Taproot Theatre’s Summer Acting Camps run June 23–August 22 for grades Pre-K–12. From musical theatre and improvisation to theatre tech and stage combat, Taproot is offering a variety of summer camp options perfect for any theatre-loving child or teen to expand their skills and have fun doing so. All camps are instructed by teaching artists and theatre professionals. To register and for more information, visit taproottheatre.org/acting-studio or contact the Acting Studio via phone at 206.529.3668 or via email at [email protected].
For grades K–3*
DramaQuest
Your child’s imagination performs at the front and center in this class that challenges, excites, and inspires young children. Students will learn theatrical terms, play games that reinforce life skills, and work together to tell a compelling story. They will discover the three most important tools in an actor’s toolbox: imagination, body, and voice. This class teaches students from a young age that theatre is a wonderful team-building activity where empathy and respect are highly valued. See them apply all these skills in their end-of-week performance. Join us for multiple sessions with a different theme and story each week!
*Pre-K students are invited to sign up for Week 5, Week 6, or Week 8 only.
Week One | June 23–27: Hakuna Matata
Week Two | June 30–July 3: Greek Myths, inspired by Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief
Week Three | July 7–11: Be Yourself, inspired by Thelma the Unicorn
Week Four | July 14–18: It’s Always Mermaids, Mermaids, Mermaids. What about Pirates?
Week Five | July 21–25: Space, Science, and Storytelling
Week Six | July 28–August 1: Under the Sea
Week Seven | August 4–8: Level up! How to win at FortRoCraft… and life!
Week Eight | August 11–15: Krystical the Mystical and the Quest for the Golden Spool
Week Nine | August 18–22: A Forest Tale, inspired by Brown Bear, Brown Bear
Location: Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, 7500 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
Time: Monday–Friday*, 10:00 AM–2:00 PM
Cost: $275* (sibling discount available)
*Week Two is Monday–Thursday and costs $250.
For grades 2 & 3
Art of Comedy for Kids
What makes funny things so funny? Perfect for the young comedian, Art of Comedy for Kids teaches children the basics of comedy as a performance art. They’ll be introduced to improvisation, work together to build comedic scenes, and apply lessons from some of history’s great comedians. The camp culminates in a final performance of comedic proportions!
Week Nine: August 18–22
Location: Issac Studio Theatre, 212 N 85th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Time: Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM–2:00 PM
Cost: $275 (sibling discount available)
For grades 4–6
Art of Comedy for Youth
This exciting, challenging, and hilarious camp opens your student’s eyes to the comedy all around them. Students will learn the ins and outs of comedic acting, improvisation, and how to work together to build comedic scenes, as well as hone their stand-up skills and begin to develop their own voice as a comedian. The camp culminates in a final performance of comedic proportions!
Week One: June 23–27
Week Three: July 7–11
Week Six: July 28–August 1
Location: Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, 7500 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
Time: Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Cost: $475 (sibling discount available)
Youth Showcase
This camp provides the fun, excitement, and hard work it takes to put on a great production—all in just one week! From auditioning and rehearsing to preparing for a final performance, students will have a great time working together and developing their acting skills. Get ready for an action-packed, fast-paced theatre adventure as students come together to memorize lines, learn stage blocking, and go through tech rehearsals just like the professionals. Students will be amazed at what they have accomplished when it all comes together with lights, costumes, and a live audience at the end of the week.
Week Four | July 14–18: Where The Sky Meets The Sea by Mandy Conner
Week Seven | August 4–8: Brief Interviews with Internet Cats by Patrick Greene
Location: Issac Studio Theatre, 212 N 85th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Time: Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Cost: $475 (sibling discount available)
For grades 4–7
Stage Combat for Youth
Interested in learning how to make realistic-looking fight scenes on stage? Want to pick up basic skills for safe stage punches, kicks, and different stage weapons? Join us for a week of fierce-looking yet harmless combat skills and basic fight choreography principles. This class is designed for grades 4–7 and is slightly gentler and slower paced than our Stage Combat for Teens camp. Concludes with a workshop performance for families and friends.
