How do you plan to spend your spring break this year? American Stage, the Tampa Bay area’s longest-running professional theater company, is offering an opportunity to hit the high seas through its new camp series March 13-16.
Participants will explore aspects of the Caribbean and Pacific islands and stories about pirates, heroes and heroines, and singing and dancing sea creatures. Each group will create a 10-minute show with songs that will be performed on the last day of camp.
A seasonal offering
“We decided it would be really fun to offer something at this time of year,” said José Avilés, education director. The idea is to create a safe space for youngsters to be active in the theater and to increase their creativity. Teams of teaching artists will lead each group.
Those ages 5-7 will participate in an “Under the Seas” adventure featuring sea creatures and a mermaid. Youth campers ages 8-12 will explore a “shipwrecked” theme complete with pirates and swashbucklers. Teenagers 13-17 will focus more on fun in the sun and summer songs, Avilés said.
“We aim to create young appreciators of the arts,” he said. Theater enhances confidence, expands creative thinking, helps participants play and work in teams, and involves physical activity, he said.
Information
Each session costs $225 and runs 8:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. in the Raymond James Theater at the St. Petersburg College Downtown Campus Center, 244 2nd Ave. N, St. Petersburg. There is a small additional fee for pre- and after care. To register, visit americanstage.org/education or call the box office at (727) 823-7529
