The Long Beach Playhouse Announces 2013 Summer Youth Musical Theatre Conservatory

The Long Beach Playhouse will offer a 3-week full-day camp for performers age 7-17 from July 15-August 2 this summer. The Summer Youth Musical Theatre Conservatory will be an intensive training program offering classes in the morning and the rehearsal of a full length musical adaptation of The Velveteen Rabbit in the afternoons. Performances of The Velveteen Rabbit will take place on the weekend following the camp, August 3-4.

Each camp day will run from 9am-4pm, with extended care available for those performers and families who need it. Mornings will begin with a full camp group warmup, and then campers will be split up into three separate groups - determined by age, experience, and performance ability - for training in Acting, Singing, and Dancing. All classes will be led by university-trained performers and instructors who have significant experience and demonstrated excellence in working with children. Bethany Price, founder of the local children's theatre training program Take the Stage Long Beach, will serve as Conservatory Director, and will direct the students in the culminating performance.

"This is a very unique camp," Price explained, "These three full weeks give our campers individualized training in the morning, and then the unforgettable experience of mounting a fully-staged musical in just 15 rehearsals. It will be a lot of fun and a lot of work, but in the end we'll have an amazing show to share with our audience."

Other confirmed instructors and camp "counselors" include Jessica Hayes, a popular and experienced children's theatre teacher and performer who has worked with the Whaley Park Music & Arts Camp, directed shows at Minnie Gant Elementary School, and is a regular member of the acclaimed Imagination Machine. Brian Bozanich, Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator at Saint Joseph High School, will serve as lead acting teacher.

"Having a mix of returning and new instructors this year is a great asset to the Program," said Andrew Vonderschmitt, producing artistic director about the Summer Conservatory, "we have had great talent involved in our previous conservatories getting Brian Bozanich and Jessica Hayes, both incredible instructors, to return this year will be great." Andrew went on to tell us about the success of the partnership with Bethany Price, Conservatory Director, "Bethany has a lot of experience in youth theatre education, and it shows. Her after-school and weekend courses here at The Playhouse have been a rousing success and we are fortunate to have her at the helm."

Cost for the three week camp is $600, but campers who secure their spots with a non-refundable $100 deposit on or before MAY 15 receive an early bird discount of $50. Sibling discounts, as well as a limited number of partial scholarships, are also available. For more information, please call (562) 494-1014 x506 or visit www.lbplayhouse.org.

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