Wrightsville Beach Park got its summer Performance Camp up and running this year after the previous two years of Performance Camp were cancelled. L.J. Woodard, director of the Wrightsville Beach School (WBS) Performance Club, led the weeklong half-day camp.
Children ages 5-9 spent the first half of the day learning basics about performance, while the 10-13 age group worked on skills the latter half of the day.
Staff photo by Dana Hawley
Members of the Wrightsville Beach Performance Club bow at the end of their final number, a rendition of “Grease” that they performed for family and friends on Friday, June 22 after their weeklong camp with instructor L.J. Woodard, center. |
Both age groups learned performance skills like improvisation, creative movement, voice, stand-up, scene study, commercials and audition/on-camera technique.
“There was a very big interest in the class,” said Katie Ryan, director of parks and recreation. “L.J. has a great following from Wrightsville Beach elementary.”
Woodard started the WBS Performance Club last year after she was inspired by a first-grader with a passion for drama. Eventually the club grew to include both upper and lower grades, and by the end of the year, a full-fledged production of “Finding Nemo” was put on.
“It’s a great outlet for me as a mother and an actor to take what I have learned from New York and L.A. and workshops and teach it to these kids,” said Woodard. “Theater is natural for kids because it’s just playing.”
Both age groups from the Performance Camp put on a performance at the end of the week for their parents.
“What I really tried to do was show [the children] that getting up in front of people is not scary and build up their self esteem,” Woodard said.
A Musical Theatre Intensive Camp will be held July 9-13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., led by Gloria Crist of the Soul Patch Company. This camp is for ages 9-14. Students will put on a full musical after a one-week session of acting, singing and creating. Cost is $140 for Wrightsville Beach residents and $170 for non-residents.
Pre-registration is required. To register, call 256-7925.
