Musical Theatre Camps
Mary Margaret Wilson
Director
Emme Whisner
Administrative Assistant
Musical Theatre Camp
We “just don’t see how a world that makes such wonderful things could be bad.” - Ashman/Slater
Join us at CMS…where you’ll find a walking mermaid, singing sea creatures, a talking pelican, and more! Amongst all the imaginary elements are real life-lessons about dreams, choices, friendships, and above all…love! We’re ready to go “Under the Sea” and make new friends with Hans Christian Andersen’s timeless tale, The Little Mermaid!
The CMS Musical Theatre Camps are extremely popular. We provide a professional experience while being child-focused and welcoming to all. It’s a rarity to find a local children’s production that offers On Stage, Backstage, and Pit Orchestra experiences…spots are limited and fill up quickly! Don’t delay!
Please note the following schedule changes from last summer:
- On Stage and Backstage will run for 3 weeks, 7/15 - 8/2, 9am-4pm
- Pit Orchestra will run for 2 weeks with full-day rehearsals, 9am-4pm, 7/22 - 8/2.
(Performances will be on 8/2, 8/3, 8/4. See below for more details.)
Did you know that…
- No prior experience is needed!
- Students can choose from one of three offerings: On Stage! (for those budding actors and actresses), Backstage Camp (for those who like the behind-the-scenes technical side, and Pit Orchestra (for high school instrumentalists).
- Students rehearse, build, and perform in Thompson Hall, a professional opera hall inside the beautiful Roselle Center for the Arts!
- Top professionals from UD School of Music and UD Media Services operate the sound and lighting, providing campers with a professional experience!
- A full staff is well-vetted to ensure the most qualified individuals are placed as directors, choreographer, stage manager, vocal coaches, and interns!
- The On Stage campers will learn fundamentals of being a “triple threat” with dancing, singing, and acting!
- The Backstage Camp includes technical theatre experiences in set building, design, costumes, lighting, stage crew, and more!
- The Pit Orchestra plays the live orchestration during the show! It’s comprised of both local high school students and professional musicians. This provides the younger musicians with a side-by-side experience of playing along with, and learning from, local professionals.
- Most importantly…we have TONS OF FUN!
Which adventure will you choose to be “Part of Our World”?
Performance and Ticketing Info:
3 performances are open to the public:
Fri and Sat, 8/2 & 8/3, 7pm
Sunday, 8/4, 2pm
Tickets Costs: $10 for adults, $5 for children/students/seniors, children under 5 are free, and each camp family receives 2 complimentary tickets. Online ticket sales will include a slight service fee. Online tickets can be purchased now through 7/31 by clicking here. Limited tickets will also be available at the door.
Musical Theatre - On Stage! Rising 3rd grade - graduating 12th
Rising 3rd - graduating 12th graders will dance, sing, and act while also learning about vocal health, stage presence, and the intricacies of putting on a show. Students will receive individual guidance as well as plenty of time working together as a group. Laughing with friends is not only encouraged…it’s required!
Audition information for role casting will be emailed before camp starts. The email will come from communitymusicschool@udel.edu. Please ensure that your email server has our address filtered to go to your inbox as company addresses frequently get filtered to spam!
Please, no absences from camp during the final week as there will be technical rehearsals every day. Absences during the first week may affect casting. Please reach out to CMS Director, Mary Margaret Wilson, mmbw@udel.edu with information about planned absences.
Musical Theatre - Backstage Camp: grades rising 6th - graduating 12th!
Backstage crews ARE the magic behind the curtain in theatrical productions! We welcome rising 6th - graduating 12th graders into our Studio to quite literally get a behind the scenes look at the technical side of musical theatre!
During camp, students will build and/or paint sets, design and make props, manage costumes and make-up, run stage crew, and be hands-on in a multitude of needs. Local professionals will run clinics throughout the week on topics such as stage lighting, audio engineering, and costume and make-up design. Students may also take off-campus trips to shop for set materials and/or costumes.
To help ensure the safety for all amongst the equipment and tools, campers must behave appropriately, exhibit self-control, and follow instructions. Significant and/or repeated behavior concerns may result in camp withdrawal.
Musical Theatre - Pit Orchestra: grades rising 9th - graduating 12th!
No pre-recorded accompaniment tracks found here! One of the best parts of the CMS Musical Theatre production is the live pit orchestra!
CMS is happy to offer the pit orchestra experience TUITION FREE to selected high school applicants with strong instrumental skills. Since we are producing a full musical theatre production and this is professional-level repertoire, home practice will be expected.
Registration does not guarantee acceptance - you will be notified by email of your acceptance. The email will come from communitymusicschool@udel.edu. Please ensure that your email server has our address filtered to go to your inbox as company addresses frequently get filtered to spam!
