YAY SPAE 2019!!!

WOW HI SPAE CAMPERS AND FAMILIES!

We, (Emily, Abby, Karlie, Susie, and Nathaniel) cannot wait to see you all in TWO WEEKS! Our first day of Summer Performing Arts Explorations is Monday, July 29th at 9am in the Dutton Gym on the Leland and Gray campus and ends at 3pm. There is no bussing option this year so please carpool! SPAE is only able to provide supervision from 8:30-3:00. 

SPAE 2019 will be bringing Frank L. Baum’s “Wizard of Oz” to life on our stage this year. As many of our staff have either acted in, played music for, directed, or designed for this show we are very excited to pool our creative energies and see what this year’s community will do to retell this classic tale. 

MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS:

-Friday August 9th at 7pm: SPAE Presents “The Wizard of Oz” Help us advertise by telling your friends and family to attend! Entry by donation. **Campers stay all day Friday through the show. We will have a potluck dinner between our SPAE Day and the performance. More info to come.

-Saturday August 10th at 4pm-Call Time For Campers at 1pm: SPAE Presents “The Wizard of Oz” YAY!! 

WHAT TO BRING EACH DAY!

–Shoes that stay on your feet, (we run and dance and climb and jump.)
-Clothes you can move in comfortably
-SNACKS yummm
-LUNCH yummm
-Water Bottle (There IS a water fountain, but having water with you is better.)
-Pencilssssss
-SCRIPT (preferably in binder, this will need to go back and forth each day.)
-YOUR INSTRUMENT!!! (Not sure which days we’ll work with Ron Kelley yet but if you bring in your instrument on Day 1 you won’t forget it on the workshop day!)
-A Towel- for YOGA!!! We are so excited to be working with Newfane’s Village Yoga this year. We won’t have mats for everyone so a towel or two to work on will be great.

This Blog:
Once SPAE begins we will be updating daily during our time together with pictures, videos, and write-ups about our day. Share it with your family and friends! You can also find our SPAE Flickr page from the blog. 

**Questions? Email Abby at wickerabby@gmail.com

SEE YOU SO SOON WE ARE WIGGLING WITH EXCITEMENT!!!!

Karlie, Abby, Nathaniel, Susie, and Emily

 

WedneSPAE 2-Oh My Goodness!!!

Oh boy folks! Here we are in the final moments of SPAE 2018.
We’re nearly done with blocking, songs are being run with the band, dance moves are being learned, costumes finalized, the prop table is filling up, the staff painted the set and hung curtains this afternoon, and so much more that I can’t even list. We’re moving at a fast pace and will continue to do so until Lights Up on Friday night.

I know I speak for all of the directors when I say that every day- every hour- we continue to be surprised by what these performers and creators bring to the table. Whether it’s hearing soloists rocking out in the hallway with Susie, or having the D-Tent campers lift the Warden and spin her around the stage, or when you turn around and suddenly the onion cart is brimming with baskets of onions and jars of peaches, or when you blink and loads of shovels have been delivered- or the moment a BOAT shows up as the final addition to the set. (Sorry. Spoiler.)

We are all so thankful to have this experience with your children each summer, and we haven’t found their limitations yet. Each summer we push and push the boundaries of what we think it’s possible for 10-14 year olds to do, and each summer we’re left thinking “Well, they rose to that occasion- what’s next for them?”

Please please please spread the word about the show- these performers deserve a full house both Friday and Saturday!

FriSPAE and MonSPAE! Blocking, Lizard Music, Acro, Juggling, and moreeeee

I hope everyone had a restful and fun weekend. We missed you all but are glad to be back in the swing of things today! Ron Kelley rejoined us this morning to finalize our Lizard Music- which we combined with the Lizards themselves tearin’ it up onstage.

In the afternoon Tony from New England Center for Circus Arts returned and gave us focused juggling/diablo/devil stick instruction and then moved into helping us create our journey to God’s Thumb. It’s been awesome to get a taste of circus arts at SPAE. We don’t want to give too much away through pictures- so instead I’ll share pictures from Friday.

