Summer Camps & Programs

Program Description

Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Center

Summer Theater/Dance Camp
Loch Sheldrake in the Catskill Mountains, New York

		Program Description Program Overview Visit Web Site Get Free Info

For More Information, Contact
Cynthia Samuelson and Barbara Fine Martin
8 Wingate Road
Lexington, Massachusetts 02421
888-STAGE-88 (toll-free)
http://www.stagedoormanor.com/

Type of Program: Theater, dance camp
Participants: Boys and girls, ages 10–18
Enrollment: 265
Program Dates: Three-, six-, or nine-week sessions; June 18–July 8, July 9–29, and July 30–August 19
Heads of Program: Cynthia Samuelson, Owner and Producer; Barbara Fine Martin, Director

Location

Located in the heart of the famous “Catskills on Broadway” vacation area, Stagedoor Manor is in a woodland setting just 95 miles northwest of New York City. Thirty-one years ago, the Samuelson family bought and converted a small resort hotel into a multispace theater complex.

Background and Philosophy

Stagedoor Manor combines all the excitement of theater with all the fun of a great summer camp.
    Stagedoor Manor is the only summer theater program of its kind in the world, a complete community where all of the kids and staff members are in love with the theater, dance, and the performing arts. Stagedoor believes that each boy and girl should be guided to choose his or her own schedule, with a flexibility that encourages them to stretch and grow and discover new capabilities.
    No previous experience is required. Many of the campers are beginners or have been in school plays. Others have already appeared on Broadway, in films, or on television. Each camper is given the opportunity at his or her experience level to study and grow at his or her own pace.
    Stagedoor Manor teaches theater, dance, and voice extremely well, but much more important is its goal to nurture and care for its campers.

Program Offerings

At Stagedoor Manor, time is divided into thirds.
Classes: Taught in almost every aspect of performance, classes include theater, dance, voice, and technical arts; technique and improvisation; acting for film and television; comedy; moviemaking; Shakespeare; modeling and makeup; speech and diction; costuming, lights, and technical theater; ballet (all levels), tap, jazz, and modern dance; and choreography and styles. Advanced master classes are available for those ready to go beyond the beginner levels. Guest workshops on all subjects are taught by working leaders in the industry. More than fifty different classes are offered in all skill levels. Each camper chooses an individual class program with faculty guidance and mentoring.
Performances: Every camper is in a show at all times. Nobody is left out. Stagedoor produces eight musicals and five dramas in every session. To ensure individual attention and coaching, musicals are cast with 24 to 26 campers per show and dramas with 10 to 15 campers per show. Many agents, managers, and casting directors attend rehearsals and performances searching for fresh talent.
    Stagedoor alumni include film star Natalie Portman, singer/actress Mandy Moore, Scrubs star Zach Braff, Robert Downey Jr., 2½ Men star Jon Cryer, Helen Slater, Mary Stuart Masterson, The Village star Bryce Dallas Howard, and writer/director Todd Graff, who created the movie CAMP based on his memories of Stagedoor Manor and filmed it at the camp in 2003. Many famous alumni return each summer to share their experiences with current campers.
Recreation: Activities include swimming (an outdoor pool for hot summer days and a heated indoor pool for rainy days and evenings), tennis (coach on staff), volleyball, basketball, dee-jay dances, open-microphone coffeehouse and canteen, game nights, trips off camp to movies and dinner, camper-organized showcases, and themed parties every session. All sports are noncompetitive for those who want to join in.

Enrollment

Boys and girls, ages 10–18, come to Stagedoor Manor from every state and all over the world. They attend for three weeks, six weeks, or nine weeks. No audition is required, but Stagedoor seeks campers who love performance and want to be totally immersed in the world of theater.

Facilities

At Stagedoor Manor’s private former resort hotel, campers live (4–6 in a room) dormitory style in regular hotel rooms with private bathrooms. All rooms are fully carpeted, with bunks, full-size clothing chests, and closets. Landscaped grounds and cozy walkways give the camp a campus atmosphere. Adding on through the years, the site now houses seven theaters, twenty-two classrooms, video studios, outdoor and indoor heated pools, an air-conditioned dining room, and dance and rehearsal studios. Two major theaters are also air conditioned.

Staff

Teachers at Stagedoor Manor are mature professionals who are active in the theatrical industry and teach at leading universities. A separate counseling staff (all age 21 or over), with no junior counselors or counselors in training, provides close supervision and support. The staff numbers 160 members for 265 campers.
    Guest workshop and Master Class visitors include Broadway, movie, and television stars, along with agents, casting directors, and behind-the-scenes creative talent. Recent guests include Broadway duo Richard Maltby and David Shire, CBS series star Yancy Arias, Rockette dance captain Kim Calore, commercial actor and author Aaron Marcus, Broadway musical director and conductor Kim Grigsby, Tony-nominated actor Gavin Creel, Tony award–winning Broadway composer Jeanine Tesori, Wicked star Michelle Federer, and multiple-Tony costume designer Ann Hould-Ward. Representatives from Nickelodeon, Disney, Wilhelmina, Brookside Artists, Carson Adler, Warner Brothers, MTV, and many others visit, looking for tomorrow’s stars. Former Stagedoor alumni, now working on film, TV, and stage, join the camp on show weekends to share their experiences and give advice to current campers.

Medical Care

Stagedoor provides a health center staffed by registered nurses, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians 24 hours a day. There are separate rooms, with television and air conditioning, for those who require isolation and rest. A nearby medical group is on call, with Catskill Medical Center only 10 minutes away.

Religious Life

Stagedoor Manor is nonsectarian. Campers who wish may attend services at nearby churches and temples. Escort and transportation are provided.

Costs

Sessions at Stagedoor are three weeks. Tuition starts at $4445 for one session, with consideration for additional sessions. This tuition includes room and board, use of all facilities, rental of scripts and costumes, and any technical support required for productions. A full preview of fees is listed on the enrollment contract.

Transportation

Campers fly into Newark Airport, just outside New York, where they are met by Stagedoor staff members and taken to the camp in large air-conditioned coaches. Return to the airport is provided if required.

Application Timetable

Rolling enrollment begins in September and continues to late spring the next year. Some sessions and age groups fill up faster than others, and early registration is advised.