Needed Instrumentation:
(1) Bass
(1) Cello
(1) Drums (includes drum kit and auxiliary percussion)
(1) Flute/Piccolo
(1) Horn
(1) Keyboard I
(1) Keyboard II
(1) Keyboard III
(1) Keyboard IV (needs pending)
(1) Oboe
(1) Percussion (includes xylophone, timpani, and auxiliary percussion - must know how to read treble and bass clef)
(1) Reeds: Clarinet/Bass Clarinet/Alto Saxophone
(1) Trumpet
(1) Violin 1
(1) Violin 2
Before Care & After Care
Do you need child care beyond camp hours? We’ve got you covered! Before Care and After Care are available in the Roselle Center for the Arts. Bring your breakfast and an afternoon snack and we’ll provide the smiles, crafts, and games!
Hours:
Before Care: 8 a.m. until start of camp
After Care: end of camp until 6 p.m.
Cost:
- Before Care: $40 for the week
- After Care: billed at the end of camp week at a rate of $10/hour or part of an hour
Drop-In: We know that sometimes schedules are unpredictable and every now and then you may find yourself unexpectedly needing Before and/or After Care. No problem! Families are welcome to “drop-in” as needed and will be charged the After Care rate. The After Care rate will be applied to all drop-ins, both morning and afternoon.
Registration/Enrollment
Registration and Payment is a 2-part process. Please refer to the Registration page for details. A student is not enrolled until registration is submitted, full tuition has been paid, and you have received a confirmation of enrollment email.
Classes and camps for which enrollment is limited will be filled in the order payments are completed.
The UDCMS reserves the right to modify or cancel any class, lesson, or camp due to insufficient enrollment or extenuating circumstances.
We do not prorate tuition for group classes and summer camps. Full tuition is due for the scheduled number of classes/dates.
Closures
If the University of Delaware closes, for inclement weather or other reasons, all UDCMS classes, lessons, and/or camps are canceled. In the case of inclement weather, private study students will be contacted by their individual teacher to reschedule lessons. Group classes and camps will be contacted via email.
Discounts
Sibling Discount: A five percent (5%) discount may be taken when two or more siblings are registered in separate classes, camps, or lessons per session.
Multiple Class Discount: A five percent (5%) may be taken if a student registers for more than one class or series of lessons per session.
UD Faculty/Staff/Student Discount: A five percent (5%) discount may be taken for current UD faculty, staff, their children, and UD students. The UD ID number must be entered on the registration form.
Senior Citizen Discount: A five percent (5%) discount may be taken by senior citizens aged 65 or older enrolled in classes or lessons.
NOTE: Only one discount per student can be applied. Discounts cannot be combined with any other discount, coupon, or special rate. Discounts are not applied to Musical Theatre Camps.
Financial Aid
UDCMS will provide sliding-scale scholarships if financial need is present. Scholarships will only be provided for no more than one activity per child.
Aid funds are limited, so please be sure to apply early. For more information, visit the Financial Aid page.
Withdrawals and Refunds
Full refunds will be made if the UDCMS cancels any class/camp/lesson due to insufficient enrollment or teacher illness (for private study).
Any request to withdraw from classes or lessons must be made in writing to the UD Community Music School office via communitymusicschool@udel.edu. Nonattendance or verbal withdrawal to a CMS faculty or staff member does not constitute an official withdrawal. The date of withdrawal will be considered to be the date when written notice is received in the UDCMS office. Upon withdrawal, a full refund will be made only if written notification is received at least one week prior to the start of the first class or lesson, and four weeks prior to the start of summer camps. Note: Due to the cost of running the camps, refunds are not given for the Musical Theatre Camps.
Once a CMS session has begun, refunds will only be made at the discretion of the CMS Direction in extreme cases involving serious illness, death, or relocation.
A ten dollar ($10) processing fee will be charged for all refunds.
Missed Classes and Lessons
Student Absence:
Summer Camps: No refund is granted for missed days.
Safety
All UDCMS lessons and classes will take place on the University of Delaware campus typically in the Amy E. du Pont Music Building and the Roselle Center for the Arts.
To ensure your child’s safety, please be sure to pick them up promptly after class/lesson time. All minors must be dropped off and picked up directly to CMS Staff.
UDCMS faculty and staff do not supervise children waiting in hallways before and/or after classes/lessons. Children are under supervision during their instruction time only. Neither instructors nor administrators are responsible for supervising children outside of teaching time.
To continue to ensure your child’s safety, our policy is not to have teachers alone with students; however, in private study lessons, one teacher will be alone with one student in a music practice room. We ask parents to be involved in keeping their children safe in these situations. All practice rooms have windows in the doors, and parents are encouraged to peek in on lessons at random intervals and monitor your child’s behavior and comfort level with their teacher.
All CMS employees have completed the University's Protection of Minors compliances including a Criminal Background Check, Child Protection Registry clearance, and best-practice training.
Non-Discrimination Policy
UDCMS complies with all laws prohibiting discrimination in the conduct of its operations and programs. UDCMS admits students of any religion, race, color, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of religion, race, color, national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship programs or other school administered programs.
Receipts for Child Care Tax Credit
It is the responsibility of the participating family to maintain documentation for end-of-year tax records. UDCMS does not provide yearly itemized accounts of payments received. The University of Delaware Federal Tax ID is # 51-6000297.
This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.