Performance Production Student Winnifred Blair Spends Her Summer at Theatre Camp!
4th year Performance Production + Design student Winnifred Blair (pictured right) is passionate about all elements of technical theatre and uses her summer break to build on the skills she's learning in the program!
Winnifred describes how she spent her summer vacation teaching and learning at a summer theatre camp and how her time at Performance has contributed to her professional success.
I've spent the last 8 weeks teaching theatre summer camps to students between the ages of 8 and 12 years old. We've done 4 different musicals and learned about everything from audio based storytelling to scenic painting. Additionally I've been running the stage the camps perform on which has given me many opportunities to build on my experience from my time as the Technical Director for the Performance mainstage as part of THP 301 (I have efficiently moved and rehung so many soft goods, like the drapes you see in the wings, this summer).
In the mornings I teach general classes on theatrical design and storytelling to all of the campers. Then in the afternoons I guide the students who have elected to join the tech team in painting the set, designing the lights, making the props, and learning their performance duties for the show. There is truly nothing cuter than an 8 year old using an ion.
In the evenings I spend my time working as a research assistant with faculty member Owais Lightwala on a study of the impact The Creative School Chrysalis is having on the artists, students, and audiences it has welcomed this summer.
And, as always, I've been working on too many fiber crafts.
Here are some highlights of what the campers have made this summer:
These two did an amazing job of co-operating a giant claw machine prop (pictured right) that would pull children off stage.
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Here is the aforementioned claw looking all fancy in the finale lighting the campers designed as well as a look to turn the cyc into pizza for a very special musical number. Also check out the impeccable painting job they did on the back wall (everything is intentionally backwards and was painted that way).
Here are two more sets that we painted. One is a marshy river edge (right) and the other a robot themed gymnasium (left).
Bonus yarn that I spun and can't figure out what to make with it.
