Kids with a flair for drama will get the chance to stand in the spotlight this summer and have the opportunity to hone their thespian skills at the Live Oak Theatre summer camp. This will take place on June 12-16th, from 10 am-4 pm for boys and girls ages 7 through 18, at the Carol and Frank Morsani Center for the Arts, 21030 Cortez Boulevard, Brooksville. Tuition is $150.
“Entering our 14th summer camp. We are not messing with success,” said Live Oak Spokesperson and Teacher Vince Vanni. “The theatre camp offers new and intermediate campers the fundamentals of the performing arts. These are geared to the skill levels of the campers. Campers are grouped by age and skill level, and the classes are tailored to their abilities and experience. The advantage of the Live Oak Camp is the wide range of classes that campers are exposed to… by veteran instructors who are continually performing on the Live Oak Stage.”
Via a single camp experience, they can learn:
Vocal Technique and Song Interpretation
- Costume & Set Design
- Movement to music
- Auditioning skills
- Acting skills such as:
- Characterization
- Improv technique
- And much more
Regardless of their individual interests and area of specialty, all camp students will learn valuable skills that will serve them well in the future. “They should take away the fundamental skills of a wide range of performance disciplines. Most importantly is that they will develop confidence in front of large groups of people,” said Vanni. “At the end of the week, parents are invited to a brief showcase of what the children were taught. This is not a recital, but a demonstration, by the campers, of some of the skills they acquired.”
These skills will be imparted to the students by the very best in the area arts community. “The instructors are the members of our conservatory,” said Vanni. “They have also been seen performing in many of our critically acclaimed productions.”
Vanni is particularly enthusiastic for students to ‘try out’ an auditions class offered at this year’s camp. “I would like to talk about our special class in auditioning skills. This is something of a master class taught by me as well as other instructors. Many of our campers not only audition for us but also for school, church, and local productions. Our class gives them the skills and the philosophy necessary to have confidence when approaching an audition,” he said. “It includes the vocal as well as acting audition, and we address the most fearful question a young auditioner gets from a director that does not know them. It’s so ‘tell me about yourself.’ FYI: many theater groups are beginning to use current technology for open auditions, requiring video auditions. We teach how to handle it. In fact, we required a video audition for ‘The Sound of Music,’ where the auditioner, all ages, had to: introduce themselves (Name, age, school, grade, training, and experience); Deliver a prepared monologue; and, sing a specific song from the show. We received 76 prepared video auditions! That means they were trained and comfortable in submitting them. And the youngest were ages five and seven.”
Also, this summer, Live Oak will offer a Dance Camp on June 26-30, from 10 am-4 pm. Tuition is $150. Also, Improv Camp will be hosted on June 26-30, from 5 pm-8 pm for ages 8+. Tuition is $75.
Students should bring lunch/dinner with them to camp, along with water and a healthy snack. They may want to also bring a pencil and notebook or paper and a folder. “Dance camp covers a wide range of Dance skills adapted to the skill levels of the campers,” said Vanni. “Improv Camp is an acting camp focused on the skill of improvisation.”
Randi Olsen, Live Oak’s artistic director, feels that the Live Oak summer camp is a fun and beneficial experience for up-and-coming thespians. “Our performing arts camp gets kids involved in Live Oak,” she said. “Beyond acting, singing, and dance talents, kids learn how to audition. It’s about getting youth into the theatre.”
For more details and to register, go to https://www.liveoaktheatre.org/summer-camp.
For more information, email the box office at [email protected] or call 352-593-0027.
For more information about the Live Oak Theatre Company, including sponsorship and audition opportunities, call 352-593-0027, email [email protected], or go to www.LiveOakTheatre.org. Visit us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LiveOakTheatre.
