Act One Theatre Summer Camp for Durham Region (Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, etc)

Act One School of Drama in Pickering, Ontario provides training in acting for stage, film, music theatre Improvisation and more, including Theatre Summer Camps and a March Break Camp

Theatre Summer Camp Program - 2010

Index:

Camp Overview
Session Information (Dates, fees, etc)
Camp Location Information
Theatre Summer Camp Staff
Frequently Asked Questions

Video Trailer from 2009 Session IV Camper Show

Click here to view more videos and photographs from the 2009 Theatre Summer Camp Photo Album

Important Sales Tax Information for 2010 Summer Camps
and Other Children's Recreational Activities

Effective July 1, 2010, the Government of Ontario is implementing a new Harmonized Sales Tax (HST). Under this new tax structure, many businesses that were previously exempt from charging the 8% Provincial Sales Tax (PST) will now be required to charge it to their customers. Almost all children's after hours recreational and educational organizations and activities (ie. drama, dance, sports, martial arts, etc) are among those so affected. Previously we were only required to charge the 5% GST.

Starting in 2010, HST law requires that Act One begin applying the 13% HST (5% GST + 8% PST) to all class and camp fees. Current Ontario HST legislation provides that any 2010 goods and services paid for in full by April 30, 2010 are exempt from HST even if they are not acquired or used until after July 1st. All goods and services prepaid for from May 1, 2010 onwards must pay HST regardless of when they are received or used after July 1, 2010.

What this means to families and campers considering Act One for the summer of 2010 is that if a camper registers and pays in full before April 30, 2010, we are only required to charge them the previously applicable 5% GST. They will be able to save the 8% PST portion of the HST.

This 8% tax savings would be in addition to the regular 5% Early Bird registration discount that Act One normally provides to campers registering before May. This would also be in addition to any other normally applicable Act One discounts.

Please consult the table below for the before and after impact of the HST April 30, 2010 prepayment deadline date.

Session

Base
Session
Fee

5% Early
Bird
Discount

Tax if Paid in Full by April 30/10
(5% GST)

Pre-April 30/10 Total
Session
Fee

Tax if Paid after April 30/10
(13% HST)

Post May 1/10
Total
Session
Fee

July 6 to
July 17
$400.00

($20.00)

$19.00

$399.00

$52.00

$452.00

July 20 to
July 31
$400.00

($20.00)

$19.00

$399.00

$52.00

$452.00

Aug 4 to
Aug 14
$360.00

($18.00)

$17.10

$359.10

$46.80

$406.80

Aug 17 to
Aug 28
$400.00

($20.00)

$19.00

$399.00

$52.00

$452.00

Please note that all fee differentials are due to payment timing discounts and/or the impact of the HST tax change. Act One camp fees do not change over the course of the summer. They have also remained unchanged from 2009 rates.

If any one has any questions regarding the above, please feel free to contact us.

Camp Overview

For fourteen years, Act One has been helping add an extra level of fun and personal development to Durham Region children's summers. For 2010 our Theatre summer camp program offers four 2-week camp sessions that commence July 5th and run until August 27th.

Open to children ages 5 to 14 years old, our sessions run Monday to Friday from 8:30am in the morning until 4:30pm in the afternoon.Currently we are located at the Greenwood Community Centre, located in Greenwood Park, in the Hamlet of Greenwood, just south-east of Brock Road and Highway 7 in Pickering. Campers are bussed from the school at 9:00am, to Greenwood, where they spend a fun and activity-filled day, returning by bus to the school for 4:30pm, to await pick-up.

To accommodate parents' and guardians' often hectic schedules, Act One offers an early drop-off and late-pick program where campers can be dropped off at the school anytime from 7:30am and wait to be picked up as late as 6:00pm. Under the dedicated supervision of Act One's experienced counsellors, these early and late sessions become extensions of the camp day and ensure that campers are left in good hands and have an enjoyable time before and after regular camp hours.

Each Summer Theatre Camp session is planned with the objective of ensuring a balanced mix of games and activities, all within a theatrical and drama focus. Over the course of the two weeks, campers will make new friends, re-discover old ones, be introduced to many of the basic theatrical elements of story-telling, acting, performing in public, the history of theatre, puppetry and mask, among many other things.

