ORCA Theater Camp kids overcome fears to deliver stellar stage performances

Last Thursday evening, two back-to-back productions of Alice in Wonderland were presented on the Wright Auditorium's stage by participants in the Petersburg Medical Center Wellness Program's ORCA Theater Camp.

Director Brad Younts, who pioneered the first ORCA Theater Camp last summer, had twenty-three kids sign up this summer, so many that he divided the kids into two camps, ages 6 – 9 and 9 – 15, and brought a colleague with him to help, co-director Amaya Hudson.

Welcoming the audience, Younts said each group of campers had met "two days a week, three weeks, three hours each day – all outside at Sandy Beach" before coming together for final rehearsals at the theater, where the two groups worked on parallel tracks. While one group ran through their lines the other was working on costumes. Once costumes were in place, they watched each other's rehearsals.

Younts says watching the other group rehearse has two benefits. "First, it helps them understand that there are different ways to interpret art. Second, they learn how to be a good and supportive audience."

Kaili Watkins stepped in to help as a stage manager during the final week of camp and said, "It's fun to see the difference between the younger group and the older group. It's the exact same script, but the difference in the age [groups] and how they can express themselves, that part's fascinating."

After a total rehearsal time of about 27 hours, the kids were ready to perform. Backstage, veteran camper Helmi Versteeg explained how she came to be the only camper in both performances. "My friend Blair is the Cheshire Cat too, but she had to go on a trip – her flight's on this actual day – and I did this camp last year, so I kind-of had a lot of experience. So Mr. Brad's like, 'You'd have the same lines and all the same characters,' and I said, 'I'll do it!'"

She did it with flair and a southern twang.

"Helmi's accent tickles me to no end," Younts laughed.

In the green room, as costumes were adjusted and make-up applied, the actors said they were nervous. "When they're backstage they all say, 'I'm nervous, I'm nervous, I'm nervous!' But, I don't even need to really cue them to go on stage because they know this show so well," Watkins said. "I've been incredibly impressed by how well they've memorized their lines – and when they forget them their friends on stage will just give them a little prompt, and it's pretty discreet. They're really supportive of each other. It's so much fun to see kids light up on stage and to see them accomplish something and overcome their fears."

A large audience, especially for a Thursday evening in the summer, enjoyed both shows. "It's awesome to see the kids doing their thing and bringing it all together," said Katie Holmlund, Youth Program Coordinator for Petersburg Medical Center and the co-founder of Kinderskog. "Amaya and Brad did a great job the past month getting them ready for their performance and it was really fun to watch."

Duncan Goodrich, 15, played the Queen of Hearts in the older group's performance. After the show he said, "The audience was so good! I feel confident. I really do. It felt really nice, because I was able to do many voices, like this one," he says in a booming voice, "and like this one," growling like a thug, "and I like my really, really girly voice for [saying], 'Off with their heads!," he smiles, "Yeah, I'm going to remember this my whole life."

Elliot Swanson was worried he'd forget his lines, but after the show said, "I did not forget them. It was a really good kind of fun."

Wilder Short agreed, "I'm so glad we didn't actually mess up that much. I am definitely doing this again!"

Younts and Hudson plan on returning to lead ORCA Theater Camp again next summer. "It's been a pleasure," Hudson said. "At our last rehearsal everybody was in such a giggly mood that we could not get through any of our lines without just giggling."

"I'm so proud of how theater camp went this year. The kids worked unbelievably hard and gave two stellar performances. More than that, they gained confidence, formed bonds of friendship, and overcame personal obstacles," said Younts. "And next year we hope it grows even more!"