Village Church Community Theater offering two summer camps in Rancho Santa Fe

Final preparations are being made for the 2014 Summer Theater Camps for kids in grades 3 through 6, and students in grades 7 through 12, at the Village Church Community Theater, at The Village Church in Rancho Santa Fe.

A few places are still available for both camps, held from 9 am – 3 pm, during the week of July 21 – 25.

This year’s focus will be on improv and comedy. Applications are available at The Village Church office or at villagechurchcommunitytheater.org.

Tuition is $105 per student with a discount for more than one sibling.

Campers in the elementary school age camp will create scenes from “The Berenstain Bears Meet God” from what they are learning in the workshops and scene rehearsals. Students in the middle school-high school camp will create scenes that will include music, dance and comedy. Both camps will conclude the week with a final showcase performance at 7 p.m. Friday, July 25, to which the community is invited.

The theater camp staff directors are:

Theresa Layne, who is on the MiraCosta College Theater faculty and the MiraCosta Actors Academy. She is also a professional actor (Old Globe, Colony Theater, North Coast Theater, New Village Arts, Moonlight Stage Arizona Rep.) and TV (Discovery Channel), and is a film and theater director.

Ariana Arant is a recent UCLA graduate who has attended the summer theater camp since eighth grade and more recently, as a stage director and choreographer. She has appeared in several Village Church Community Theater productions, most recently as Mary in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and was the assistant director to Margie Wood this past season. She has performed in MiraCosta College productions and worked with groups such as Moonlight Stage Productions and the Broadway Theaters.

Tamara Rodriguez Mehl, professional actor, singer and dancer, has been the musical director and vocal coach for recent Village Church Community Theater productions. She will teach musical theater and acting for the camera workshops. She made her international debut in “Quinceanera” (Telemundo) in Mexico. Her American stage credits include: “Chicago the Musical,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “The Sound of Music,” “Lena Horne Tribute,” and “Annie Get Your Gun.” She will be appearing as Maria in “West Side Story” at the Old Town Temecula Community Theater in September.

Josh Lawson, missionary, standup comic actor and writer, has been performing comedy throughout southern California and the eastern United States. He uses his life experiences and “skewed view of reality  to bring laughter to your belly.” He is an experienced teacher of comedy to children and adults.

Brett Benson has taught improv at summer theater camps for several years, and has appeared in three Village Church Community Theater productions, most recently as Clarence in “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

For details, contact Margie Wood at margiew@villagechurch.org.