Theatre Intensive: The Play's The Thing

This is an open-admission program for all interested students, regardless of their level of experience. Instructors will work with your child at their level. Your child will improve and learn new skills, whether they are a beginner or have been acting and performing for years. They do, however, need to be willing to project their voices and act onstage..

Students will be asked to send in a video of themselves doing a 1 minute Shakespeare monologue using vocal projection for the stage. Instructions for submitting the video will be sent closer to the start of the program.

Please note that this video will not impact your child’s admission to the program; this is an open-admission program for students of all skill levels. Rather, the video will be utilized to determine your child’s skill level and to help with casting decisions for the production the students will put on during the intensive.

Please also note that although this is an open admission program (no formal audition is required upon entry), students will have casting auditions at camp after working with faculty.

• Water bottle (very important to stay hydrated)
• Sunscreen
• Bug spray
• A backpack or bag to carry your script and personal items to and from rehearsals
• Closed-toed shoes/tennis shoes to rehearse in (no flip flops, sandals, or crocs)
• Black/dark dress or skirt, or black/dark leggings, pants and/or jeans
• Black dress, character, or jazz shoes, closed-toe dress shoes, or black sneakers
• Black socks
• Comfortable clothes you can move in
• Hair ties or clips for long hair
• White tank tops/undershirts/tee shirts

This is an anticipated list of items needed for this theatre workshop. You may be required to bring additional items pertaining to the specific production. We will communicate with enrolled students on those needs prior to the program.

The first two days involve actor games and warm ups, introduction to vocal techniques, and reading through the play.  If we are doing a piece by Shakespeare, we’ll study his life and times and watch a filmed version of a performance of the play to gain understanding. By the third day, we audition for parts. After that, a typical day will include a group warm up, followed by rehearsals. We’ll work with whomever is in each scene, first reading the scene for understanding, then blocking it on its feet. We also have rehearsals for any stage combat, singing, or choreography in the show.  Actors need to be motivated to learn lines and work as an ensemble.  It’s intense – but fun!  We expect to have a field trip where we travel to see a live performance, meet the actors, stop for ice cream, and enjoy a picnic.

Johanna McKay has worked extensively with writers and composers to create original plays and musicals which she then directs, and has adapted and directed eleven of Shakespeare’s plays. Her adaptation of “As You Like It” was published by Playscripts, Inc. Johanna is the Curriculum Consultant on the Netflix show “Julie’s Greenroom” which teaches children about the arts. Johanna also teaches theater at Los Angeles City College and directs and teaches for P.S. Arts, a non-profit group that integrates the arts into underfunded public schools in the Los Angeles area. She spends her summers at Idyllwild Fine Arts Camp directing musicals, Shakespearean adaptations, and original plays generated by the students. She has also taught acting and improvisation at UCLA. Johanna has trained with The Groundlings, earned her B.F.A from The Theatre School, DePaul University, and her M.F.A. in theater, film and television from UCLA. Besides film and television, Johanna’s acting credits include work at Steppenwolf, The Goodman, Dallas Theatre Center, San Jose Repertory Theatre, and The Rubicon Theatre in Ventura, California.

Judy Heneghan has acted, directed, written plays, and taught both acting and improv for more than 20 years. Judy’s musical credits include being the lead singer of R&B Band, Blue in the Face, in Ireland; she also has numerous musical theater credits. Judy has taught Improvisation Story Theatre in Ireland, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles (LA). She was a teaching artist at the Aaron Copeland Music and Arts Camp in New York. At Idyllwild Arts, Judy has taught Page to Stage, Improvisation Comedy, and Theatre of Myth. Alongside Johanna McKay, she has taught Shakespeare’s World and “The Play’s The Thing.” Judy co-wrote/created and performs as Olive in the long-running comedy musical The Martini & Olive Show, touring theaters and comedy clubs throughout the country.

Check out our Kids & Teens FAQ’s to learn more about our summer programs