Download
Theatre Summer Camp 2010
Information Flyer
(Not Yet Available)

Download
Theatre Summer Camp 2010
Registration Form
(NOTE: Save an additional 5% by registering in full before April 30th! )

To view larger versions of these and
other photographs from previous
Act One Summer Camps, please visit our
Photo Gallery Section

Throughout it all, our counsellors do not loose sight of the fact that summer is meant to be enjoyed. Campers can anticipate many familiar and new games, challenges, theme days and perhaps the occaisional water fight or two (where many a counsellor has been known to end up on the wrong end of a student's water balloon).

Act One is committed to making each session a memorable and rewarding experience for all involved: counsellors, parents and most importantly, the campers. Our counsellors are well-versed and trained in relating to campers both as instructors and as friends. Through the joys and challenges of theatre, they will encourage campers to express their inner creativity, overcome existing fears and discover their

own sense of self-confidence and awareness. In fact, many of our current counsellors are long-time veteren ex-Act One campers themselves. They have an intimate knowledge and love of the summer camp program. Campers will have the opportunity to participate in both individual and group activities where they will experience both the value as well as the fun of both personal accomplishment and working as part of a team.

Summer Theatre Camp sessions are capped at 40 campers each. Act One has found this to be a good balance between allowing the fun of a large group and the desire to give every camper adequate individual attention and performance opportunity and ensuring proper supervision. To accomplish this, each session we divide the campers into age appropriate groups of a maximum of 10 campers per group. A counsellor and Cousellor-in-Training are then assigned to each group, yielding a 1:5 staff to camper ratio, and take responsibility for the campers in their group.

Throughout the two weeks, various theme days are highlighted. Designed to foster participation and imagination, these are used as the foundation for campers to help communicate who they are themselves as well as to discover, understand and appreciate the similarities and differences between themselves and their fellow campers.

At Act One we realize that summer camp can't be all fun and games. Sometimes you have to eat! In recognition of this fact, it is a summer theatre camp tradition that the first Friday of each session is Pizza Day. Students are invited to pick from a range of choices of pizza and drinks and these are then delivered to the camp. It is one of our ways of celebrating the conclusion of what we are sure will be a fun, exciting and memorable first week of camp, and to look forward to week two.

During the second week, campers become even more involved in the concepts of plays, scene work and monologues. They are guided in writing and performing their own group plays by Act One's camp staff. Campers are also invited to and encouraged by the counsellors to decide what other activities they would like to highlight from their camp experience at the closing Friday's Camp Session Show.

The afternoon of the final Friday of each camp session is reserved for the group's Session Show performance. Family and friends are invited, indeed encouraged, to come and help the campers celebrate what they have learned and experienced over the two weeks, as well as enjoy the plays as created, written and performed by the campers themselves. Not only is it a fun event but it provides a unique opportunity for parents and guardians to meet and talk with the camp counsellors if they have any questions and share experiences with fellow parents. As a token of the school's thanks for the audience support for the campers, we provide complimentary refreshments after the show. Following the post-show socilaizing, parents are free to take their children home after they have said their final good-byes to the counsellors and their many new friends.

Theatre Summer Camp - 2010 - Details

2010 Update: One of Act One's primary goals is to keep drama in all its forms accessible to as many campers as possible. We are pleased to announce that we have been able to keep our 2010 camp fees unchanged from 2009 levels (which were actually reduced 7% from 2008). Our thanks go out to all our suppliers for partnering with us to help make this goal a reality.

