Camps

Led by professional teaching artists, each camp is designed to explore the artistic process of creating theatre and building life skills through quality arts education. Consider this your invitation to transform your child’s life. 

Register for the grade your student will be entering in the fall 2021.

Story Play: Age 4-Kindergarten

Explore theatre through songs, dance, and games inspired by your favorite storybook characters! 

Skills: imagination, teamwork, social skills, listening skills
Features: costume craft, free ticketed in-person Friday sharing for family
Camp size: If capacity limits increase, no more than 15 student spots will be available. 

Llama Llama Loves the Drama
Join our friend Llama Llama as we bring our favorite stories to life through stories, songs, dance, and games. 

Twirling Trolls
Join us for a Troll-tastic Theatre Adventure as we bring our favorite Trolls stories to life! Inspired by the Trolls movies, we will be dancing and twirling to all our favorite songs.

Page to Stage: 1st & 2nd

Bring storybooks to life through songs, games, and a short script! 

Skills: imagination, teamwork, social skills, confidence, speaking/projection
Features: costume craft, free ticketed in-person Friday sharing for family
Camp size: If capacity limits increase, no more than 22 student spots will be available. 

Superhero Adventures
Who is YOUR favorite superhero? Join us on a high-flying adventure as we explore our favorite superhero stories, including Lucia the Luchadora and Even Superheroes Make Mistakes! 

Rosie Revere & Friends
Are you a Questioneer? Jump into Ms. Greer’s class with Rosie Revere, Ada Twist, Iggy Peck, and Sofia Valdez  as we explore theatre and bring these stories to life!

Mini Player Originals – 3rd-5th Grade

Take the stage and create your own original play inspired by characters from popular series! 

Skills: working as an ensemble, storytelling, creativity, collaboration, projection
Features: costume box, free ticketed in-person Friday performance for family
Camp size: If capacity limits increase, no more than 24 student spots will be available. 

Descendants Take the Stage
Trouble is brewing at Auradon Prep, where the children of Disney villians and Disney heroes clash in a battle of good vs evil. Take the stage and create an original play featuring your favorite characters!

Heroes, Quests, & Creatures
Calling all heroes and magical creatures! The world is in trouble, and it is up to you to journey on a magical quest, battling (or befriending?) mythological creatures as you take the stage and create an original play!

Musical in a Week – 4th-10th Grade

Skills: characterization, collaboration, confidence, vocal, dance
Features: costumes, microphones, free ticketed in-person for family
Camp size: If capacity limits increase, no more than 24 student spots will be available. 

• Madagascar JR. Do you like to MOVE IT MOVE IT? Come sing and dance in the musical Madagascar JR! Build acting, dancing, and singing skills to create this musical-in-a-week production.
• Disney’s Frozen KIDS Do you wanna build a snowman? Join Elsa, Anna, and Olaf in the newly released musical, Disney’s Frozen KIDS! Build acting, dancing, and singing skills to create this musical-in-a-week production. Friday performance will also be LIVESTREAMED

Play in a Week – 5th-10th grade & 7th-12th grade

Take the stage and develop your acting skills in a fully scripted play!

Skills: characterization, collaboration, storytelling, confidence, projection, diction
Features: costumes, microphones, free ticketed in-person Friday performance
Camp size: If capacity limits increase, no more than 16 student spots will be available. 

• The Wizard of Oz | 5th-10th grade
  Journey through Oz with Dorothy, Scarecrow, Lion, and Tin Man and more in this play adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s book. Focus on creating characters and building ensembles in this play-in-a-week production.
• Squirrel Girl Goes to College: A Squirrel Girl Play (Marvel Spotlight) | 7th-12th grade
  Calling all superhero fans for a fierce, funny, adventure with Marvel’s Squirrel Girl! Performers will spend a week developing acting and character skills as they put on Squirrel Girl Goes to College: A Squirrel Girl Play (Marvel Spotlight).  Bring your acting and storytelling skills to a new level in this ensemble play designed specifically for middle and high school students! 

Musical Theatre Intensive – 7th-12th grade

Skills: vocal, dance, musical performance
Features: free ticketed in-person Friday showcase for family

• Hamilton Musical Theatre Intensive: Join us “in the room where it happened” to learn songs and choreography from HAMILTON.

Camp size: If capacity limits increase, no more than 16 student spots will be available.

Camp dates, times and locations subject to change.

