Spotlight Stage camps come to Wayne Theatre

The Wayne Theatre/Ross Performing Arts Center presents Spotlight Stage offering three summer camps for children and teens, grades K-12.

And they’ve teamed up with an all-star cast of instructors to include Hank Fitzgerald (acting), Katherine McLean (music) and Chelsie Burks (dance). Registration is under way now for the newest camp experience for anyone within driving distance of the Waynesboro, Va., theatre.

“The Wayne Theatre Alliance’s mission includes giving young members of the community the opportunity to experience live performing arts at the theatre – both by attending live performances and delivering them,” said Tracy Straight, executive director of the theater. “With our three summer camps, kids of all ages will have the opportunity to learn acting techniques, improv, music, dance, costume, makeup and more and have the opportunity to perform in front of a live audience.”

Theatre Intensive Camp: Runs June 20-24, 27-30, for grades 6-12, 9 a.m. to noon each day. Do you dream of taking the stage in a musical production? You can hone your theater chops with professional-level musical performance training in this two week course, culminating in a final showcase on June 30. Students weeks are filled with theatre basics, acting techniques, through song and dance, improvisation and audition workshop.

Snow White and the Prince Summer Workshop: Runs July 11-15, 18-22, 25-30, for grades 2-12,9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. This summer workshop allows students to be cast into a 60-minute premiere musical, Snow White and the Prince. This musical workshop will allow students to explore the many aspects of musical theater through acting techniques, music, dance, costume and makeup. The students will put together the show and have two performances in front of a live audience.

Fairytale Summer Camp: Runs Aug. 1-4, for grades K-4, 9 a.m. to noon each day. This is our beginner level to theater basics for the youngest star in your home. This intro level will teach simple theater and acting games to get your little one prepared for the spotlight. “Are you ready for the spotlight?”

Scholarships are available upon request.

“We want to offer the summer camps to all ages and demographics,” said Straight. “And certainly, we don’t want there to be any barriers for talented performers to take part. We want to inspire children and teens in our community to explore the arts.”

Registration forms are available online now. For more information, call (540) 943-9999 or visit waynetheatre.org/summer-camps.

About the instructors

Hank Fitzgerald, Acting/Directing Instructor
Hank Fitzgerald has been performing in professional and regional theater for over 20 years. He attended Shenandoah University and performed 5 seasons in their professional company, Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre. Hank went on to portray the role of Aladdin in the Disney Cruise Line show, Magic Journeys, and appeared in numerous shows at the acclaimed Alhambra Dinner Theater in Jacksonville, Fl. After returning to the Shenandoah Valley in 2007, Hank has been involved in numerous productions both onstage and behind the scenes. Some of his recent directing credits include Footloose, Gypsy, and 9 to 5 and the smash hit Mary Poppins.

Katherine McLean, Music/Directing Instructor
Katherine McLean graduated from Waynesboro High School in 2014 and she is currently a sophomore at Radford University. She is studying Music Education with a concentration in Voice. Kat has had several years of piano training and vocal training with Tracy Straight, Kathy Melton, Sam Johnson and Jeff Ryman. She has also danced for several years with The Ballet Box, Valley Dance Theatre and Old Dominion Performance Arts Studio. She has been in several theatre productions through ShenanArts such as Footloose (Wendy Jo), Big Fish (Young Jenny Hill) and Mary Poppins (Ensemble & Music Director). She also participated in shows through the WHS Theatre Department including Grease (Marty), Beauty and the Beast (Mrs. Potts) and White Christmas (Betty).

Chelsie Burks, Dance/Directing Instructor
Chelsie Burks is a freshman musical theater major at Shorter University. In addition to pursuing her interest in musical theater, Chelsie danced on the competition team at Old Dominion Performance Arts Studio, sang in the WHS Concert Choir, played French Horn in the WHS Concert Band, and served as colorguard captain in the WHS marching band. Her credits include White Christmas (Judy), Pippin (Catherine), Gypsy (Dainty June), Footloose (Urleen), Oklahoma (Laurie), Decision Height (Mildred), Death Takes a Holiday (Daisy), and Showboat (Lottie).