Summer camp gives kids chance to shine

Scripps Theatre Arts is offering a summer camp for kids ages 5 to 12. The theme will be “Seussical Kids”and runs Aug. 19-23. (courtesy photo)

Summer camp gives kids chance to shine

For parents looking for an end of summer camp for kids ages five to 12, look no further. Scripps Theatre Arts, a local non-profit production company, still has spots available for its final summer camp Aug. 19 through 23 featuring Seussical Kids. The camp will offer children the chance to delve into the world of theater from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day at the Scripps Ranch Recreation Center.

Alicia Gonzalez, founder and CEO of Scripps Theatre Arts, started the production company to fill the need for a quality theater program in Scripps Ranch for children.

“My kids have been doing musical theater for eight years now, and the caliber that we appreciated in youth theater in Escondido and Balboa Park was not offered in the Scripps Ranch area. I knew so many families who wanted to get their kids into it, but couldn’t accommodate the drive,” Gonzalez said. “I had been thinking about it for a few years and just decided ‘I’m going for it,’ and started it here in Scripps Ranch.”

The company, established in the summer of 2018, has already boasted remarkable ticket sales for its first three productions. Scripps Theatre Arts’ most recent production, the “Lion King,” sold out all four performances that were offered, with 47 kids in the cast.

“We are growing better than I ever could have hoped. My favorite thing about Scripps Theater Arts is that the community has totally embraced us,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said that the camp is a great introduction for families who are interested in having their child audition for their larger productions.

“A day at camp is very busy. It is completely musical theater oriented. The first day of summer camp includes auditions, where the director will teach the kids one of the numbers in the show and they will cast it from there,” Gonzalez said.

She also said there is a wide variety of theater experience with the kids who attend the camp. It is geared toward providing the biggest opportunity to every child who attends. The camp is broken up into sections focusing on choreography, singing and learning how to block a production. Blocking is the acting portion of the show that includes how to say the lines, where to stand when saying the lines and where fellow performers are when on stage, Gonzalez said. Between all of the sections, the kids also play theater games and have lunch. At the end of camp, family and friends are invited to a performance to see the work their children have put into the production.

“The confidence I see from the kids who are new to musical theater is just incredible. I’ve seen kids who are not sure that they want to do musical theater go through camp and decide they want to land a solo. It’s a really great experience for kids,” Gonzalez said.

If interested in registering a child for the final Scripps Theatre Arts summer camp, visit scrippstheatrearts.com.

In addition, Scripps Theatre Arts’ is preparing for its next full production, “Disney’s Mulan Jr.,” scheduled to run Sept. 13-15 and Sept. 20-22. Visit scrippstheatrearts.com for tickets.