It is a grand and significant coincidence with The Soo Theatre Project and “Dog Days of Summer” since the saying originates with the stars!
A shortened summary: The Romans coined the phrase after noticing when the star Sirius, which is part of the Canis Major or “Large Dog” Constellation, is visible, it is the hottest part of the summer.
Putting it all together: (1) The Soo Theatre Project has its STARS program, which includes numerous dance offerings, theatre opportunities, voice lessons, fiddle, flute, piano, violin, and cello classes, and oh so much more! (2) We are embarking (pun intended) upon the hottest part of our summer. (3) STP has two awesome summer kids’ camps and amazing performances with the dog theme: “101 Dalmatians For Kids” and “Arf!”
I caught up with the very busy and talented director of the “101 Dalmatians Kids” show, Karen Hughes Beacom, and asked her a few questions about the camps, June 15-26 for older students and June 22-26 for elementary students (10-3 pm) and performances Friday, June 26 at 7 pm and Saturday, June 27 at 2 pm.
Q: Why did you select “101 Dalmatians Kids” for this year’s June performance?
A: I love the familiar storyline and the chance to showcase lots of performers. For the summer show since it incorporates kids from elementary all the way through high school it is important to program something that features substantial roles for the older kids and yet still has good material for the elementary kids. ‘Dalmatians’ fits that bill.
Q: I see there’s another dog-themed STP camp later in the summer. Did you intend to create a dog-themed summer?
A: Nope! It just happened that “Arf!” was one of our choices for the all-elementary show and someone coined the phrase “dog days of summer!” We love a good theme so we went with it!
Q: After the grand success of the multiple “Annie” performances in April, what do you expect “101 Dalmatians Kids” will do as well for our developing thespians at STP?
A: I am hoping that some of the Annie kids will get to experience the full immersion that the camp format provides. We do in two weeks what we did with Annie over a two and a half month time period. It’s so much fun to cast the show on the first day of camp and dive right in.
Dottie Case, the equally busy and talented director of “Arf!” had much to say about her excitement for the Elementary Musical Theatre Camp Monday, July 13 to Friday, July 17 (10-3 pm) as well as the performance Friday, July 17 at 2 pm:
Q: What is the story of “Arf!”
A: The subtitle explains it well–“Arf!-A canine musical of kindness, courage and calamity!” To describe the storyline, I’ll quote from the script itself. “Doggie Town is a-buzz with excitement! Judges from the famous Wurstchester Dog Show are coming to spot new talent, and everyone is busy rehearsing for the big show. General German Shepherd is drilling on proper etiquette and discipline, the singing Dalmatians are connecting the dots, the Boxers are toning and getting in shape. But why is Rover the mutt so sad? Join the huskies, poodles, pointers and more as they help Rover discover his special talent! Young performers in the primary grades will have their night to shine in this entertaining 25-minute musical.”
Q: Have you directed “Arf!” previously?
A: No. We usually have many repeat campers from year to year, so we choose new shows every summer, so that the students have fresh experiences. We have done many different types of shows in the past, featuring pirates, fractured fairy tales or fables. This will be our first dog show.
Q: What makes “Arf!” such an attractive musical for elementary aged students?
A: The shows that we do for this elementary camp are staged completely with young children, usually ranging in age from 5-10 years. Since the students come in ‘cold’, with no advance exposure to the shows, the entire show must be put together in 4 ½ days. The fun storyline, characters and songs keeps their attention. Who doesn’t want to be a dog?
Q: How many students can you have in “Arf!”?
A: The Elementary camps usually have around twenty students in attendance, but we have had as many as thirty in the past. Plus, this year we are repeating the show in our Pickford camp, which runs July 27-31, with a 2 pm performance on Friday the 31st at the PAL Center. So there’s room for many types of doggie characters this year!
For more information, please call The Soo Theatre Project Office at 906-632-1930. Register your children today for one of these or the other STP fabulous and fun summer camps!
