Award-winning Porchlight Music Theatre’s Education Department is proud to announce the return of its Music Theatre Summer Camp, June 26 - August 11, with registration now available for all sessions. Also, Porchlight offers a Sample-A-Camp, Sunday, April 30, for interested campers and parents wanting to learn more about the 2023 Porchlight offerings.
Youth classes are designed to teach young actors musical theatre skills from basics to advanced while enabling students to also learn life skills such as effective communication and self-esteem. Classes are held at the Holtschneider Performance Center at the DePaul University School of Music, 2330 N. Halsted St. Tuition is $325 - $975 based on the class level with payment plans and scholarships available for all youth programming. For specific questions regarding camps and registration, please email Porchlight Education Director Rebeccah Singer at rebeccah@porchlightmusictheatre.org. For general camp information and registration, visit PorchlightMusicTheatre.org/summer-camp/.
Chicago’s favorite music theatre summer camp returns this summer with fun, jam-packed musical sessions for ages 4 - 17 years old. New and returning young actors will spend one to three weeks singing, dancing, meeting new friends and creating an original musical piece to share with family and friends on the last day of camp.
Porchlight classes and camps are process-over-product focused programs designed to boost confidence, empathy and a love of the arts. Young actors join session after session to build on previous skills – from music theatre basics up to college audition readiness in a nurturing and fun environment.
Sample-A-Camp
Sunday, April 30
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Porchlight invites new students to experience Porchlight’s Summer Camps with a Sample-A-Camp, Sunday, April 30 for just $20. Participants get an exclusive summer camp discount and a sneak peek at all the summer fun they'll have with Porchlight’s summer camps. While students experience a day at camp, adults may enjoy a coffee and a snack while having their questions answered by the School’s education director.
Sample-A-Camp Schedule includes:
- Mini Musicals - 11 - 11:30 a.m.
- Broadway Basics - 11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
- Music Theatre Bootcamp - 12:30 - 1 p.m.
- Advanced Music Theatre- 1:15 - 2 p.m.
All Sample-A-Camps will meet at Porchlight’s camp location, DePaul School of Music (2330 N. Halsted). For additional information or to register, please go to PorchlightMusicTheatre.org/summer-camp/.
The Porchlight Summer Camp 2023 schedule includes:
Mini Musicals
Ages 4 – 6 years old
June 26 – June 30 (1 week)
Daily, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Holtschneider Performance Center, DePaul University School of Music, 2330 N. Halsted St.
Tuition: $325
Budding actors join Porchlight each week for songs, games, making new friends and having a blast on stage. The youngest students stretch their theatre muscles as they create an original musical story with dance moves, props, and songs to share with family and friends on the last day of class at a performance.
Broadway Basics
Ages 7 – 10 years old
July 10 – July 21 (2 weeks)
Daily, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Holtschneider Performance Center, DePaul University School of Music, 2330 N. Halsted St.
Tuition: $650
Enter the world of music, drama, dance, writing and more while practicing teamwork, communication and problem-solving. Young performers will be introduced to their actor tools, with plenty of time for playing games and making new friends. At the end of the session, families and friends may join Porchlight for a final performance to celebrate all your young actors’ work.
Music Theatre Bootcamp
Ages 11 – 13 years old
July 24 – August 4 (2 weeks)
Daily, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Holtschneider Performance Center, DePaul University School of Music, 2330 N. Halsted St.
Tuition: $650
Intermediate actors build on the basics to learn about building an ensemble, singing in harmony and creating more challenging characters. Actors will write their own story paired with musical theatre classics and new hits to share with family and friends at the end of the term.
Advanced Music Theatre Performance
Ages 14 – 17 years old
July 24 – August 11 (3 weeks)
Daily, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Holtschneider Performance Center, DePaul University School of Music, 2330 N. Halsted St.
Tuition: $975
The most advanced actors tackle challenging choreography, music and scene study to create a final showcase that highlights both ensemble and individual work. Actors will receive additional master classes and pre-professional training to round out their skills.
NOTE: All class content, dates, times, etc. are subject to change. For the most up to date information, please visit PorchlightMusicTheatre.org/summer-camp/.
ABOUT PORCHLIGHT EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS
Porchlight Music Theatre’s Youth Programs serve those ages 4 – 17 years old and are grounded in the power of the American art form of music theatre to tell stories and inspire confidence and a love of the arts. The Engagement Programs deepen audience connection to the art, artists and the community.
ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE
Porchlight Music Theatre, now in its 28th season, is the award-winning center for music theatre in Chicago. Through live performance, youth education and community outreach, we impact thousands of lives each season, bringing the magic of musicals to our theatre home at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in the Gold Coast and to neighborhoods across the city. Porchlight has built a national reputation for boldly reimagining classic musicals, supporting new works and young performers, and showcasing Chicago’s most notable music theatre artists, all through the intimate and powerful theatrical lens of the “Chicago Style.”
Porchlight's history over the last 27 years includes more than 70 mainstage works with 15 Chicago premieres and five world premieres. Porchlight’s commitment to the past, present and future of music theatre led the company to develop the Porchlight Revisits and New Faces Sing Broadway program series, both quickly becoming audience favorites.
Porchlight's education and outreach programs serve schools, youth of all ages and skill levels and community organizations, most notably the ongoing collaboration with Chicago Youth Centers. Porchlight annually awards dozens of full scholarships and hundreds of free tickets to ensure accessibility and real engagement with this uniquely American art form.
The company’s many honors include 178 Joseph Jefferson Award (Jeff) nominations and 49 Jeff awards, as well as 44 Black Theatre Alliance (BTA) nominations and 15 BTA awards. In 2019, Porchlight graduated to the Large Theatre tier of the Equity Jeff Awards and has been honored with seven awards in this tier to date including Best Ensemble for Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies (2019) and Best Production-Revue for Blues in the Night (2022).
Through the global pandemic, Porchlight emerged as one of Chicago’s leaders in virtual programming, quickly launching a host of free offerings like Sondheim @ 90 Roundtables, Movie Musical Mondays, Porchlight by Request: Command Performances and WPMT: Classic Musicals from the Golden Age of Radio. In 2021, Porchlight launched its annual summer series, Broadway in your Backyard, performing at parks and venues throughout the city.
Porchlight Music Theatre is partially supported by generous contributions from Allstate; Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation; Glimpse Vision; James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation; Hearty Boys; A.L. and Jennie L. Luria Foundation; The MacArthur Fund for Culture, Equity and the Arts at Prince; the Pritzker Traubert Foundation; Ryan and Spaeth, Inc.; Daniel and Genevieve Ratner Foundation; The Saints and Dr. Scholl Foundation.
The season program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, a state agency, and by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events.
Porchlight Music Theatre wishes to thank members of the Matching Gift Corporate Program including Abbvie; Allstate; Lloyd A. Fry Foundation; Peoples Gas; Pepsico; Polk Bros Foundation and The Saints.
Photo courtesy of Porchlight Music Theatre