Theater Camps Set for July at Muhlenberg

Each summer, Muhlenberg College plays host to dozens of young performers who are participants in two month-long arts education programs as part of the Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre program. Covering grades 6 to 12, the Camp Imagine and Performing Arts Workshop programs run from July 2-27.

Camp Imagine, now in its 14th year, gives middle schoolers a daily experience in drama, vocal expression and movement. Participants rotate through the three activities, learning from Muhlenberg College students and alumni — and from each other. At the end of the four-week session, the ensemble presents a world premiere showcase performance, developed over the course of the program.

Founded in 1999 as a program to supplement the arts curriculum in the Allentown School District, the camp is held at state-of-the-art performance facilities on the Muhlenberg campus.

“We found that one of the most important aspects of the program was giving the students a chance to experience the college campus environment,” says Charles Richter, a Muhlenberg theater professor who helped found Camp Imagine.

Camp Imagine runs from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. daily for the camp's duration, and a showcase will be held on Saturday, July 28, at 10 a.m.

Camp Imagine's sister program, the Performing Arts Workshop, is now in its fifth year. The workshop gives high school students — many of them alumni of Camp Imagine — a chance to extend their performance training through intensive workshop performances taught by professional performers, as well as master classes with Muhlenberg faculty members.

The workshop runs 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. daily, with a showcase on Friday, July 27, at 7 p.m.

“The objective of both programs is to use the arts as a means of helping young people to nurture their passions and enhance their social and communication skills," Richter says. "And also to build self-esteem, concentration, and confidence — all of which help them in the performing arts, in school, and in life.”

Enrollment is still available in both the Camp Imagine and Performing Arts Workshop programs. Tuition for Camp Imagine is $365 for non-Allentown School District students. Tuition for the Workshop is $465. A limited number of full and partial scholarships are available for both programs, based on financial need.

Space is still available in both camps.

More information and enrollment forms are available online at www.muhlenberg.edu/camp, or by calling 484-664-3693.