Pick-Your-Price Scholarships

Our full registration fee represents the amount that it costs GREAT to bring theatre camps to our community. To make sure that every student has access to the transformative power of theatre camp, we offer a pick-your-price scholarship program that is available to each and every family. Scholarships are confidential and available for every camp, in every location, every week in limited quantities. 

To register for camp using a pick-your-price scholarship, complete the request form available starting April 21st. You’ll be asked to indicate your top three camp choices (specific camp, week, and location) as well as the amount you plan to pay towards the registration fee. Recipients make some payment towards the class, but the amount is up to the individual family. We will process your request on Thursday, May 6th. At that time you’ll receive a confirmation of your registration along with a link to make your payment online. Payments must be received at least two weeks prior to when the camp begins. 

GREAT Theatre is able to provide educational programming and continue supporting families, teaching artists, and our partner locations through class registration fees and the generosity of donors. Thanks to our corporate supporters and the Judi Newstrom Memorial Scholarship fund for making camp accessible for all. 

SCHOLARSHIP REQUEST FORM

Thank you to our 2021 camp sponsors:

We are committed to your safety! Making sure you are safe and healthy is our highest priority. We know there is much concern surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, and we want to do whatever is necessary to support you in a safe and productive camp environment. We will follow all current CDC and MDH guidelines regarding positive tests or potential exposures regarding decisions for how that camp proceeds. In the event of a cancellation or exposure you will be alerted via text and email.

Below are details of our COVID-19 PANDEMIC PLAN for our Summer 2021 youth camp programming. The following procedures are set in place for our instructors, interns, campers, and GREAT staff as they are the only ones allowed in the camp facilities.

GENERAL NOTES

1. If you feel sick or have a fever you MUST STAY HOME. Contact GREAT Theatre to let them know you won’t be attending camp. 
2. While the general sanitization process is dependent on the cleaning staff of each facility, our instructors will wipe down frequent touch areas before and after each class.
3. Our instructors will help campers maintain physical distance throughout camp with the use of tape, carpet dots, or other markers.
4. Class sizes will follow MDH guidelines. If and when capacity limits are increased, class sizes will remain smaller this year with no more than 15-24 students per class. 
5. Throughout the camp week, students will have multiple chances to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer (containing at least 60% ethanol or 70% isopropanol).
6. Due to COVID-19 and our need to put safety first, camps may be cancelled if needed.

COVID-19 SCENARIOS

How do I determine the possibility of sickness?

1. If you come down with ONE common symptom or TWO less-common symptoms: Go home and get tested. All family members or roommates must also go home. 
   • Common Symptoms: Fever of 100.4 or greater, new cough, trouble breathing, loss of taste and smell
   • Less Common Symptoms: sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, muscle pain, extreme fatigue, headache, nasal congestion
   • Please use this COVID-19 Decision Tree to decide your best course of action if feeling ill:  https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/schools/exguide.pdf
2. Exposure: If you have been in close contact with someone who tests positive for Covid-19 you will need to follow MDH guidelines of quarantining and may not return to camp.

PANDEMIC PLAN PROCEDURES

Upon Entering a Camp Building:

• Everyone must wear a mask that covers both their mouth and nose at all times.
• Masks must be properly secured before entering the building. 
  1. One mask is mandatory, however, double-masking (disposable under a cloth mask) is currently recommended by the CDC.
  2. CDC & NPR Links
     1. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/effective-masks.html
     2. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7007e1.htm?s_cid=mm7007e1_w
     3. https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/02/10/966313710/cdc-now-recommends-double-masking-for-more-protection-against-the-coronavirus

Personal Health Check-Ins: Campers are to enter through the designated entrance for their specified camp location. Before entering, you will be met by a camp instructor to answer safety questions. Younger children are to be accompanied by ONE adult to the front door to help with the check-in questions, but adults will not be allowed past the entrance area. 

Upon arrival, you will be asked to self-report on the following questions: 

• In the last 10 days, have you come in contact with any person with a suspected or diagnosed case of COVID-19?
• Within the last 10 days have you been diagnosed with COVID-19 or had a test confirming you have the virus?
• In the last 24 hours, have you experienced any of the following symptoms?
  • Fever or chills

• • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea

NOTE: MUST BE ABLE TO HONESTLY ANSWER “NO” TO ALL QUESTIONS in order to attend camp.