Week Five: July 21–25
Location: Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, 7500 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
Time: Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Cost: $475 (sibling discount available)
For grades 4–12
Musical Theatre Revue
A perfect introduction to musical theatre or a great opportunity to hone their musical theatre craft, your young actor will sing, dance, and act during this week of theatrical fun and friendship. Students will bring their hard work to the stage in a performance on the final day of camp with large group numbers, duets, and more as the entire company sings some of the greatest songs in musical theatre.
Week One: June 23–27
Week Three: July 7–11
Location: Jewell Mainstage Theatre, 204 N 85th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Time: Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Cost: $475 (sibling discount available)
Improvisation 101
Join us for an improvisation class with one of Taproot’s very own improvisers! Learn the basics of improv and what it takes to be a professional improviser. This class is perfect for budding comedians who want to learn the secrets of comedic acting and develop their comedic timing and skills, increase their confidence on stage, or just to enjoy some creative play. Concludes with a low-key in-class performance for families and friends.
Week Two: June 30–July 3
Location: Issac Studio Theatre, 212 N 85th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Time: Monday–Thursday, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Cost: $400 (sibling discount available)
Youth & Teen Showcase
It’s easy to watch a favorite actor and think, “How do they make that so believable?” This camp takes you behind the curtain, exploring the ins and outs of what an actor should bring to the rehearsal process. Students will present either a one-act play or a series of short scene and learn the wide range of theatrical skills required for performance. This is a fast-paced camp that requires the ensemble to work together, trust each other, and take risks. Students will be amazed at what they have accomplished when it all comes together in front of an audience.
Week Nine | August 18–22: 10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse by Don Zolidis
Location: Jewell Mainstage Theatre, 204 N 85th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Time: Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Cost: $475 (sibling discount available)
For grades 6–12
Theatre Tech
Interested in a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to put on a play? Have an interest in designing sound, lighting, costumes, sets, or props for a play? Or managing all of it at once? This class is for you! Students will gain insight into the design and management process of producing a piece of theatre, with some ability to follow their particular interests and focus on specific areas of theatre tech. You’ll also gain practical experience working on the tech for one or more of our acting camps this week.
Week One: June 23–27
Week Three: July 7–11
Week Six: July 28–August 1
Week Nine: August 18–22
Location: Jewell Mainstage Theatre, 204 N 85th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Time: Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Cost: $425 (sibling discount available)
Musical Theatre Supercamp: Frozen Jr.
On your mark…get set…sing, dance, and act out this fully staged junior (one-hour) version of the musical Frozen. This fast-paced and challenging two-week intensive class will dive deeply into the singing, dancing, and acting techniques needed for musical theatre performance. Not for the faint of heart, this class will challenge even the most experienced young actors. Each student will go through an audition process and be cast in this Broadway-style musical, creating an experience they will never forget. Prepare to be at the edge of your seat as the talented cast performs not once, but twice!
Prior approval required. If this is your student’s first Musical Theatre Supercamp at Taproot, email [email protected] for approval or to schedule an audition. Our next audition date is May 28 from 3:00–5:00 PM.
Two-week Camp: July 14–26
Location: Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, 7500 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
Time: Monday–Saturday, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Cost: $850 (sibling discount available)
Shakespeare Showcase
Shakespeare’s language is beautiful, intricate, and not always easy, but always a rewarding challenge for the actor. In this class you’ll work on scenes, monologues, and perhaps a poem or two as you gain facility with Shakespeare’s language and learn how to make the words your own on stage. By the end of the week, you’ll understand Shakespeare’s basic poetic structure, learn how to break down a text in order to properly rehearse it, and gain experience speaking and acting some of the English language’s most beautiful verses. Concludes with a performance for families and friends.
Week Three: July 7–11
Location: Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, 7500 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
Time: Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Cost: $475 (sibling discount available)
Theatre Tech (two-week)
Interested in a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to put on a play? Have an interest in designing sound, lighting, costumes, sets, or props for a play? Or stage management? This class is for you! Students will gain insight into the design and management process of producing a piece of theatre, with some ability to follow their particular interests and focus on specific areas of theatre tech. You’ll gain practical experience working on the tech for one or more of our acting camps this week. This camp is similar to our one-week Theatre Tech camps but works closely with our two-week performance Supercamps, supporting their tech needs from start to finish, giving students a look at the entire design process for a more complicated piece of theatre.
