Summertime offers a variety of opportunities for young people, and the Grayson Theatre department is offering an opportunity of a lifetime for high school students interested in Theatre.  For the first time, there will be a camp offered on the Grayson campus called the Grayson Performing Arts Camp (GPAC) that lasts two weeks, June 9-22 for high school students.

Students participating in GPAC will live in the Grayson dorms, attend classes in the morning, and rehearse a production in the afternoon and evening. At the end of two weeks, students will perform in either a musical or one of two plays.  There will be a film element to the camp during the first week and also a tech emphasis for students who do not want to perform, but want to be part of backstage.

Teachers from across Texas and also from California are coming to teach and direct.  Billy and Annie Dragoo from Austin High School in Austin, TX will be directors for the musical and for one of the plays. They have directed the 5A One Act Play championship play for the past two years and have directed in other workshops across Texas. 

Craig Hertel, the Fine Arts Director at Gainesville ISD will direct the second play.  Craig has also been extremely successful in the One Act world by taking numerous productions to the state One Act play contest in Austin and also directs in similar camps in the state.

An exciting element for this camp is the film component.  Mark Sheibmeir, son of past GC president, Dr. Alan Scheibmeir, is coming for one week to teach film acting and to lecture on getting a start in L.A. 

Mark is currently working as an actor in L.A. and has been successful with commercials and independent films. He will work individually with students and each student will leave the camp with a head shot and a “reel” to use for audition purposes.

Tenna Matthews (GC Design and Tech Director) and Thea Albert (GC Adjunct Design professor) will design for all three shows. Robin Robinson (GC Theatre Director) is directing a one-day Teacher Development training day for area theatre teachers who need professional development training for their districts. 

On June 21, there will be various workshops offered to help prepare these teachers to work with their students in new and creative ways.  Luis Munoz, the UIL State One Act Play Director, will be a guest speaker at the beginning of the day to discuss current rules and proposed rule changes for One Act Play.  Amy Jordan from Denison High will act as Director of the camp along with B.K.Goodman as her assistant.  Nikki Silva from Denison and Pam Gauthier-Hamer will also teach at the camp, along with Scott Tipton.

The Grayson Theatre department is excited to offer this opportunity for the first time for incoming high school students who will be in the 9th thru 12th grades.  The cost for a student is $795 which covers housing, meals, and participation in the camp.

For more information look at the Grayson Theatre website www.grayson.edu/theatre or contact the theatre department at theatre@grayson.edu for an application.