SUMMER CAMPS
Exploring
We currently provide annual summer camps at the Showboat Theatre in Hermann, Missouri, for students grades 2-8 and 9-12. We also offer day camps year-round for all ages! Our camps focus on teaching basic principles of acting: movement, projection, collaboration, and confidence.
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Our camps are suitable for students who are familiar with acting, but they are also great for those who have never experienced theater before. Alongside our talented staff, cast members will put on an original production over the course of just one to two weeks!
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If your child is interested in our summer programs or you'd like to learn more, click the button below to contact us! We are happy to answer any questions and we are so excited to get to know you!
NEXT YEAR...
We are currently workshopping our 2025 summer season, so stay tuned for the reveal of our youth show and new community show!
PAST CAMPS
Take a look at what we've done so far! All of our youth production scripts are available for purchase through the New Play Exchange!
THE ROT
July 10-20, 2024
The Rot, by Jacquelyn Priskorn, marked the first time Half Act outsourced a script. The Rot was directed by guest artist, Jo Palisoc, and had a cast of seven talented actors. We also brought in two youth actors, which was a first for us also!
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A FRIEND TO LOVE
May 20-June 22, 2024
A Friend to Love, written by Brenna Jones with lyrics and music by Andre Harte, was Half Act's first fully-produced musical! The show is a parody of A Chorus Line and featured characters inspired by descriptions and drawings created by our campers.
PUSHING DAFFODILS
June 26-July 1, 2023
Pushing Daffodils was our first ever high school production! It is a dark comedy with characters who you love to hate and a magical reality full of ghosts, wishes, and the end of the world! Fun fact: during our first production of this show, we encountered a town-wide power outage!
WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH CRETE?
May 22-June 17, 2023
For the first time in Half Act's history, we had to host TWO youth camps! What's the Deal With Crete? was incredibly successful, and it was the first time we explored ancient Greek stories and dramatic traditions.
HOW TO BUILD A PARACOSM
Showboat Theatre, Hermann, Mo
May 23-June 4, 2022
How to Build a Paracosm was Half Act's biggest show at the time, and it brought together local designers to create amazing technical effects! The show is about imagination and the challenges of navigating childhood, and it was our first time having adult actors work alongside our youth troupe!
MAGICAL WORLDS IN MUNDANE PLACES
Hermann, MO
May 22, 23, 29, 30, & June 5,6, 2020
Because of COVID, we had to adapt the way we operated and decided to make a virtual promenade theater project that would involve many of the amazing historical places in our community. Magical Worlds is a series of short scenes that were written to bring out the joy and magic in our little town.
FLORAÂ & FAUNA
Cancelled due to COVID
Flora & Fauna is Half Act's first ever musical! Unfortunately, due to COVID, we were forced to cancel camp, and our fantastic cast never got to perform the show. Flora & Fauna is a short, witty musical about two rival forces in the magic forest: the fairies and the imps. As a twist on the Romeo and Juliet narrative, an imp and a fairy become friends, forcing both sides to reconsider their hatred for the other. The music is original text set to public domain scores from Disney's Fantasia.
BOTTLED UP!
Showboat Theatre, Hermann, Mo
May 28-June 8, 2019
Bottled Up! was our second play at the Showboat Theatre and marked the official naming of the Half Act Theatre Co. It is a comedic show about the struggles of middle school. The main character, Margo, finds a genie in an old soda bottle and thinks all her problems are solved, but magic doesn't always give you what you need.
EMPORIUM
Showboat Theatre, Hermann, Mo
May 29-June 10, 2018
Emporium was our first youth show, making it very special to us. It is a satirical adaptation of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, asking the question: Shouldn't this factory have a lawyer?