Camp Session Info:

Session	Length	Dates	Fee
Session 1	10 Days	July 5 through July 16	$400+Tax
Session 2	10 Days	July 19 through July 30	$400+Tax
Session 3	9 Days [1]	August 2 through August 13	$360+Tax
Session 4	10 Days	August 16 through August 27	$400+Tax
One week sessions can be arranged (50% of Full Session fee + Tax). Registration must be accompanied by completed registration form, $200 deposit and post-dated cheque for balance, dated first day of requested session (Please note: to receive the 5% Early Bird discount, payment in full must be received no later than April 30, 2010).. Tax Information Registrations paid IN FULL by April 30, 2010 only need include the 5% GST Full or partial registrations received from May 1, 2010 onwards must include the new Government of Ontario 13% HST. Available Discounts: 5% "Early Bird" discount for each camper registered and paid in full before April 30, 2010. 5% discount for returning Act One 2009 Summer or March Break Campers or 2009/10 season students. 5% discount for any camper taking multiple sessions. 5% discount for second or each additional members of same family. 5% referral discount for any camper who refers a new [3] camper to one or more summer camp sessions. The 5% is applied to both the referring AND referred campers. Special Notes: No camp on Monday August 9, 2010 due to August long weekend holiday. A new student is defined as one who has not attended Act One within the previous three years. .

Camp Location Info:

Greenwood Community Centre is located in northern Pickering. It is about 20 minutes drive from Brock Rd and Bayly St. Located just south of Highway 7, between Brock Rd in Pickering and Westney Rd in Ajax, it is readily available from both east and west. It is situated in the Hamlet of Greenwood, just east of Pickering's Historic Pickering Museum Village.

Campers are bussed from Act One at 9:15am to the Greenwood Community Centre in Greenwood Park. They return to Act One at 4:30pm. Early drop-off from 7:30 to 8:30am and Late pick-up from 5:00 to 6:00pm are available on request.

Any student unfortunately arriving after the bus has left in the morning will be required to obtain their own transportation to the camp location. Early pick-up can also be arranged for those students with other commitments or appointments on specific days.

Other Summer Theatre Camp Info:

Campers are responsible for provision of the following items:

Their own lunch and snacks each day (with the exception of the first Friday Pizza Day).
Sunscreen, hats, bug repellant
Water and other drinks
Spare sweater or t-shirt, etc (in case of dirt or water)
Various miscellaneous materials as may be requested by the camper's counsellor.


