The theatre company will host their annual Little Badger Camp the first week of summer for incoming first through sixth graders.
“This year, we are doing HONK!, the story of the ugly duckling with a twist,” junior theater production student Maylee Harbin said. “This show teaches kids about inner beauty and perseverance.”
The camp is May 19 – 23 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Campers will learn lines and choreography Monday through Thursday and give a final performance Friday at 1 p.m. in the cafetorium.
Each day, campers will spend the morning doing a rotation of stations led by high school theatre students and the afternoon working on blocking with theater director Greta Peterson.
“The high school students are the counselors that help the kids learn the activities,” Peterson said. “They choreograph the dances and then teach them, and they have games that are fun for the kids that help them learn about the theatre and stage.”
The morning stations include tech, choreography and acting. Each station is led by around three high school students, and the remaining high schoolers work as runners escorting their group of around ten campers to each station.
“Personally, I am a runner,” Harbin said. “We help manage the kids and keep them engaged in what they’re doing. We also make sure that each and every kid is having a good time.”
Admission to the camp is $100 per camper. To sign up a camper, parents can email Peterson at [email protected].
“I am super excited for camp this year,” Harbin said. “The show is one of the best yet with a great message, and I am so excited to see all the kiddos I haven’t seen in a year.”
High school students began preparing for the camp in late March. Preparation begins with deciding on a show, cutting the script down to a 30 minute production, and coming up with set and costume concepts.
“We decide, as a group, what show will be the best for young actors,” Peterson said. “We make sure we have enough roles so that everyone that wants a speaking role can have one. We also make sure there are several dance numbers because the campers love to dance and learn new choreography.”
Head baseball coach Chance Evans said he signed his 9-year-old daughter up for the theatre camp this year because she has had a great time at camp in previous years.
“Camp gives the campers an opportunity to explore their passion for theater, meet the older students who have been through the program and it creates a foundation for the theater program,” Evans Said. “It also helps them learn mesmerization skills, stage presence and public speaking which are all important skills. It’s very impressive. I think theatre is an important program for a lot of kids and they’ve always represented the school well!”
