Camp Media Theatre Goes to 'Oz,' Starting 8/11

The final two-week session for Camp Media Theatre 2014 starts up August 11. It's OZ Camp, in which all songs performed by the campers will be gleaned from "The Wizard of Oz", "The Wiz", or "Wicked".

Camp Media Theatre has had a record-breaking summer. "We have had more campers this year than ever before," said Executive Director Patrick Ward. "As we head into our final two-week session for this year we are getting ready to follow the yellow brick road. We really appreciate the support of each family who has been involved."

Artistic Director Jesse Cline agrees. "When we started Camp Media Theatre in the year 2000, we had only four weeks of camp," he said. "Now we have ten weeks, as well as a separate teen and performance camp which puts on an entire two-act musical production. We could not do it without the families who look to us to provide continuing music theatre education."

Experience on stage, however, is not a requirement to be involved in Camp Media Theatre. "We also have many students who are just getting their feet wet, as it were, on the stage," said Cline. "We introduce them to performing in a fun way, which allows them to understand the three aspects of music theatre--Singing, Dancing, and Acting."

OZ Camp will, along with the songs and dances based in the three well known musicals, include scenes which the campers write on their own with the guidance of camp instructors. "Each two-week session of Camp Media Theatre allows the youth to provide the 'Acting' portion of music theatre using an improvisational-style scene which they create on their own," Cline explained. "Whatever is relevant to them at their age is what audiences see. It's a unique show that can never be duplicated because it's reliant on the personalities of the campers."

To take part in OZ Camp at Media Theatre, or find out more about upcoming fall classes and The New School, visit www.mediatheatre.org or call 610-891-0100. All educational programs are produced by Media Music Theatre Company.