The temperatures are rising and so is our anticipation for summer camps at South Carolina Children’s Theatre! In this guest post from SCCT’s Kate Fowler, she takes us behind-the-scenes with the theatre’s Education Director, Betsy Bisson, on what makes SCCT’s camps unique & fun for children of all ages! 

What makes SCCT’s summer camps different from other camps in Greenville? What skills will the children learn?

Betsy Bisson: Socialization is a big part of any camp experience, but in theatre camp we encourage creative thinking and social & emotional learning, rather than just filling time with activities. Children are encouraged to explore, and learn self-expression and collaboration, while being active!

What camps are new this year and why are you excited about them?

Betsy Bisson: We have some new and some “tried and true” camps this year. We are excited for the Superkids & Spykids theme as it should be a great deal of fun as well as Dare to Be Different and Generosity and Gratitude, since those will really lean into exploring what makes each of us special. And, of course, Encanto/Coco as well as Sing 1 & 2!

Are there any particular success stories of children attending SCCT’s theatre classes and summer camps – and how they used the knowledge they learned?

Betsy Bisson: Yes! In fact, we just got this note from a parent: “Funny/cute story. My child takes piano lessons from another student’s mom and they had their recital this weekend. They had to do a little introduction before they played. You could tell that most of the kiddos, understandably, we’re nervous about that part. But our girls bounded up there, proclaiming loud and proud who they were and what they were playing! We laughed after that you can always tell those theatre kids! It does so much for their confidence.”

For working parents looking for all-day activities for their children, can you explain how they can do that with SCCT summer camps?

Betsy Bisson: We offer morning and afternoon camps for the Elementary aged child.  Students are welcome to bring a lunch for a supervised quiet time in our Education Lobby with lunch and a movie each day. We even offer FREE early-drop off for morning camps starting at 8:30am.

Any other fun facts about summer camps to share?

Betsy Bisson: All campers get a MainStage tour and get to see what it feels to me ONSTAGE under the lights! They also get daily outside time. We record performances at the end of camp as well and send the link via email to the parents – allowing each family to celebrate their child’s performance at a time convenient for everyone in the family, while making it possible to easily share with distant family members.    

Summer camps at South Carolina Children’s Theatre can be purchased on the SCCT website. You can review SCCT’s general FAQs for our programming from our location, COVID precautions, snack and lunch breaks, and more. Additionally, we are very proud to offer scholarships to qualifying families. For more information on summer camp scholarships, please click here. SCCT Theatre Conservatory scholarships are generously funded in part by Metropolitan Arts Council, Kiwanis Club of Greenville, Robert B. and Ruth K. Lee Foundation, and Walmart Community Grants. We hope to see you and your child at SCCT this summer!