Kids of all ages can shine in the spotlight this summer
Staff writer
The Hillsboro summer theatre camp is gearing up for another summer program.
This year the camp will host two groups of actors. The first group will include first through sixth grades, and second group will be for seventh through twelfth grades.
Lynn Just, director of summer theatre, and assistant director, Terry Bebermeyer, will be working with the two groups.
"This is a trial thing," said Just.
The program has always included students through the eighth grade, but according to Just, some kids from past years really wanted to continue in summer theatre.
The seventh through twelfth graders will be performing "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown."
The play is a two-act musical with 12 parts.
Just said the play had a small cast, and lots on interconnected scenes throughout without a long plot. This would allow several students to play a single role.
In addition to rehearsing, campers will work on voice projection and characterization.
There will be an audition for seventh through twelfth graders on May 2 and possibly a couple of rehearsals in May.
This will allow the actors to have a month to memorize songs and lines according to Just.
Just is still looking for a play for the younger campers. She wants something with a flexible cast with lots of extra groups of players for younger actors.
"That gives them a really good opportunity to get on stage," said Just.
Besides rehearsing for their performance, the younger group will be playing theatre games. They will learn to use their face and body to express themselves.
Just said that finding the right play is tough.
"That's probably the hardest part of this job," she said. "Picking a show when you don't know how many kids you're going to have."
The summer theatre program is supported in part by donations from the Hillsboro Arts & Crafts Fair Association, and the Hillsboro after-school program, and registration fees.
Despite donations, the program has had to cut staffing because of expenses. In the past there have been as many as four directors, an accompanist, and five or six paid assistants.
This year there are the two directors, and an accompanist.
Some of the other expenses for the program include scripts and royalties.
Just says the expense of scripts for even non-royalty plays can be high. Each script can be between $5 and $7. The program has had up to 70 kids in the past.
Royalties for a play depend on the size of auditorium it is performed in and the amount being charged for admission. Just is still negotiating royalty costs for "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown."
In order to lower costs, Just says she spends a lot of time looking for free scripts on the Internet.
Just keeps working with the summer theatre program because she enjoys it though.
"When they really work at it, the participants just blossom on stage," said Just.
Just is looking for a business to sponsor t-shirts for this year's summer theatre program.
Registration forms will be available the first of April and will be due back by April 22.
The camp will be a week long, June 13-17, culminating in a Friday performance for both groups. Both the camp and the performances will be in the high school auditorium.
The younger group will meet from 12:30 to 2 p.m., and the older students will practice from 2 to 4 p.m.