Camp Staff: (Please note - not yet updated from 2009)
	Act One prides itself on offering a unique and enjoyable experience not just for its campers but also for its great camp staff. The school considers itself priviledged that just like we have campers who have made us part of their growing up, every year from age 5, we also have experienced and loyal staff who return every summer out of their love of the camp environment and the opportunity to help youth discover just how fun and rewarding drama can be. In addition, each year we like to add "new blood" to the camp. This is an integral part of Act One's strategy to maintain the camp culture and traditions that make this a unique experience, while at the same time keeping each session and each year fresh for both new and returning campers. This year we are very happy to have a great mix of returning "veterans" and enthusiastic newcomers. They are:
	Ryan Murray Camp Director Sessions: Session I: July 6 to 17 Session II: July 20 to 31 Session III: August 4 to 14 Session IV: August 17 to 2 A few words about Ryan...... Ryan has been involved in theatre for over ten years. He is a graduate of Brock University with an Honours Degree in Drama in Education. He is currently pursuing his Masters in Education. Ryan’s theatrical experience ranges from Children’s Theatre to Improvisation. Ryan founded a non-profit traveling theatrical troupe which performed throughout the Niagara region. Ryan is a 3-year veteran of Act One and is also an instructor at the school. He runs both our March Break and Summer Theatre Camps. Previously he spent a number of years at an intensive all-summer drama camp in the United States.
	Nick Dipchand Assistant Camp Director Sessions: Session I: July 6 to 17 Session III: August 4 to 14 (Note: Nick is also Act One's Camp Director for our City of Pickering program) A few words about Nick...... Nick has been with Act One and the summer camp program for over ten years. He is a frequent secondary school guest instructor for theatre and he runs drama workshops for youth-oriented community groups. He has worked as an actor, as well as a writer, director, sound and lighting designer, plus many other production roles. Nick has extensive Improvisational theatre training including the Second City Training Centre. He is also an organizer for the annual Bad Dog Theatre Teen Improv Tournament Nick is currently studying at Ryerson University for Theatre Performance.
	Hiedi Brabin Counsellor Sessions: Session II: July 6 to 17 Session III: August 4 to 14 A few words about Heidi...... Heidi is returning for her third year as a counsellor. She first became involved with Act One in 1999, when she attended her first of many summers as a camper. Her background includes over fifteen years of musical theatre, voice, and competitive dance training, as well as on-camera acting. She has beeninvolved in numerous musical productions with the Creative Players theatre group, including Annie, The Wiz, and the Music Man, among others. Heidi is currently at Brock University studying for her BA and BE.
	Lauren Brill-Morgan Counsellor Sessions: Session II: July 6 to 17 Session III: August 4 to 14 A few words about Lauren...... Lauren has been involved in the Act One School of Drama summer camp and drama programs for almost a decade. She is returning for her 3rd year as a counsellor at Act One. Previous to that she was a Counsellor-in-Training. Lauren is currently attending the University of Western Ontario and majoring in English language and literature.
	Geoff Ernst Counsellor Sessions: Session II: July 6 to 17 Session III: August 4 to 14 A few words about Geoff...... Geoff has been involved with Act One since he was 8 years old. He has been a camper, student, counsellor-in-training, teaching Assistant and now returns as a full-fledged counsellor. Geoff’s theatrical experience encompasses acting, improvisation, sketch comedy and clowning. This past year he performed in and directed his school’s production of “Urinetown”, as well as the school’s Improvisation performance in the Fall. He is off to the University of Windsor in September to student drama and education.
	Melissa Cadman Counsellor Sessions: Session II: July 6 to 17 Session III: August 4 to 14 A few words about Melissa...... Melissa returns to Act One as a counsellor this year. Previously she has been a counsellor in training for 2 years. Melissa has been acting from a young age, first attending Act One when she was 11 years old. She continued taking lessons at Act One for 4 years playing various roles such as Evylle Alyx in the Gennie Awards and Paris the Bell Tower Spirit in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. She has also performed in such plays as Les Miserables, Hairspray and Godspell. Melissa is a member of Pickering’s Backwoods Players Community Theatre. She will be continuing her drama studies this fall in Windsor University’s BFA program in drama.
	Anthony Boire Counsellor Sessions: Session II: July 6 to 17 Session III: August 4 to 14 A few words about Anthony...... Many of you will recognize Anthony as one of the crazy MCs from the Winter Cabaret. He has been an Act One student for ten years He has taken various theatre and Improv classes over this time. He has also worked professionally in film and theatre over the past 6 years and has been a counsellor at theatre camps for the past 3; including Act One’s March Break camp. He is currently a Teaching Assistant at the school and working towards studying Film, Journalism and Psychology.
	Lauren Spigarelli Counsellor Sessions: Session II: July 6 to 17 Session III: August 4 to 14 A few words about Lauren...... This camp season marks Lauren’s first as a counsellor for Act One and she is thrilled to be on board for the exciting ride! She is currently at York University, studying for her BA in Communications and English. Lauren’s passion for the theatre started at a very young age, and she has performed in numerous productions, including, Man of La Mancha, Annie Get Your Gun, and Kick’n It Broadway. Lauren also co-wrote and directed three shows in which she performed in, , winning the award for Best Actress 2008 at St. Mary’s Artsfest.
	Danielle Temple Counsellor Sessions: Session II: July 6 to 17 Session III: August 4 to 14 A few words about Danielle...... A previous Act One student, Danielle is excited to gear up for her first year as a drama counsellor. Starting out performing in plays and musicals in public school, Danielle’s passion for performance grew with the start of high school, where she starred in plays such as “Seven Stories”, “Opening Night” and “The Real Inspector Hound”. She was a three-time recipient of highest class standing in Drama in high school as well as the lone female recipient of the Durham Region Drama Festival Award in grade twelve.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How can I register?

The easiest way is to download the registration form from the link near the top right of this section. Just complete one form per camper and mail it in along with the required payment. If you are worried about availability, simply send us an e-mail indicating the name, age and desired session for each camper and state that the form will follow. So long as a session is not full, we will hold e-mail reservations for up to 14 days pending receipt of your completed registration form. We will usually be able to confirm receipt of all registrations within 48hrs. We can also accept registration forms by fax. As with e-mail notices above, we will hold faxed registrations for two weeks pending receipt of payment. If you wish, you can also drop the registration information off in an envelope directly at the school in our mailbox. For those wishing to register in person, forms are available in the school office. As we do not keep set hours, please call ahead to arrange for someone to be present when you wish to come by.

