In-Person Monday Camps for Grades 1-5 | September 14
Join Encore for our in-person, outdoor Monday series: “Let’s Get Moving – Mind, Body and Imagination”
Join Encore on Mondays for our popular in-person, outdoor summer series Let’s Get Moving – Mind, Body, and Imagination. Small groups of students will enjoy movement, theatre games, and crafts led by Encore’s Teaching Artists. We are excited to provide an opportunity for students to spend (socially-distanced) time with friends and activate their creativity!
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
September 2020
Mondays, September 14, 21 and 28
Fee: $150
October 2020
Mondays, October 5, 12, 19, 26
Fee: $200
UPDATED July 1, 2020 – Encore’s Plans Regarding COVID-19
July 1, 2020
Important Summer Camp Information
Dear Encore Stage & Studio Camp Families-
We hope you and your family continue to be healthy and safe. We are reaching out today to update you with our newest camp information.
After reviewing state and local guidelines, we have determined that currently scheduled camp programs with start dates in August will be held virtually.
We are confident that your student will have a positive, connectional experience with peers and Encore’s teaching artists in this new format. Please see below for important information about your enrollment.
August It’s Elementary Programs Going Virtual:
Ages 3-5:
August 3-7, 2020: Encore Heroes
August 3-7, 2020: Happily Ever After
August 3-7, 2020: Theatre Olympics
August 10-14, 2020: Royal Adventures
August 17-21, 2020: Laugh Out Loud
August 24-28, 2020: Around the World in 5 Days
August 31-September 4, 2020: Under the Sea
August Scenes for Tweens Programs Going Virtual for Ages 8-12:
August 3-14, 2020: Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
August 17-21, 2020: Improv-a-thon
August 24-28, 2020: Summer Nights Live
August 31 – September 4, 2020: Movie Mash-Up
August Camps Going Virtual for Ages 14-18:
August 3-21, 2020: Center Stage: Once Upon a Mattress
Click here to view all virtual summer camps.
Encore’s teaching artists have been preparing for virtual programming since March and we are excited to offer a vibrant and enriching experience for your student. The open house will be an opportunity for you to engage with our teachers and have your questions answered.
We sincerely hope that you will give virtual programming a try, but we understand that it may not be right for your child. Information about converting your enrollment into a credit voucher for the future or supporting our non-profit organization with a donation is also below. Lastly, if your family is experiencing financial hardship due to Covid-19, please contact our registrar at camp@encorestage.org for scholarship opportunities.
We are grateful for your support of our non-profit children’s theatre. We thank you for participating in virtual programming this summer, so that we may continue to provide opportunities for children in the future. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Carole Russo
President, Board of Directors
Sara Duke
Executive Director
August Camps: Encore Stage & Studio summer camp programs with start dates of August 3, August 10, August 17, August 24, and August 31.
Encore will not be canceling any summer camp programs. If we cannot hold camp in person, we will move to a virtual format.
Visit our summer camps page for camp descriptions, FAQs and updated information. All camp programs are still open for enrollment.
As a currently enrolled student, you will remain enrolled in your program as Encore takes our award-winning camps into a virtual format. All extended day fees will be automatically credited to your account for future use (look for a separate email with your credit voucher in the upcoming weeks). If you wish to have extended day fees refunded, contact us at camp@encorestage.org no later than Friday, July 24.
We are encouraging families to stay enrolled and give camp a try, but we understand that it might not be the best fit for your child this year. If you attend camp (in person or virtual) and it still isn’t the best fit for you, we will still issue you a credit voucher for the full value of your tuition. You may also transfer your enrollment into another camp session (as space allows). There is no deadline for requesting a credit voucher.
If you wish unenroll and receive a credit voucher, please contact our registrar at camp@encorestage.org. The credit voucher is for the full amount of your tuition, never expires and is good for any education class or camp at Encore in the future. The voucher can be used for the enrolled student or any other student in your family. This option provides maximum flexibility for your family while helping us to sustain our operations and keep our teaching artists employed this summer.
You might also consider converting all or some of your enrollment fee to a tax-deductible donation. This will help our non-profit organization offer scholarships and continue outreach programming like our Healthy Play Initiative in partnership with the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC).
If your family is experiencing job loss or financial hardship, please contact our registrar at camp@encorestage.org. We are dedicated to finding a solution for your family and we would like to discuss scholarship opportunities and other options with you. We know that many children look forward to summer camp all year. We don’t want finances to keep a child from benefiting from our programs.
Have additional questions? Please visit our updated summer camp FAQs or contact us at camp@encorestage.org.