Two-week Camp: July 14–26
Two-week Camp: August 4–16
Location: Jewell Mainstage Theatre, 204 N 85th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Time: Monday–Saturday, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Cost: $800 (sibling discount available)
Advanced Musical Theatre Supercamp: Music Man Jr.
Give my regards to Broadway! Aimed at serious artists in training, this fast-paced and challenging camp is perfect for those who want a taste of the professional world of musical theatre. Students will experience the thrill of accomplishment by putting on a show that comes together in just two weeks. Each actor will audition and be cast in this challenging camp’s musical: Music Man Jr.
Prior approval required. If this is your student’s first Musical Theatre Supercamp at Taproot, email [email protected] for approval or to schedule an audition. Our next audition date is May 28 from 3:00–5:00 PM
Week Seven: August 4–16
Location: Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, 7500 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
Time: Monday–Saturday, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Cost: $850 (sibling discount available)
For grades 7–12
Stage Combat
Interested in learning how to make realistic-looking fight scenes on stage? Want to pick up basic skills for safe stage punches, kicks, and different stage weapons? Join us for a week of fierce-looking but harmless combat skills and basic fight choreography principles. You’ll conclude with a workshop performance for families and friends.
Week One: June 23–27
Week Eight: August 11–15
Location: Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, 7500 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
Time: Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Cost: $475 (sibling discount available)
Playwriting
Join a favorite Taproot playwright in this one-week class that explores the writing process, story structure, and character development of playwriting. Storytellers, aspiring playwrights, and creative writers will collaborate to create a set of scenes that they can continue exploring long after camp is over. This class is perfect for actors interested in writing for the first time. Students will love hearing their written words spoken on the Taproot stage by actors at the end of week reading!
Week Four: July 14–18
Location: Jewell Mainstage Theatre, 204 N 85th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Time: Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Cost: $475 (sibling discount available)
Art of Comedy for Teens
Make ‘em laugh! Don’t you know everyone wants to laugh? This exhilarating one-week camp will help develop your teenage actor’s comedic timing as they learn the rules of improv, work together on comedic scenes, hone their stand-up skills, and develop their own voice as a comedian. Family and friends will get a chance to laugh along at the end-of-week performance.
Week Five: July 21–25
Week Eight: August 11–15
Location: Issac Studio Theatre, 212 N 85th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Time: Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Cost: $475 (sibling discount available)
Teen Showcase
It’s easy to watch a favorite actor and think, “How do they make that so believable?” This camp takes you behind the curtain, exploring the ins and outs of what an actor should bring to the rehearsal process. Students will present either a one-act play or a series of short scenes and learn the wide range of theatrical skills required for performance. This is a fast-paced camp that requires the ensemble to work together, trust each other, and take risks. Students will be amazed at what they have accomplished when it all comes together in front of an audience.
Week Six | July 28–August 1: Too Many Daughters: A Jane Austen Parody by Claire Epstein
Location: Jewell Mainstage Theatre, 204 N 85th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Time: Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Cost: $475 (sibling discount available)
Teen Intensive
Is your young actor ready for the next level? This camp provides students with the opportunity to dive into scene work, character development, and prepare them for auditions. During the week, students will learn from some of Taproot’s professional artists who know what it takes to excel in the world of theatre. Our team will guide your student through the process of auditioning, from start to finish, giving them tools and tips used by working actors in the industry. Students will receive individual monologue coaching and may prepare selected scenes that will challenge them as an actor.
Week Seven: August 4–8
Location: Jewell Mainstage Theatre, 204 N 85th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Time: Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Cost: $475 (sibling discount available)
Taproot Theatre Company is a professional, non‐profit theatre company with a multi‐faceted production program. Founded in 1976, Taproot Theatre serves the Pacific Northwest with Jewell Mainstage, Isaac Studio Theatre, touring productions, as well as Acting Studio camps, classes, and programs for youth and adults. Taproot Theatre Company is a member of Theatre Communications Group, Theatre Puget Sound, and the Phinney Neighborhood Association.