"It's a well-supervised, well-organized, educational environment, and it's just a lot of fun," Sproles said of the camp, which teaches basic theatre skills. "Exposing kids to this kind of environment really starts to break down their apprehension about being in front of a crowd, and the kids get to meet other kids and make new friends."
Sproles said more than 50 children are expected to descend on the Haven for the two-week camp, which begins July 13 and ends July 24. The camp will be held Monday-Friday, from 9 a.m. to noon for two weeks and will conclude with performances of the play "Alice in Wonderland" on the nights of July 23 and 24.
With all those children expected for camp, BLT directors are seeking high school students and young adults to serve as counselors. A pair of counselors will be assigned to each small group of drama campers and will supervise the youngsters throughout the camp's duration.
Sproles said a pair of registration sessions for counselors is scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Lincoln County Public Library, and registration forms may also be printed at the Web site. She said counselor applicants must be 18 years old or have the signature of a parent, and applicants must be at least high school age, she said.
"We're staying with the high school kids because we rely on their leadership and mentoring skills," Sproles said. "Counselors are assigned to a group of younger campers and they'll stay with them for the duration of the camp."
Counseling at the camp is volunteer work and will count toward club- or school-mandated public service requirements, she said.
While potential counselors are being processed this week, other BLT officials will be tracking down the materials and preparing the events that will make the fifth annual drama camp a learning experience and not just a two-week playtime.
Camp Producer Emily Henderson is seeking local guest speakers to correlate with the camp's theme, which is derived from the play "Alice in Wonderland" and its British-born author Lewis Carroll.
Henderson said she plans to Anglicize the camp with a presentation by an English literature instructor, and is also planning on presentations by a professional photographer to pay homage to Carroll's stint in photography. Since magic is a major theme in the play, she's also looking for a guest magician.
"We always try to make our camps educational about theatre, but we also try to expand that into a broader sense of culture education," Henderson said. "It's all related to the theme of the play."
BLT officials will also spend the next four weeks gathering supplies needed for the camp. Assistant Director Sarah Lloyd and Save the Haven Committee member Debbie Blalock are seeking arts and crafts materials to produce campers' nametags, special invitations to the play, stage props and other items necessary to entertain and educate the campers.
"It's a very big job," Lloyd said. "There's planning, and then going to search for the materials - it becomes a huge scavenger hunt, trying to find things at a decent price in large numbers."
Lloyd and Blalock are shopping for supplies like glue, yarn, markers, paints and plenty of cardboard. Citizens and business owners who wish to donate or offer a deal on supplies may call Blalock at 601-835-1976.
Finally, BLT officials are always searching for more children to attend the camp.
Camp Director Jana Russell said the camp not only teaches basic theatre skills, but helps mold children's character and prepare them for life. She said getting on stage and speaking and singing before the crowd helps build confidence in children that will pay off when later applying for scholarships or jobs or seeking leadership positions.
Russell pointed out that drama camp is also an activity where every child gets to participate.
"Not every kid is an athlete or a musician, but every kid has a voice," she said. "You get up there and you pretend - this is what kids do naturally."
Though more than 50 children are expected to attend this year, there's always room for more. The Summer Drama Camp is not only one of BLT's biggest community outreach programs, it also serves as an important fundraiser for Save the Haven campaign, which is raising money to restore the historic theater.
Sproles said the camp typically generates about $5,000 for the campaign. She said the organization has around $20,000 in its account, but cannot go forward with the $1 million renovation project until grant opportunities are made available. The state grants the committee relies on were not funded by the Legislature this year and aren't expected for fiscal year 2010.
For more information on the 2009 Summer Drama Camp, interested people may call Sproles at 601-835-2591.
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