Enroll in our Fall In-Person, Outoor Classes!
Make something magical with Encore Stage & Studio this fall! Classes include Wild Things, Broadway Dance, Make ’em Laugh, and more! We’re excited to offer classes to captivate your students’ minds and activate their energetic creativity through a jam-packed session of movement, character creation, problem solving, and more!
How to Prepare for a Virtual Experience
1) Assemble the Team
The awesome upside of virtual classes and camps is that students can participate from anywhere. If you’ve ever wanted to invite your cousins, neighbors, or faraway BFF’s to experience the Encore magic with you, now is the time! You all will collaborate to create a unique online performance experience.
2) Send [You] to Zoom!
Encore has so far successfully utilized the Zoom platform to offer our online classes, camps, and private lessons. We recommend downloading the platform in advance, to ensure smooth sailing when class time arrives. As a security measure, your account’s display name should be set as the student’s first name and last initial (ex. “Shannon M.”) when you sign up for Zoom. This will allow Encore’s teaching staff to match your Zoom account to the class roster and guarantee a safe and enjoyable experience for all participants.
3) Get Some Space
Find a place in your home that feels like your personal stage. You’ll want room to move around as we warm up, learn more about camera angles, and, in some cases, work on dance or combat choreography. We’ve found that most of our virtual students are most successful in a living or family room type of environment.
4) Find Your Light
Lighting is such as important in online settings as it is when a performer goes on stage. We recommend finding a place to film that faces a source of natural light, such as a window, if possible. If not, try to set up near a light source that will allow the camera to capture all sides and angles of your face as you perform. Don’t worry if it feels a bit confusing; our awesome teaching staff will help you adjust as needed.
5) Check, Check
If you can, try a practice call with a friend or a member of your family before class begins, to make sure that your audio is working well. This way, the teacher and other members of your virtual program will hear your great work perfectly. You’ll also be getting the best experience possible when you’re able to capture all of the instructions that are being said.
6) Prep Your Materials
Some teachers may share script selections (called “sides” or a “cut”), worksheets, or other helpful materials throughout your class or camp. Be sure to print these out ahead of time or have them available to view on another device. This will allow you to fully participate without any scrambling to get ready for class. It’s also helpful to have a pencil and some scrap paper on standby, just in case.
7) A V.I.T. (Very Important Task)
*Drum roll* please… Have fun! Above all, the purpose of Encore’s virtual programming is to engage students in a creative and exciting way, especially during these potentially confusing or grey days. We know that a new format sometimes takes a bit to get used to, but we encourage everyone to shake off the nerves and enjoy the human connection and magic that comes along with creating theatre.
To learn more about how Encore is preparing for the possibility of virtual and combination summer camps, please join us for a virtual Open House event on Saturday, May 30th. Virtually meet the teachers that will be joining us this year and see some of their special talents. Hear from the camp directors and learn their plans for taking summer online if necessary.
Experience a sample class to get a taste of what a virtual camp program could look like for your students. Our staff will also be available to answer questions from the audience. Participants will receive a secure Zoom link via email the day before our event.
10:00 am – 10:45 am – It’s Elementary (Ages 3-9)
11:00 am – 11:45 am – Scenes for Tweens (Ages 8-12)
12:00 pm – 12:45 pm – Stage Door and Center Stage (Ages 11-18)
Registration is free.
Photos by Aileen Pangan Christian, Larry McClemons, Aimee Pangan, Clarence Chan, and Cindy Kane Photography. Graphic design by Aileen Pangan Christian and Aimee Pangan. Blog contribution by Shannon McCarthy.
Missed our Virtual Benefit Breakfast? You can still make a donation!
On April 29, 2020, Encore Stage & Studio hosted a live virtual Benefit Breakfast! We are delighted to be able to celebrate “theatre by kids, for kids” in this unique way. There is still time to make a donation online to support our mission.
Live with Ms. A! | Tuesdays at 10:30am on Facebook & Instagram
Join us for a free virtual experience of music, movement, and storytime with our Parent & Me Class Teaching Artist, A.K. Nell!
For ages 6 months – 5 years old | Tune in on Tuesdays, 10:30am as Ms. A will go LIVE on Facebook and Instagram TV.
More about our Teaching Artist: A.K. “Ms A” Nell graduated from Muhlenberg College in 2016 with a BA in Directing for Theatre and Psychology. She has theatrical experience in nearly all aspects of a show – as a performer, fight captain, props master, and director, to name a few. She has a great passion for theatre of all kinds! Her most recent Encore credits include: Assistant Director (The Enchanted Bookshop), Co-Director (The Talented Clementine, world premiere production), and Finch in Encore’s summer production of Disney’s Newsies!
