Summer Camps with Experiments in Theater at the Greenwich Odeum

Join Ms. Valerie and the Experiments in Theater team at the Greenwich Odeum for another exciting summer of theater magic! This summer, we will offer TWO performance opportunities that culminate into full-scale productions. Each camp is two weeks long and mirrors a professional summer stock schedule that is appropriately scaled to suit the ages of the participants, which historically ranges from 8 to 15.

Our first camp, taking place from August 1st to 12th, with performances on August 12 and 13th, will be our 7th annual summer musical. This year we will present Footloose, Youth Edition! Based on one of the most explosive movie musicals of all time, and edited for young performers, this multi-award-winning theatrical adaptation follows the path of Ren, a high school senior from Chicago, and his single mother. Together, they face many hardships adjusting to a new life in a small, religious, southern town. Ren discovers quickly that his big-city ideas are unwelcome in his new high school and makes a name for himself speaking out against a ban on dancing, instituted by the local preacher. The heartfelt story that emerges is of a father longing for the son he lost and of a young man aching for the father who walked out on him. With a score of energetic power ballads to fuel their cause, this is a play about young people finding a way to effectively channel their passion, voice their opinions and see situations from another person’s point of view.

Footloose, Youth Edition celebrates the wisdom of listening to young people and guiding them with a warm heart and an open mind.

One of the best ways to demystify Shakespeare is to perform it! Our second performance opportunity of the summer is the Sixty Minute Shakespeare edition of the comedy classic, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a non-musical play, taking place from August 15th to 26th, with performances on August 26th and 27th. Cass Foster has condensed Shakespeare's richly poetic language to a 60-minute performance while maintaining the integrity of Shakespeare’s words. Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of the most accessible of Shakespeare's plays with roles suited to performers of all ages. An assortment of magical fairies make mischief, a motley theater troupe rehearses a play and drama ensues in a friend group as everyone declares and then denies their romantic crushes. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is the perfect depiction of what life would be like for tweens if every middle school was teeming with fairies who dripped potions on our youth, causing them to wake up inexplicably grumpy one morning and happy the next.

For more information or to register, CLICK HERE for more details about Footloose or CLICK HERE for more details about Midsummer Night's Dream.