99th Street Summer Theatre Kids Kamp Begins 20th Season

The 99^th Street Summer Theatre Festival begins its 34^th season of community theatre and the 20^th season of its popular "Kids Kamp" program. 

For 34 years, the festival has presented children's theatre productions and evening adult musicals, but 20 years ago the shows were incorporated into a camp. The students move from class to class and are pulled out for rehearsals as needed.

According to Managing Director Patricia Haynes, who founded the program, "I did not feel the traditional rehearsal/performance schedule was adequate learning for grade school students. The last thing that we want a student to learn about theatre and performing arts is that the only thing that is important is having a role.  I wanted them to be participating every moment they were with us and learn the scope of the performing arts."

"The children in our program are continually stimulated and they experience a variety of classes including music, dance, creative storytelling, puppetry, instrumental music, improvisation, stage combat, acting, and traditional rehearsal/performance," she said.

"Additionally, they choose a creative class as their specialty class including choices likes Hip Hop dance, Drum Circle, Sesame Street songs, Tap Dancing, Irish Dancing, and the songs of popular artists." 

The finale of the Kids Kamp program is the production of not one but two children's shows:  "High School Musical Junior" for the 6^th-9^th grade students and "Aladdin" for the Kindergarten through 5^th grade students. 

Both shows are age appropriate and the music, dance, and acting requirements are written for children in the age groups.  

This year's production of "High School Musical Junior" features a cast of the talented Kids Kampers including Quinn Rigg as Troy, Elijah Altena as Chad, Tim Gallagher as Zeke, Patty Green and Meghan Cronin as Sharpay, Andrew Gardner as Ryan, Olivia Seweryn and Keara Rigg as Kelsi Nielsen, Tommy Schuberth as James, Lena Smith and Scarlett Wickert as Susan, Melissa Ricci and Gabi Folliard as Cathy, Kathleen Sullivan and Mae Schuberth as Cyndra, Brillana Rosa and Chelsea Mazies as Gabriella, Brea Patterson and Siobhan as Taylor McKessie, Tara Duffy and Kelly McCasland as Martha Cox, Jennifer Kosiewicz and Hannah Cohn as Jackie, Mike Scully as Ripper, Tommy Jakubsak as Mongo, Claire Cunningham and Nora Hartnet as Ms. Darbus, and John DeFranco as Coach Bolton.  Other campers play the jocks, thespians, brainiacs, and skater dudes.

"Aladdin" features Benjamin Alifantis and Brian Gutrich as Aladdin, Jillian Seweryn and Katie Mather as Jasmine, Colleen Jones and Lizzie Ward as KJafar, Mackenzie Zions and Jane Mikula as Sultana, Olga Mourgelas and Alice Scannell as Iago, Michaela Dillon and Allison Riordan as the Genie, Troy McManigal as the Tiger God, Lindsay Janicki and Erica Hollander as the Lamp Vendor, Isabel Swift and Mairead Rosso as the Belly Dancer, Sara Shields and Maggie Fechner as the Juggler, Lucas Garcia as the Peasant Boy, Jill Borza as the Peasant Girl, Elizabeth Hanson and Dana Staneck as the Vendor Girl, Gracie Oswald and Ella Altena as the Head Guard, Rachel Lappano and Mary Helen Hennessey as Junior Djinn, and the other campers play the townspeople, narrators, and  dancers. 

Due to the renovation of the Mother McAuley High School parking lot this summer, the camp is being held at the Baer Theatre at Morgan Park Academy, 2150 W 111^th St., Chicago. 

Performances will be held there on July 8-9.  "Aladdin" performances will be at 10:30 a.m. each day and "High School Musical Junior" will be at noon. 

For information on the shows and to purchase tickets call 773-881-6512.  Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for children and senior citizens for the children's shows. 

Also, don't miss our evening shows "Footloose" and "The Secret Garden."