Do you have a child who is driven to act, sing or dance? Send them to a JCC Performing Arts Camp!

At JCC Performing Arts Camp, kids entering grades 4 to 10 learn the fundamentals of theater, music and dance as they put on a show. We have amazing professional directors — this year we are lucky to have Delilah Picart, who will direct both Addams Family Jr in Squirrel Hill (June 17-July 12) and Annie Jr in the South Hills (July 15-August 9). Betsy Lawrence will serve as musical director for Addams Family Jr and I will choreograph. Our staff and counselors are very carefully selected and are the best in the city.

I have witnessed many changes in my over 20 years of experience as the JCC Performing Arts Camp (PAC) director. Everything has evolved, from the shows we produce to the performance space, costumes, lighting and sound. Back in the day, we performed in Levinson Hall on the stage. We wrote our own show and wore our camp T-shirts and had no lighting or sets.

Today, we create a fully staged musical in the beautiful Katz Theater with professional lighting, sound, costumes and sets. In the South Hills we perform in the JCC and usually, at a community site. We fuse a traditional summer camp philosophy with a top-notch performing arts program designed to keep campers invigorated, engaged and challenged.

At JCC Performing Arts Camp, campers still do some traditional camp activities such as swimming, playing in the gym and creating crafts. We also provide a hot kosher lunch and snacks daily.

But the show-stopper is the all-round experience of putting on a show.  This summer’s musicals are guaranteed to offer our campers various ways to shine and show their talents on the big stage.

Curtain Up!

Kathy Wayne is Director of the JCC’s Phillip Chosky Performing Arts Program