Westport, NY — The Depot Theatre Academy is pleased to announce that the summer 2023 program will be the first to produce CAMP, A NEW MUSICAL since its award-winning Off-Broadway debut.
Academy Junior (ages 8-11) and Senior (ages 12 and up) programs will run concurrently for a three-week program that runs from July 17-August 6, 2023, at the Whallonsburg Grange Hall. The program will culminate in three performances of CAMP, A NEW MUSICAL on Friday, August 4 at 7pm, Saturday, August 5 at 7pm, and Sunday, August 6 at 2pm.
About CAMP
Set in the Adirondacks, the show features two “competing” summer camps that find common ground when one of them suffers a fire just one day after opening. With plenty of comedic antics, unexpected tensions, and surprising twists, CAMP, A NEW MUSICAL is a full-length musical comedy that is wonderfully entertaining and fast-paced. With more than 20 songs and a cast that includes campers, counselors, and the camp director, it is an ideal platform for the Academy as an opportunity to combine all age groups in one production.
“I am very excited to have chosen the Depot Theatre Academy as the first company to produce CAMP, A NEW MUSICAL since its award-winning debut in New York, Off-Broadway in 2022,” said David Meenan, CAMP playwright and musical composer. “I am thrilled with the collaboration and excited to see their production when it goes up this summer.”
“We are grateful to David Meenan for offering the Academy this unique opportunity,” said Gigi Mason, Depot Theatre Outreach and Education Director. “As this show has never been seen outside of its debut in New York, we are excited to give our kids an opportunity to perform something ‘FIRST’!”
The program and production will be directed by Broadway actor and Depot alum Jonathan Hadley, and choreography will be led by Alee Reed, an arts educator with special expertise in teaching, training, choreographing, managing, and directing. The program will include live musical direction and accompaniment, and a number of visiting professional artists throughout the rehearsal period.
Auditions will be held at the Whallonsburg Grange Hall on June 4, 2023, from 10am – noon for juniors (ages 8-11) and 1- 3pm for seniors (ages 12 and older enrolled in school, inclusive of home school and college). Audition attendance is not required but is highly encouraged. Any actor that wants to be considered for a speaking/singing role who cannot make auditions must submit a video singing a song of their choice (a capella is fine) to: academy@depottheatre.org. Video submissions must be submitted prior to the June 4th auditions.
The registration fee is $300 per participant. For families with more than one child participating in the program, the fee for the additional participants is $200/participant. Scholarships are available. For more information and the registration form, visit DepotTheatre.org/academy-main.
The Depot Theatre is a non-profit, professional theatre located in a historic, functioning 1876 train station in Westport, N.Y., and it is the only theatre in the Adirondacks that operates under an agreement with Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. The Depot Theatre’s 2023 programming is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Additional support is provided by the Essex County Arts Council. The Depot Theatre 2023 Season is sponsored by the Rogers-Carroll Family Foundation.
The Depot Theatre Academy is a robust educational experience for area youth and a pathway for those interested in pursuing a profession in theatre—whether that’s backstage or on stage. The Depot Theatre 2023 Academy summer program is sponsored by the TrailNorth Federal Credit Union. The Academy is underwritten by the Brooks and Joan Fortune Family Foundation.
