THEATRE CAMP 1: HAWAIIAN BEACH PARTY
The Hawaiian Beach Party camp runs July 5-8 and July 11-15. It is done in partnership with the city’s Recreation Department.
The camp is open to students from 3rd through 8th grade. Campers not only sing and dance to several Hawaiian hit songs, they also learn about the traditions, beliefs, and language of the land.
The camp runs July 5–8, July 11–15, with a performance on July 15 at the Hughes Performing Arts Center.
Signups start May 1 at www.ocnj.us (Click on Recreation Programs). For more information, call 609-525-9304.
THEATRE CAMP 2: ALL ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS
Enjoy Halloween, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Easter and the Fourth of July, and many other holidays in one jam-packed week of theatre camp.
Campers will learn stage direction basics, stage block, and choreography along with games and crafts.
Camps run from July 18–22, with a performance at the end of camp on July 22 at the Hughes Performing Arts Center.
THEATRE CAMP 3: KID FLIX
Kid Flix Camp is a two-week camp and it is for kids in 3rd through 8th grade. It is especially a great camp for kids who liked their experience of Theatre Camp 1 and want to come back, Bretherick explained.
Campers will have fun with songs from Zootopia, Encanto, The Polar Express, Monsters Inc., Moana, Spiderman, The Peanuts Movie and more in this new musical revue of movie hits.
The two-week camp runs 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. July 25–29 and Aug. 1-5, with a performance at the end of camp on Aug. 5 at the Hughes Performing Arts Center.
THEATRE CAMP 4: A TRIP OVER THE RAINBOW
Rainbow Camp is open to students in kindergarten through 4th grade. If campers like Theatre Camp 2, they could sign up for this camp.
Campers will learn about all the different variations, versions and styles of the awe-inspiring Oz. With music from The Wizard of Oz, Wicked and The Wiz, students will learn dance moves, songs, and the history behind the popular musicals.
The camp runs from Aug. 8-12 with a performance at the end of the camp at the Hughes Performing Arts Center.
“The kids I have seen grow from one day to the next during the camps. They are really impressive. It may be that they are shy and they hit the stage and come alive,” Bretherick said. “What is fun about camp is seeing the kids grow. Sometimes I can see it just from one day in camp to the next.”
A student may pick up a new dance skill, or learn a different dance style. Or, it could be a new way to sing a certain song, or an exercise to hone their acting talents, she noted.
“The students pick up new skills,” she said. “It could be a different type of choreography each year, and you get a little more comfortable onstage each time you do it.”
Jr. Company
OCTC will hold Jr. Company auditions on May 14 and 15.
“We run our Jr. Company very similar to our professional company. You get the same production staff and stage design that the professional company uses,” Bretherick said. “We really do hold our kids to a higher standard. They get the same costume rentals as the professionals do and they are treated like the professionals.”
Students in fifth through eighth grade are eligible to audition for Shrek Jr.
And students in eighth grade through 12th grade are eligible to audition for SpongeBob, which will be performed on July 29 and 30.
“SpongeBob hasn’t been done a whole lot. It will be a fun experience for the kids. The rights just became available recently,” Bretherick said. “I am excited for the kids and it will be a fun time.”
Shrek Jr. will be at the Music Pier on Aug. 26 and 27.
“I am really excited about this one because it is a lot of fairy tale characters, so they will be able to have some fun,” Bretherick said of Shrek Jr.
Show Choir
For those who would like to perform in special events, the OCTC’s Show Choir could be an ideal option. Auditions are the same as with the Jr. Company, people can fill out forms at OCTC specifying their interest.
“It is a performance-based group,” Bretherick said. “They do parades and special events throughout the year. The Show Choir auditions along with the Jr. Company.”
The Show Choir came about because OCTC members were asked to perform throughout the year.
“The Show Choir is for high school-aged kids who love to sing and dance and perform. If they can’t be available for rehearsals, say for a production, this is another outlet for them to be able to perform,” Bretherick added.
Students can showcase their artistic and musical talents in many ways when becoming a part of the OCTC family.
And Bretherick attributes much of the OCTC success to its founding director Michael Hartman.
“Michael continues to be the driving force. He picks all the shows,” she said. “He really puts the kids and the community at the forefront of everything. It is wild and amazing that this is our 15th year. We’ve come very far.”
To learn more about any 2022 summer camp or Jr. Company or Show Choir opportunity, visit OceanCityTheatreCompany.com or call 609-398-1118.
