This summer, Westfield Theatre Boosters will offer Westfield Summer Stage and Young Actors' Workshop, two performing arts day camps for area students. Both programs will be held at Westfield High School.
Westfield Summer Stage, now in its fifth year, will offer a four-week musical theatre production workshop culminating with four performances of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast." Previous Summer Stage productions include "Annie," "Snoopy," "Peter Pan," and "Grease." The program is open by audition to young men and women currently in grades 6-12.
The cast of 50 actors will rehearse weekday mornings to create the storybook world of Belle, The Beast, Lumiere, Gaston, Cogsworth, and Mrs. Potts, not to mention all those dancing forks, knives and spoons in the Busby Berkeley-inspired "Be Our Guest" production number. This version of "Beauty and the Beast" is the same one that has been playing on Broadway for more than 10 years and it has recently been made available for schools and community theatre groups.
Lori Knickerbocker is the director and Zoe Dillard is the assistant director, with choreography by Yvonne Henry and vocal direction by Clare Morris. Graduating senior Heather McGrath is the stage manager. Potential cast members are encouraged to attend an interest meeting on Monday, May 16, at 6:30 p.m. in the Westfield Black Box Theatre to learn audition songs and dances, which will take place in the Black Box on Saturday, May 21, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Students may sign up for a five-minute audition slot at the interest meeting or during the week before auditions.
Rehearsals begin July 5 and continue on weekday mornings through July 29. The workshop fee for Summer Stage is $200. Performances are July 28, 29, and 30 at 7:30 p.m. and July 31 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 and seating is general admission. Scholarships are available. For more information, contact director Lori Knickerbocker at lori.knickerbocker@fcps.edu.
Young Actors' Workshop, directed by Zoe Dillard and Scott Pafumi, is an introductory theatre arts program for boys and girls currently in grades 2-5. This camp runs from July 5-15, from 9 a.m. to noon on weekday mornings. Each day, students will alternate between classes focusing on acting, musical theatre, and theatre games as they learn the basics of voice, movement and developing an ensemble. At the end of the session, all campers will present a mini-production for friends and family. The workshop fee for Young Actors' Workshop is $200. Parents are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible as spots are limited and this workshop filled up quickly in 2004, its first year of operation. Application forms are available on the school's Web site or by calling 703-488-6430.
For more information about Summer Stage and Young Actors' Workshop, visit the Westfield Theatre Boosters Web site at www.westfieldtheatreboosters.com or call the Westfield Theatre office at 703-488-6430.