Bay Area Shakespeare Camps June 6, 2011

Weekdays, 9am-5:30pm: June 6-17, June 20-July 1, July 11-22, July 18-29, July 25-Aug 5, Aug 1-12

The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival will hold 9 sessions of its two-week Shakespeare Camps for youth this summer. In addition to 7 sessions for ages 7-13, one session for ages 12-18 and one session for ages 4-6 will be held. The camps are held in convenient locations throughout San Francisco. The sessions meet from 9 am to 3 pm, weekdays, except for the Sprites (ages 4-6) Camp, which will meet from 9:00 am-12 noon. Aftercare from 3-5:30 pm is available for the 7-13 age group only.

The camps are appropriate for youth who are new to drama as well as experienced actors. Teaching artists are trained theater professionals; many have master's degrees in theater arts and nearly all are professional actors.

"Campers learn about Shakespeare's life, the rich language that he used and how to understand and perform it. They'll also develop the power of their voices and bodies to tell the story and express emotion, as well as the basics of the technical side of theater -- costuming, props, and set design. They work on plays that complement the Festival's season," says Camp Director Rebecca J. Ennals "Sprites campers, ages 4-6, will explore the magical characters of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' and 'Macbeth' (our next touring show). Depending on their ages, the 7-13 year olds will perform abridged versions of 'Macbeth' or 'The Tempest'. Campers in the session for ages 12-18 (Upstart Crows) will stage a short version of 'Cymbeline', the same title being presented at Free Shakespeare in the Park this summer."

A camp parent reports, "Our daughter attended your camp and had a truly transformative experience! The incredible instructors and inclusive environment provided her with the highlight of the entire summer and ensured her return next year! My husband and I are elementary teachers and truly value the effort and skill that was exhibited in the way the camp was run."

Camps often sell out, so early registration is strongly encouraged.

Official Website: http://www.sfshakes.org/camp/index.html