We closed week one with the Compliment Project- I think the pictures are fairly self explanatory. It was great chance to think about the work we’ve done with each other in week one and share what we admire about one another.

AT HOME:
-Lines
-Songs
-Dance
-Blocking
-Bring Shovels

What an awesome community. Thanks for all of the support!

ThurSPAE 1: Set Design, Singing, Blocking- Oh My!

Today Fairen led a Set Design workshop during which campers started creating a set in a shoebox! These already look SO cool! Campers will be able to continue working on their set designs when they have breaks from blocking in the coming days.

Speaking of set design… campers will have a surprise waiting for them on their set tomorrow- thanks to the Wicker family… WE’RE SO EXCITED!

Today the pit band worked after camp because we need to catch up with our awesome singers- Susie has been doing a great job of carefully and thoroughly teaching the full cast songs and has begun to pull soloists to learn their songs. There is a ton of music in this show and I highly encourage campers to be listening on youtube and singing at home! Tomorrow we’ll continue and hopefully even put the band with a number or two!

And of course- we continue to make headway on blocking the show. The best part for me as a director is watching campers who’ve spent 4 years at SPAE helping the brand new campers. Hearing “make sure you write that down” reminders and “right now we’re Up Stage Left” makes me want to cry! We get to work with total rockstars and I feel so lucky.

PS: We’ve had two SPAE staff members get their driving licenses this week and we are PUMPED for them!!! ❤ ❤

WedneSPAE 1: Ron Kelley, Cast List, Dancing, Blocking, Rainnnn

Hi Folks!

And just like that day 3 is over. Today was jam-packed because once we announced the cast-list we sprung into motion. Many of us hung out with Ron Kelley and made some crazy music for the Lizard Interlude! It was awesome to work with folks who’ve been playing their instruments for less than a year, and folks who are going into their 5th year of playing. What total rockstars.

We dove into blocking- which for a handful of us was our first time. The blocking process can be exhausting and tedious at times- but hopefully it also has some element of fun mixed in there! The most frustrating part for our actors seems to be bringing their script with them as they move around on the stage. They’ll get the hang of it!

In the afternoon Deven reviewed the choreography with us and then added on- we can’t wait to keep learning more. It’s looking fantastic!

Speaking of SCRIPTS-
Please have your actor highlight their lines and songs! ALSO please help them find a folder or binder to keep it safe! ALSO please help them remember to bring it back and forth to a from camp! YAY!!!
Tomorrow we do it all again… you’re all the best!

TueSPAE 1: Auditions, Dance, Improv!

WOW- day 2 flew by!
Today we held reading auditions, singing auditions, Deven taught us the beginning of the choreography for “Eyes Down” (you can practice at home-youtube the song!) reviewed how to mark up a script, and we leapt into improvising!

The directors and counselors were floored by the heart that every camper gave to their auditions. 80% of the campers came to the optional singing auditions ready and willing to sing a solo or duet- that is a record for SPAE auditions. So much bravery in one camp!!!

At the end of the day overwhelmingly the response was “Learning the dance” when we asked what the highlight has been for folks so far in these two days. But they also said things like “hanging out with these cool people,” “when Tela played piano and we all stood around and sang,” “doing a singing audition for the first time,” “getting to work on juggling outside,” and more. We continue to be amazed by what these rockstars bring to the table.

***TOMORROW!!! BRING YOUR INSTRUMENTS!!! The Great Ron Kelley joins us to make some groovy tunes- but in order to do it you’ve got have something to honk or bang on! Don’t forget it!

 

MonSPAE-Meet n’Greet, Read Through, NECCA!

And we’re off!

We kicked off SPAE 2018 with learning names, laying out what we need in our community, playing the staff’s favorite game “Windows,” getting a tour of the space, reading the script, and most excitingly-partaking in a workshop with Tony from the New England Center for Circus Arts. WOAH WOAH WOAH SO COOL.