You will then be guided inside to complete a routine temperature screening using a touchless or minimal touch thermometer. If your temperature is 100.4 F or higher, you may request a second screening. If the second screening indicates a temperature of 100.4 F or higher, we ask that you please immediately head home. Once the health check is complete, campers will wait in the foyer area, monitored by the second instructor, until the rest of the class completes the check-in process. The second instructor will be conscious of spacing so campers keep their physical distance.

Entering the Camp Space

• Once all campers complete the check-in, both instructors will lead the class to the bathroom for hand washing and then to their main camp area (a theatre, classroom, community room, etc.).
• Every camper will be assigned their own “home base” spot where they will store any personal items. 
• PLEASE HAVE ALL ITEMS LABELED WITH YOUR NAME

Snack/Lunch Time

• You may bring a full water bottle with you to class each day, though only camps with specified snack or lunch periods may bring food (unless needed because of a medical condition). Water fountains may not be accessible at each location.
• If possible, eating periods will happen outdoors or outside of the room being used for camp. Instructors will help supervise distancing between students. If the area is too small for the whole class, campers will eat in groups (the same ones each day).

Check-Out Procedures

• Upon exiting the building, campers will either wash their hands or use hand sanitizer.
• Like check-in procedures, parents will be required to wait outside. For younger students, we will have the one adult meet an instructor outside and then we will send their camper to them. For older camps, parents are to stay in their cars. The students will be brought outside and instructors will supervise to make sure the campers find their correct rides. 
• We will always end camp on time. Adults should do everything in their power to pick up their campers on time.

In-Person Performances

• Each camper will receive physical tickets for their friends/family to attend the in-person performance. The number of tickets each camper receives will vary depending on facility capacity and MDH guidelines. 
• Safety protocols for audiences will be determined by current MDH and CDC guidelines at the time of the camp. These guidelines will be communicated via email, on our website, and with tickets. 

Travel

GREAT realizes that the camp schedule falls over your summer vacation, however we stress the CDC and MDH protocols and recommendations in regards to travel at this time. We encourage you to avoid travel, but if you must travel, we ask that you follow the CDC’s methods of protection, including but not limited to:

• Getting  tested with a viral test 1-3 days prior to your trip and only travelling if the test is negative.
• Social distancing (of at least 6 ft.) both indoors and outdoors from people not traveling with you.
• Wearing a mask, and if there are people in your household who did not travel with you, wear masks in shared spaces 14 days after travel. 
• Washing hands often.
• Monitoring your health and being wary of any potential COVID-19 symptoms
• For more information, please visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html

In accordance with these guidelines, please do not schedule camp within 7 days following travel. We also ask that you take a COVID test 3-5 days after your return. If your test is negative and you show no symptoms, you may attend camp. If you test positive or are not feeling well, please do not come to camp.

If you have questions about GREAT’s health & safety policies, please reach out to breana@greattheatre.org.

Cancellation, Refund, & Transfer Policy

• There is a 20% administrative fee for cancellations; must give 2 weeks advance notice.
• There are no refunds for cancellations made within 2 weeks of the start of camp.
• Students may transfer camp sessions (based on availability) 2+ weeks before a class begins. Class transfers requested less than two weeks before a class begins may not be accommodated. If camp registration fees are not equal, any cost difference must be paid at the time of transfer.
• Refunds will be considered for students with COVID-19 symptoms.

If GREAT cancels a camp for ANY reason prior to the camp starting, you may join a different class or receive a full refund. 

We will follow all current CDC and MDH guidelines regarding decisions for how camp proceeds if there are positive tests or potential exposures. In the event of a cancellation or exposure you will be alerted via text and email. In the event of a positive COVID-19 case within a camp that requires it to be cancelled, a prorated refund will be issued. 

No Tree Nuts / No Peanuts
To ensure the safety of all of our campers, we have a strict no-nut policy for both peanuts and tree-nuts (including hazelnut products such as Nutella).

Electronic Device Policy
To encourage our value of ensemble and relationship building, cellphones and other electronic devices are not to be used during camp (including breaks). If brought to camp, they should be kept on silent and in a bag. GREAT is not responsible for lost, broken, or stolen belongings. Parents are welcome to call GREAT Theatre at 320.258.2787 if they need to contact their student(s).

Pick-Up & Drop-Off
In consideration of our staff members and to ensure safety of all campers, GREAT asks that campers be dropped-off for class no earlier than 10 minutes before camp start time. Campers must be picked-up for class no later than 5 minutes after camp end time. GREAT reserves the right to charge families a fee of $1 per minute for late pick-ups.