Can I change sessions or withdraw after registering?

Certainly. Act One understands that life is full of uncertainty. We try to be as fair and flexible as possible. Anyone is free to change between sessions or withdraw at anytime with a full refund, provided the session(s) involved are not at 80% or greater registration. Above that point changes or withdrawal are still possible but there may be an administrative fee applied. This limit is set because at 80%, Act One brings on another dedicated counselor to ensure we do not exceed our maximum camper to staff ratio of 5:1. Any administrative fee levied is almost entirely to compensate the staff member impacted by the change/withdrawal.

Can you explain your session costs?

Our camp costs can be explained by the importance we have placed on providing all campers with a positive environment to discover and enjoy everything drama has to offer, while gaining priceless memories of new friends and personal accomplishments. This is reflected in much of our camp’s organization. Our sessions are two weeks rather than one in part to allow newer campers to gain the confidence and understanding necessary to have the same performance opportunities as experienced campers. We have secured a separate community centre and park from our school because we feel strongly that summer is meant to be spent outdoors wherever possible rather than cooped up inside (indeed in ancient times most theatre was actually performed outdoors). We arrange bussing to and from the camp to make the camp more convenient and accessible to families who might not be able to attend otherwise. We have set a maximum camper to staff ratio of 5:1 (with it usually being 4:1 or less) because we believe that in addition to safely running group activities, it is equally important to ensure as much individual attention as a camper may require, especially in their initial days at the camp. Our Camp Director is dedicated solely to ensuring the enjoyment of the campers. Camp administrative duties are managed directly by the school to ensure camp staff can focus 100% of their time on the campers. We have a professionally installed and equipped performance stage, complete with sound and computerized lighting systems to provide the campers with the full theatrical performance experience at the end of their session. In addition, every year a portion of the profits is reinvested in new equipment and materials to help make the next year even better.

Will my child be with campers of the same age?

Act One Theatre Summer Camps are for ages 5-14. We cap our sessions at 40 campers. This helps ensure we are able to provide all campers with the individual attention they may require yet still provide a flexible, fun group dynamic. While the entire group may be together for certain parts of each day, each session is divided up into groups of 6-10 campers with a maximum 3 years age differential (in most cases only 2 years difference). Each group is under the guidance of a counselor and a counselor-in-training. Each day the campers will be involved with a different aspect of theatre or drama. Breaking the campers into age-related groups allows the camp staff to tailor the depth and focus of the daily themes based on the ages of their group. This allows all campers a chance to explore theatre among their peers rather than be intimidated by older campers or feel like they are being held back by younger ones.

My child is interested in Drama but has little previous experience and is a bit nervous. How do you handle situations like this?

This is a very common and completely understandable occurrence. Our staff has lots of experience with this camper situation. Indeed one of the key objectives of our camp is to provide the opportunity for a fun, supportive atmosphere where those new to drama can easily discover how enjoyable it is. This is the reason for much of the camp structure in terms of activities, groups and low camper to staff ratios. The main focus of the first two days is theatre games and other activities that encourage and facilitate campers to interact and bond with each other. In cases where a camper may need a little extra assistance, having at least two staff per group allows us the ability to simultaneously keep the group engaged while discreetly providing any required support and attention an individual camper may require. We have tried to do everything we can to sensitively and effectively help new campers through any initial nervousness. We are confident that we will be successful but if a camper still feels uncomfortable in any way, Act One allows any camper to withdraw at any time and we will refund all fees for the remaining outstanding session days.

My child would like to register with a friend. Is this possible and can they be in the same group?

Of course. We fully understand that experiences such as these are often more fun when engaged in with a friend, especially if it is a camper’s first time with us. While our counselors are very experienced at quickly making even the shyest child feel at home and self-confident, we recognize that having a familiar friend alongside is very positive. As long as we are aware of the request prior to the start of the session, we can almost always accommodate them. Indeed, one of the main reasons we instituted a referral discount policy is to help encourage campers to invite friends along.

