Unleashing a child’s creativity can be likened to turning on a faucet — the water is plentiful, but needs to get to the surface.
Grand Haven Area Public Schools Summer Theatre provides that outlet to children in the Greater Tri-Cities community.
Open to children who have completed kindergarten through those going into seventh grade, this two-week camp uses theatre as the vehicle for fostering creativity and encouraging that spark within every child.
“The magic of working with children to bring a show to life is powerful,” says Director Rita McLary. But the benefits do not end with just the camp participants.
An English and drama teacher at Grand Haven High School, McLary hires a group of her high school student thespians to mentor the daily camp. These high school students bring energy and a passion for theatre that is simply contagious.
“We work hard to glimpse a sparkle in every student,” McLary says. “One child may love to sing, while another is featured in a dance or scene. There are no little divas here and everyone works together to bring the show to life.”
One thing that makes this theatre production unique is the use of multiple leads. Several children will share each main role, giving greater opportunities to more children. Orchestrating this “tag team” lead roles system requires hours of planning and coordination by McLary and the mentors.
The philosophy is decidedly simple: The GHAPS Summer Theatre motto proclaims, “this is where your little star can shine.” Each child is given multiple opportunities to test their creativity. The daily rehearsal schedule is packed to provide teaching for all parts of the show, as well as other creative expression — whether in painting a set piece or playing a dramatic game to encourage trust among each group.
Last summer’s production of Cinderella was McLary’s first time teaching drama to such young students. This summer the camp is performing
Lion King JR, challenging the students and parents with creative costumes and backdrops. After teaching years of traditional summer school courses, McLary is excited to head a summer program that brings the arts to the forefront.
According to a series of studies done by the
National Center for Education Statistics, the benefit of children’s involvement in the arts is as simple as A-B-C:
- Academic — Improves reading, language and mathematics skills.
- Basic — Engages thinking skills, social skills and the motivation to learn.
- Comprehensive — Provides a positive school environment and higher self-image.
Every student reads the script, interprets a character, memorizes lines, songs and choreography, practices team building and leadership games, experiments with artistic expression and becomes a valued part of the group.
GHAPS Summer Theatre is also unique in that the performance travels to a local senior center or nursing home. This provides practice in creative problem-solving for the high school mentors who adapt the show to the space available, and serves as a delightful afternoon for the senior citizens. It also provides an enthusiastic early audience for nervous students.
Providing more validation for the program, a large percentage of both student performers and volunteering parents return each year. For Lion King JR, GHAPS Summer Theatre has 35 returning students, with many of them bringing friends to register and join in the fun.
According to Dana Rendt, a returning parent of three children who perform in the camp, “This is the highlight of their summer. We plan Summer Theatre in our schedule every year.”
GHAPS Summer Theatre accepts and encourages participating children to find hidden strengths, develop interpersonal skills and to polish their artistic impulses.
“We want to encourage excellence in a safe environment where every child feels empowered to take artistic risks,” says two-year mentor Andrew Barney, now a junior at GHHS. “The camp is a magnet for children who love to perform, but the mentors celebrate every achievement. Sometimes just seeing a shy child open up and gain confidence is a huge accomplishment.”