Observation
For the safety of all campers – parents, caregivers, family members (including siblings), and friends are not able to observe/sit-in on camp. Our camps and intensives are designed for student participation, and we find that students focus better and participate more fully when family members are not in the room. Family members and friends are welcomed and encouraged to attend the sharing/performance/showcase on the final day of camp!

GREAT Child Safety Policy
It is the policy of the GREAT to ensure all youth are safeguarded from physical, sexual and emotional harm while taking part. GREAT requires that all staff, instructor, volunteer, production staff and other paid or voluntary helpers working with young people follow the following policy set out below.

GREAT Theatre is committed to valuing each young person, irrespective of sex, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, abilities, or background. We are a safe space for all.

Please read our complete Child Safety Policy here. 

Camp Locations and Directions

With 14 locations spanning every neighborhood in central Minnesota, GREAT Theatre is around every corner.

Special thanks to each of our 2021 summer camp partners:

Albany High School
Blattner Energy Arts Theatre (BEAT)
30 Forest Ave
Driving Directions
Enter at the BEAT main entrance. Door 36

Annandale High School
855 Hemlock Street
Annandale, MN 55302
Driving Directions 

Becker High School – Small Theatre
12000 Hancock St SE
Becker, MN 55308
Driving Directions

Cathedral High School – Holy Angels Theater
312 7th Ave N
St. Cloud, MN 56303
Driving Directions
Enter door #6 -main entrance. Free parking in school lot.

College of Saint Benedict – Gorecki Theatre
CSB Benedicta Arts Center
St. Joseph, MN 56374
Driving Directions
Enter in door west side of building near parking lot 6

Helgeson Learning Lab Theatre
GREAT World Headquarters
710 Sundial Drive
Waite Park, MN 56387
Driving Directions
Next to Crafts Direct – enter through Helgeson Learning Lab Theatre door on south side of building

Melrose High School
546 North 5th Ave E
Melrose, MN 56352
Driving Directions
Enter through Door #13

GREAT Studios // Paramount Theatre **no outdoor space
Monday-Thursday // rehearsal at GREAT Studios. 919 W St. Germain St., St. Cloud. 3rd floor.
Friday // rehearsal and performance at the Paramount Theatre, 913 W St. Germain St., St. Cloud
Driving Directions

Sartell Middle School
627 3rd Ave N
Sartell, MN 56377
Driving Directions
Enter South Door and meet in room 830

Sartell Outdoor Community Center
850 19th Street South
Sartell, MN 56377
Driving Directions
Meet by the marquee/GREAT sign in front of the building. 

Sauk Rapids-Rice Middle School
901 1 St S
Sauk Rapids, MN 56379
Driving Directions
Enter door #4 (left side of Community Arts Center). Free parking in school lot. 

Tech High School
4200 33rd St S
St Cloud, MN 56301
Driving Directions

We want to ensure that everyone has a healthy and fun week! Here are some reminders:

NOTES: Other details and instructions will be sent home with your camper on Mondays and Thursdays. Please make sure your camper gives these to you.

SLEEP: Campers need a good night’s rest to provide them with the energy they’ll need for each day of camp.

WHAT TO WEAR: Campers should wear rubber-soled shoes and comfortable clothing that they can move in. NO FLIP FLOPS. Students must wear masks that cover both nose and mouth. 

HYDRATE: Campers are encouraged to bring a water bottle to camp each day.

EAT: Campers should eat before coming to camp and bring snack/lunch based on the camp they are attending:

• Story Play (PreK/K) – NO FOOD
• Page to Stage (1st & 2nd) – snack
• Mini Players Originals (3rd-5th) – snack
• Musical & Play-In-A-week (4th-12th)- lunch and snack
• Intensive (Hamilton) – snack

CHECKING IN: Each day, our camp staff will check each camper in and out at the door to the auditorium or classroom. Campers are to enter through the designated entrance for their specified camp location. Before entering, you will be met by a camp instructor to answer safety questions. Younger children are to be accompanied by ONE adult to the front door to help with the check-in questions, but adults will not be allowed past the entrance area. Please make sure your child checks out with a staff person each day. 

ATTITUDE: Campers should be prepared for an awesome week. They should come ready to learn and have fun! NO CELL PHONES PLEASE. Instructors have phones if emergencies happen or calls need to be made.

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY: If your child will be absent, or in case of emergency during your week of camp, please call our office at 320.258.2787 so we may contact your child’s instructor.