Two Moapa Valley youth were selected to attend a weeklong theatre camp last month. Incoming MVHS freshmen class members Noah Whitmore and Klystia Williams attended the camps which were offered on the campus of Southern Utah University, the home of the Utah Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City.
Whitmore was awarded a partial scholarship to the camp, earned by writing an essay explaining why he wanted to pursue studies in acting. He attended the session in mid-July. Williams attended the final session during the last week of July.
The Festival has an Education Department that offers classes for high school students and junior camps which are a perfect fit for ages 13-15. The goals of the program are to improve the skills of younger thespians, acquaint them with professional techniques such as stage combat, and to enrich their theatre experience with studies in classical Shakespeare. The camp culminates with student performances at the Adams Memorial Theatre, an outdoor stage modeled after the original Globe theatre.
For the entire week, the students were housed in the college dorms. Every day is structured from early morning to late evening, filled with learning, stage experiences, and activities for those passionate about acting.
One unique component of this camp is that students are treated to all six of the plays currently running at the Shakespearean Festival! Further, students participate in discussion groups after each play, attend backstage tours, work with the Green Show, and get acting lessons.
The end-of-the-week performance for the public employed scenes excerpted from the plays they had studied. Students auditioned the first day they arrived and had to learn their lines quickly. Whitmore played the part of Bassanio in a scene from The Merchant of Venice. Williams played the part of Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing.
Mack Lyon Middle School Drama Teacher, Mrs. Bev Bradley, who recommended attending the camp, said that she was delighted to see how enthused the students were to learn more about the theatre. “I hope next summer more students can take advantage of this educational opportunity so close to our valley,” she said.
“I know through this camp I’ve become a better actor,” said Whitmore after attending the camp. “We learned the difference between characteristics and character, so now I’m able to portray a more realistic character on stage for the audience.”
For more information about the program, log on to www.bard.org.
