The Randolph Senior High School Drama Club recently hosted a weeklong drama camp for elementary students. The program, held in the high school auditorium, welcomed students entering grades two through six for a week of creativity.
The students dived into various aspects of the performing arts, from acting workshops and improvisation to set design and costume creation. Each day featured a blend of games and structured activities where students could learn through play. The week culminated with a mini performance for friends and family with a script created by the students.
"We thought we'd just teach them some of the basics, and they're very excited to learn about all the processes," said Tara Smith, the musical director and Drama Club advisor. "The kids wrote their own skits and cues for the lighting. They learned how to mic a person and control the volume, and they learned the fly bars at the top of the auditorium and the positions on stage. Then we turned that into a game."
Smith, who led the week alongside Assistant Director Tracy Woodfield with help from high school Drama Club members, said the camp was put together as a fundraiser for the drama program. While it was unclear what kind of response they would get, she said they were happy with the variety of ages and number of students who signed up for the week.
Many students enjoyed being on stage, but Smith says they recognized not everyone was comfortable being in front of an audience. One participant was able to work with an older student to learn the lighting console, while another learned how to operate the soundboard.
"There's something for everybody," Smith said. "I hope that they just had fun. For the Drama Club, we try to keep this family-oriented. This is a safe place for a lot of our kids. We're all in this together, and we support each other."
As the curtains closed on this year’s camp, Smith said they are already planning for next year's program to be even more exciting with more in-depth topics.