Click here to tune in on Facebook Live.
Click here to tune in on Instagram TV.
See you there!
Encore Goes Live! | Enroll in Virtual Spring Classes
Encore Stage & Studio is delighted to offer virtual theatre classes and spring break camp. Students will learn and engage with us through live classroom interactions through the Zoom platform and pre-recorded content.
Live with Mr. Patrick on Instagram | April 22 at 1pm
Join us for an exciting preview of our spring virtual classes with Education Programs Manager Patrick McGee! Virtual classes include Actor’s Toolbox, All’s Well That Ends Well, and more! Tune in this Thursday, April 22 at 1pm as we go LIVE on Instagram.
Click here to tune in on Instagram TV.
About Patrick McGee: Patrick G. McGee, originally hails from Rochester, NY, and he spent 12 years working as an actor and teaching artist in NYC. He now calls Northern Virginia home. Patrick has his B.F.A in Theatre Performance from Niagara University and also holds a M.S. Ed in Educational Theatre from The City College of NY, CUNY. Patrick is a proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association and has performed in NYC and across the country. As a teaching artist, Patrick has worked with actors at TADA! Youth Theater, Inside Broadway, Arts for All, Imagination Stage, and Educational Theatre Company. He also serves as a teaching artist for The I am an Islander Project connected with Come From Away on Broadway where he works with teachers and students in NYC and Newfoundland. Through his work as a professional actor and teaching artist, he has enjoyably discovered that those who can successfully do, can successfully teach! www.patrickgmcgee.com
Spring Break Camp Goes Virtual!
Everything you know and love about Encore’s day camps will be available to you via our online platforms: games, storytelling, crafts, dance, and more! Through a combination of live classroom interactions via the Zoom platform and prerecorded instructional videos (for which you’ll have life-long access), your students will experience an engaging day of theatre and creativity from the comfort and safety of their own home.
UPDATED March 27, 2020: Encore’s Plans Regarding COVID-19
Below are important updates regarding Encore’s programs:
-Spring Break Camp will be virtual. Through a combination of live classroom interactions via the Zoom platform and prerecorded instructional videos, students will experience an engaging day of theatre and creativity from the comfort and safety of their own home. Those already enrolled in camp will receive more information.
–The Frog Prince of Spamalot auditions and performances have been canceled. Arlington Cultural Affairs Department has decided to cancel all performances at Thomas Jefferson Theatre through June 2020. All ticket purchasers will be contacted by our box office with ticket options. Our production team is gearing up to bring virtual performance-focused opportunities to our students. Click here to sign up for our e-mailing list for updates on our new virtual programs.
-Our offices will be closed until further noticed. Our staff is working remotely and will be available through email.
All other spring and summer programs will continue as scheduled at this time.
At this time, Encore Stage & Studio plans to hold 2020 summer camps as scheduled. We care deeply about the health and safety of our campers and our staff and will follow all guidelines from the CDC and Commonwealth of Virginia. We are developing virtual camps if stay at home orders are extended beyond June 10th. No matter the format, Encore remains dedicated to our mission of “theatre by kids, for kids” for our community.
For questions, email the following:
Summer camps – camp@encorestage.org
Production and auditions – rebecca.pfeil@encorestage.org
Registration – shannon.mccarthy@encorestage.org
Tickets and season memberships – boxoffice@encorestage.org
For all other questions, please e-mail info@encorestage.org
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Many of you have been following the news about the new coronavirus. We are following the guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as local and state public health authorities, to safeguard our participants’ health and well-being.
During Encore productions and education programs, we continue to stress to the cast, crews, and students, the importance of prevention through ongoing reminders about handwashing and other healthy behaviors. We aggressively wipe down surfaces at Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre and classrooms; props, phones, doorknobs, and surfaces. We have pump soaps available for unlimited use.
• We ask parents to please keep sick children at home.
• We ask that if you have traveled to high-risk countries and areas identified by the CDC to not attend programs
As this public health situation evolves, we are following the recommendations made by Arlington Public Schools and the Arlington County Public Health Division (ACPHD). We are monitoring COVID-19 developments on a daily basis to assess necessary changes to our procedures. Any change to normal operating status would be based on a recommendation from health officials. We will post all updates on our website and social media.
We want to reassure you that we are proactively thinking through any and all scenarios to continue to deliver excellent experiences to all our students and families. We encourage you to take advantage of Encore’s flexible education vouchers or ticket exchange policy. We are grateful for your ongoing support.