SUmmer Youth Musical Theater Workshop
On a balmy summer evening in North Camden’s tree-filled Camdentowne Park at North 2nd and Elm, 150 parents, family and friends attended the summer youth musical performance, FREE. The performance delivered a message about respect: “how to give it, how to get it, because without it, you’re nothing.” FREE was created, produced and performed on a simple stage by 20 children, ages 10-13, from North Camden, under the direction of Reg. E. Gaines, Tony-nominated poet and playwright; Calvin Gaines, musician and music director; and Phyllis Gaines, choreographer and dance director.
During this six-week afternoon program preceding the performance, the children worked hard individually and in groups on writing, self-expression, diction, acting, performing, dancing, and presenting. The underpinning of the summer youth musical program was to facilitate and enhance the children’s soft and hard skills, including literacy, confidence and self-esteem, problem solving, leadership and teamwork, as well as to offer them an experience, which they might not otherwise realize. The children developed strong relationships with the director, his co-directors, and each other, and were extremely saddened to see the program come to an end. They expressed their interest in “wanting to do it again next year.”
A strong bond developed between the mothers whose children were performing. This very committed group of mothers was very eager to realize additional (near-) future opportunities for their children and themselves.
During this six-week afternoon program preceding the performance, the children worked hard individually and in groups on writing, self-expression, diction, acting, performing, dancing, and presenting. The underpinning of the summer youth musical program was to facilitate and enhance the children’s soft and hard skills, including literacy, confidence and self-esteem, problem solving, leadership and teamwork, as well as to offer them an experience, which they might not otherwise realize. The children developed strong relationships with the director, his co-directors, and each other, and were extremely saddened to see the program come to an end. They expressed their interest in “wanting to do it again next year.”
A strong bond developed between the mothers whose children were performing. This very committed group of mothers was very eager to realize additional (near-) future opportunities for their children and themselves.