Gallery 7 Theatre & Performing Arts, a full-time theatre based in Abbotsford, B.C., will be offering children and teens the unique opportunity to delve into the theatrical world at the theatre’s ninth annual Summer Drama Blast program this July.
“Summer Drama Blast is an opportunity for children and teens to explore theatre with trained and experienced theatre artists,” says Gallery 7 Theatre’s Executive Artistic Director, Ken Hildebrandt. “It’s a great opportunity for young people to explore their creative sides in a fun, life-affirming environment while exploring important life-skills such as team-work, cooperation, self-confidence and a healthy self-image.”
For children ages 6 – 12, Summer Drama Blast offers generalized performance camps that allow children to explore their artistic abilities and to learn about basic and intermediate theatre skills such as blocking, line memorization and characterization. With age specific camps, children have the chance to be with others their own age and jump in at their own level. Each camp ends with a short performance where campers can showcase what they’ve learned through-out the week for family and friends.
These age specific camps are led by trained and experienced theatre practitioners: Katherine Hill of Langley, B.C. will lead Creative Explosions for age 6 & 7, Megan Mackenzie of Abbotsford, B.C. will lead Dramatic Rumblings for ages 8 & 9, Carissa Boynton of Mission, B.C. will lead Stage Eruptions for ages 10 & 11 and Annette Reilly of Vancouver, B.C. will lead Dynamite Playmakers for ages 12 & 13.
Young people ages 14 – 18 who are looking to build on their high-school theatre experience, prepare for college & professional theatre training or wanting deeper involvement in community theatre, will benefit from specialized theatre camps such as Performance Intensive, Acting for the Camera with Annette Reilly, or Improvisation led by Cliff Prang. These topic-specific camps offer youth the opportunity to explore performance at a more advanced level from gifted theatre professionals.
Summer Drama Blast 2013 is perfect for both the aspiring actor, those who want to explore the world of theatre or for young people looking to get out of their shell a bit more. “The core idea is to help young people grow into well-rounded individuals with a healthy appreciation of how theatre can entertain and communicate. No matter what the experience or talent, young people will have a great time,” explains Hildebrandt.
