Local youth are learning more about live theatre during the Souris Valley Theatre鈥檚 annual summer theatre camps.
The first camp, named Act 1, started on July 10 and will continue to July 14. It is for children ages six to eight, and according to Josh Wade, who is in charge of the camp, they have about 20 youths registered.
鈥淲e鈥檙e getting the kids comfortable in expressing themselves in a group, and comfortable with performing in front of people, performing in a group and speaking on stage, and all of the aspects of it,鈥� said Wade.
Act 1 also introduces such concepts as character portrayal and movement.
The children who are in Act 1 will have a performance on July 14 to show all that they have learned.
Approximately 20 kids between the ages of nine and 12 are signed up for Act 2, which will be from July 17 to 21. Wade said they will build on the young people鈥檚 comfort level and further develop fundamentals such as diction, projection and movement.
Act 2 will also wrap up with a performance on July 21.
The theatre camps will conclude with Act 3, which is for those between the ages of 13 and 16. It鈥檚 a two-week camp that will run from July 31 to August 4 and Aug. 8 to 11. Wade said they already have about a dozen kids registered.
At the end of the Act 3 camp, the young people will produce an entire original show, Game of Phones: The Canadian Edition by Lampman playwright Maureen Ulrich. It is the sequel to last year鈥檚 Game of Phones production.
鈥淎 family is going to visit Ottawa for Canada鈥檚 150th birthday,鈥� said Wade. 鈥淭he son downloads an interesting app on his cousin鈥檚 phone that transports them back in time to the days of John A. Macdonald and Anne of Green Gables, even though she鈥檚 a fictional character,鈥� said Wade.
The lead characters spend most of the show trying to get back to their own time.
Wade believes the camps are beneficial for local youth, because it provides a base of knowledge for theatre, and they help the children gain a love for the stage while they are still young.
鈥淭heatre is so, so important for all ages, but especially for youth, because not only does it teach confidence, it teaches creativity, and it also teaches how to socialize,鈥� said Wade.
For some kids, it provides access to a platform to express their feelings and learn about other people.
Wade and his assistant, Kelsey Potoma, were out in the schools last month to promote the summer theatre camps.
鈥淚 think the kids really enjoyed the workshops that we did in the schools,鈥� said Wade. 鈥淚 think everyone had a really great time. I personally love going into the schools and meeting all of the kids and seeing how their eyes light up when I said we were going to play theatre games and have fun.鈥�
Registrations are still being accepted for Acts 2 and 3.