I have already registered and paid for my child but am now referring another family, does the referral discount policy still apply?

Certainly. If you have already registered and paid for your child (or perhaps your child has already completed their session), you still qualify for the 5% referral discount retroactively. In this case, when the camper you referred has completed their session, we would mail you a referral refund cheque equal to 5% of the camp fees you paid for your child. The camper you referred would also still get their 5% discount for being referred by you. If you prefer you can also assign your 5% to the new camper, in effect giving them a 10% discount.

Who are your camp staff?

Our camp staff are all experienced at both drama and summer camp operations. Our Camp Director recently ran an all-summer intensive theatre camp program in the United States before returning to Canada. Our counselors are either current university students majoring in Drama or Drama in Education or have been with the camp since they themselves were young theatre campers. They all share a love of drama and an understanding of what it means to be a kid; both important factors in relating to today’s summer campers.

Why do you bus campers to Greenwood Park rather than have the camp at your school?

While Act One has a professionally-equipped stage and studio, we hold the majority of our camps at Greenwood Park and Community Centre, just north of Pickering. We do this because we believe that in summer one should spend as much time as possible outdoors rather than being cooped up inside. At Greenwood we have access to the entire spacious and brightly lit upper floor of the community centre and free range of the rural park exterior. This gives our camp staff and the campers complete freedom, weather-permitting, to decide for themselves whether they would like to be outdoors in the fresh air or inside when the weather is not so good. We incur an additional cost for the bussing because we want to make it as convenient as possible for parents to allow their children to enjoy theatre in an outdoor, park setting. The show at the end of each session, where the campers will present and perform the short plays they create during their time with us is still performed on our professionally-equipped stage at the school's main studio.

Your regular sessions are two weeks. Can a camper only attend for one week?

We do accommodate campers who can only attend for one week. We have built our camp around a two week program in part because we find two weeks superior to one for helping new and quieter campers gain the confidence and understanding to participate equally with more experienced campers in all performance opportunities. We do however understand that many families' summer schedules may not permit such a time commitment. Our program has planned for and can allow a certain number of one week campers in each session. As each week in our session has different activities and events, if you have the option, we strongly suggest you discuss with us first as to which week would be more enjoyable for your child. One week sessions are charged at 50% of the two week rate. All applicable discounts would still apply. We place a limit on the number of one-week campers per session because we include one-week campers in all staffing and other session plans as if they were with us for the full two weeks. We do this to ensure that the one-week campers have the same opportunities as the two-week ones and that the regular two-week campers do not suffer any disruptions on the weeks the one-week campers do not attend.

My child initially registered and attended for just one week but now wants to come back for a second. Can they do this and what would it cost?

This happens quite frequently. Whatever the initial reason for only requesting one week, after it is over, many campers enjoy themselves so much they want to come back for a second or more weeks like they would have if they had registered for one or more full sessions. So long as there is space in the same or subsequent sessions, this is entirely possible. With respect to fees, we treat the second one-week session as the continuation of the first week. What this means to the family is basically that they would simply pay the difference between the regular two week session rate and what they paid for the first week. This same policy would also apply if any camper were to change their registration from one to two weeks prior to attending the first session. The second week may be part of the same session or a completely different one. If a camper wished to come back for a 3rd or more weeks, we would consider this the same as a 2nd full session and the 5% 2+ session discount would apply to the 3rd and all subsequent weeks.

My work situation requires that I would have to drop my child off earlier than 8:30am and may not allow me to pick them up by 5:00. Will this be a problem?

Certainly not. We understand the challenges of trying to work around job commitments. Act One offers early drop-off from 7:30-8:30am and late-pick-up from 5:00-6:00pm. Again we try to be as flexible as possible by making this an “as-needed” service. There is no requirement to book in advance. We simply record it when a camper uses the service and we settle up with parents at the end of the session. The cost is $5/hr, charged in 1/2hr increments, with a maximum charge of $25 per week regardless of how many extra hours you may use. We also charge by family regardless of the number of children attending the session rather than individual child. The majority of the fees collected for this service go directly to the camp’s counselors who operate this service and are used to help make these times more like extensions of the camp day rather than a “babysitting” service.