Young Theater Makers Camp is designed for students in grades 4 to 11 who enjoy making stories, writing and performing. Students turn their own creative stories into stage scripts and bring them to life through performance. Groups have 8 to 10 students, and each session lasts two weeks.
What Happens in Two Weeks of Theater Camp
- Story structure: Students settle on a story that can be told in a little over ten minutes and define each character’s goal and obstacle.
- Character design: Students give each character a clear motivation and a distinct way of speaking, so the audience can tell who is who.
- Dialogue writing: Stage dialogue differs from narration in a novel. Information has to come out of the characters’ mouths without turning into a set of instructions read aloud.
- Basic stage technique: Blocking (where actors stand and move), voice projection, pauses and eye contact help students be seen and heard on stage.
- Rehearsal and performance: The camp ends with an original short play written and performed by the students.
What Students Gain from Theater Camp
Beyond the play itself, the camp develops creativity, expression, confidence and teamwork. Theater is unusual because no one can do it alone. A script has to take into account whether others can perform it, and each performer has to match the pace of the others. If any part falls short, the whole performance suffers. This kind of shared responsibility is hard to reproduce in class discussions or group assignments.
What Background Theater Camp Requires
No acting experience is required, and no writing background is needed either. The camp follows a set process. Quieter students usually start with writing and backstage roles and move into performing naturally during rehearsals. No one is asked to step onto the stage on the first day.
What to Take After Theater Camp
Students who want to keep writing scripts can continue with News & Screen Script Writing 101. Students who want to turn a story into a film can continue with Photography & Film 101. Students who want to strengthen public speaking can continue with Speech & Debate Intro or Voicemakers Club.
Theater Camp Enrollment and Schedule
Creative workshops come in three enrollment units: full-year classes, term classes, and summer camps. This course runs as follows; dates follow the 2026-27 program guide.
- Summer camp: two weeks per session, in small groups of 8 to 10.
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Contact a course advisorTheater Camp: Frequently Asked Questions
Is acting experience required?
No. Basic stage technique is taught as part of the camp, which is designed for students who enjoy making stories, writing and performing rather than for trained actors. Students turn an original story into a stage script first, then move into performing what they have written.
Can Irvine parents watch the final performance?
Yes. The camp closes with an original short play written and performed by the students themselves. Both the script and the staging are their own work, which makes the performance both the end of the session and the clearest view a parent gets of what was learned.
How long is a session in Irvine, and how large is the group?
Two weeks, with 8 to 10 students. EDUBUS is based in Irvine, and rehearsals and the performance for Young Theater Makers are held in person. Going from a blank page to a staged performance in that time keeps the pace brisk, and the small group means each student can still be coached individually.
What is taught?
Story structure, character design, dialogue writing and basic stage technique. Alongside those, the camp works on creativity, expression, confidence and teamwork, since a short play can only be finished by the whole group working together rather than by any one student.
What do Irvine students take after this?
The camp is open to grades 4 to 11. Students who want to go deeper on the writing side can continue with News & Screen Script Writing 101, which covers three-act structure and dialogue alongside news reporting, and is open to grades 6 to 12.
