Puppeteers present the cast of "Beastie's Birthday Party," a puppet theater production created by local puppeteer Fred Arnold. Puppet Camp participants will present the show at Bachman June 23 at 4 p.m.Skwalking Heads Productions is preparing for a summer of fun at Bachman Community Center, starting with Music Theatre Camp June 5-16, followed by Puppet Camp June 19-30. Both camps will be held Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
Registration will be open until the Friday before each camp starts, space-permitting.
This year's Music Theatre Camp production is "How to Eat Like a Child – and Other Lessons in Not Being a Grown-Up," which co-director Colleen Laliberte said has been one of the most popular plays with campers in the past.
"It's so delightful; it really is the essence of being a child," she said, adding that it's the perfect ensemble show. "Everyone is in almost every scene."
The play is based on the 1981 TV special featuring Dick Van Dyke, an adaptation of the Delia Ephron book by the same name. Laliberte said every scene and song teaches the audience a childhood lesson, such as how to beg for a dog and how to stay home from school.
She is being joined by co-director Jessica Bowman, with former camper Noah Huseman serving as assistant director.
Music Theatre campers will learn all aspects of putting on a play, from memorizing the script, choreography and songs to making the scenery. Participants will present the show at Bachman Friday, June 16 at 6 p.m.
"It really is the perfect combination of activities for students or young people out of school for the summer," Laliberte said. "It's a great way for kids to develop that sense of ensemble and collaborative play."
Colleen Laliberte, left, and Jessica Bowman are co-directing Skwalking Heads Productions' Summer Fun Camps at Bachman Community Center in June.The same could be said for Puppet Camp, in which participants will write an original story and build puppets to star in it, as well as create sound effects and build scenery. Puppet campers will present their original production Friday, June 30 at 4 p.m.
They will also be performing "Beastie's Birthday Party," a puppet theater production written by local puppeteer Fred Arnold, who also built all the puppets for the production. That performance will be at Bachman June 23 at 4 p.m.
Both camps are open to kindergartners through high school freshmen. The cost for either is $395, which includes a T-shirt, scripts, CDs, paint and other supplies.
Bachman Community Center is at 2815 Anderson Pike and can be reached at 886-4842. For more information, email Laliberte at skwalking@hotmail.com or call her at 544-6534.