Bay Street's Summer Musical Theater Camps to Kick Off 7/22

Bay Street Theatre is pleased to announce its week long Summer Music Theater Camps July 22-26; August 5-9; and August 12-16. The camps are for students aged 8 through 12, and run Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 12:30 pm daily at Studio 3 in Bridgehampton. Each week long camp includes many aspects of theatre including improv, vocal instruction, dance and more. This summer's first and last week of camp will be led by Karen Peele Hochstedler. Classes held during August 5-9 will be led by Christine Martinez and Bobby Peterson.

Camp size is extremely limited, with both an instructor and an assistant for each session. Students may sign up for one, two or all three weeks with discounts available if sessions are reserved when booking. Costs per student are $450 for a single week, $800 for two weeks or $1,100 for all three weeks. A snack will be provided daily.

"We are so excited to be offering three weeks of musical theatre camp this year," says Executive Director Tracy Mitchell. "All of our instructors are extremely passionate and talented when it comes to music, theater and dance. We couldn't be more pleased to be able to offer this level of fun and training to kids here on the east end!"

The teachers offer a wide variety of experience. Karen Peele Hochstedler, mother of six children, is a Hampton native who attended college in Oklahoma, receiving a bachelor's degree in music performance. Over the last 25 years, she has had extensive experience teaching music and movement, acting, script writing, and improvisation to young children, as well as adults. She especially enjoys working with children, watching their life skills and awareness develop through the magic of simple theater games all the way to a live stage performance. Her musical direction credits include: A Night on Broadway (Bridgehampton High School), Grease and High School Musical (Pierson Middle School), Joe Sent Me (Jacobson Center for the Performing Arts), Working (Center Stage), and Our Fabulous Variety Show. Her stage credits include: Joe Sent Me (JCPA), Fifty Million Frenchman (Center Stage), Our Fabulous Variety Show, Grease (Springs Community Theater), Victor/Victoria (JCPA), Ruthless (JCPA), and Anything Goes (SCT).

Christine Martinez attended Suffolk Community College for Music and Acting, prior to that she attended New York State Summer School of the Arts for singing. She has performed throughout the New York State as well as lead singer and manager of East Wind Inn and Spa Carolers for 6 years. She has been a Smithtown Heritage Ukrainian Folk dancer for over 20 years as well as Co-Teacher for 6 of those years.

Bobby Peterson, who will be working with Christina during August 5-9, is a graduate of Stony Brook University where he received both his Masters Degree and his B.A. in piano and vocal performance. As an accomplished pianist, Bobby has accompanied many artists, most notably Rufus Wainwright and for a musical theater workshop conducted by Julie Andrews last summer at Southampton College. Bobby is the music director and organist at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in East Hampton and has musical directed for and performed in many Long Island Theater shows, including 42nd street, Footloose, Pirates of Penzance, The Boyfriend, Fiddler on the Roof, Annie Get Your Gun, Cabaret, Grease, Guys and Dolls, Working, Crazy for You, Hair, 50 Million Frenchmen, High School Musical and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

There is limited space and camps fill up quickly. For payment and more information, please call Jessica Lemire in the Administration Office at 631-725-0818. For more information about the camps or other programming at Bay Street Theatre, log on to www.baystreet.org

Bay Street Theatre is a not-for-profit institution, dedicated to presenting new, classic and contemporary works of the highest quality, which challenge as well as entertain, speak to the diversity of the community and champion the human spirit. Bay Street's commitment extends to educational programs for all ages to foster the continued value of theatre as a vital art form for future generations.

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