Tony showed us how to juggle with scarves, rings, balls, and pins. He showed us how to use Devil Sticks and a diablo, and how to start building some cool acro-stack-em-ups as I like to call them. We’ll get to work with Tony again next week but in the meantime don’t be surprised if your campers starts throwing objects around trying to juggle them. Or if they start liftingtheir siblings up in strange ways. #CircusReady

Tomorrow we audition! Don’t stress. You’ll be great.
AND
wear your dancing clothes because Deven will start choreographing “Eyes Down.”

It’s gonna be another great group- thank you all for supporting this program, we’re so happy to be here with y’all for year 11!

“Holes” has Music?

YES! If you haven’t watched Disney’s movie adaptation on “Holes” run don’t walk to do so. (Sorry, it’s not on instant Netflix, find it anyway.) The music on the soundtrack is rad and we’ve just finished weaving many of the songs into our script. And, because I just can’t keep this secret any longer, you should know that Emily will be playing drumset. Talk about getting your money’s worth. The only sad part is that we’ll only have Deven Wicker as a counselor for week 1 which means we won’t get to hear him rip on these rock tunes.

So- here’s a preview, check ’em out.

“Dig It” sung/rapped by the Campers at Camp Green Lake.

“Down to the Valley” sung by the cast while we’re climbing up the mountain to God’s Thumb.

“Eyes Down” sung by the cast with a dance choreographed by Deven

“I’m Gonna Be A Wheel SomeDay” sung by the Warden and Campers

“If Only” sung by Stanley and the Cast (Susie will also be composing an original version of this tune that’s used throughout the show!)

“Keepin’ It Real” Sung by Zero and Pals

“Let’s Make a Better World” sung by Mr. Pendanski

“Happy Dayz” sung by X-RAY

“I Will Survive” sung by Kissing’ Kate Barlow

“Just Like You” sung by Sam and Kate

These should get you started!!

SPAE 2018- The Post You’ve Been Waiting For!

Abby, Nathaniel, Susie, and I have been immersed in the Leland and Gray Summer Theater program the past week and we’ll wrap up this week. It’s been so fun and inspiring to work with these high school students-and it’s getting us totally amped for SPAE 2018!! (Don’t worry- Emily will  be there too- but right now she’s traveling up the West Coast!) As another side note- come see “You Can’t Beat the House” this Friday at 7 and Saturday at 3 in the Dutton Gym!!! (Entry by donation!) And like the new Leland and Gray Summer Theater Facebook Page for more updates.

So- the question on all of your minds- What’s the SPAE show?!

Okay fine. We’ll spill the beans.

And if that’s not enough of a preview for you- check out some of the tunes we’ll be using…

READ THE BOOK. The movie is great too. BUT READ THE BOOK.

More soon you rockstars, we can’t wait to see you!!!

 

ThurSPAE 22222222!

OH MAN OH MAN OH MAN
TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE “THE LIGHTNING THIEF”
AND ALL THROUGH THE HOUSE
NOT A CREATURE WAS STIRRING, NOT EVEN A-

JUST KDDING WE’RE ALL AWAKE!!!
THERE’S SO MUCH TO DOOOO!!!

Today was a jam-packed day at SPAE. We “Stumbled Through” the show this afternoon which means we stop to fix what we so lovingly call “train wrecks,” and plow through as best we can. We had to skip through some stuff to make it to the end by 3 (well, after 3, thanks for your patience!)

Tomorrow, THE BIG DAY!!!
I hope you’ve told everyone you know and love because holy smokes these young performers have worked incredibly hard and have poured massive amounts of their hearts into this show. Today was the day when we really saw the community come together. Check out the pictures of campers who split up to help each other with lines in their few moments of downtime, when I saw these photos tonight I had tears in my eyes.

There were a few other tear-jerking moments today, but I don’t want to give them away. You’ll experience them too, I’m sure.

**ALL Campers and Counselors stay through to the show tomorrow night. We have a potluck dinner around 4:15. Feel free to drop off your goodies in the morning or before 4. Thank you so much, your contributions give us energy to make it through the night!!

I hope all the performers are fast asleep by now, so to our SPAE Families and Friends I say, GOOD NIGHT!