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July 27, 2005
 
Broadway Camp opens its curtain
Kids' musical is highlight of weeks of work on production

Vocal: Hadas Bienstock, (right) portraying Agwe, goddess of water, is on stage with Sarah Colville, as Ti Moune, in "Once on This Island" at the Jewish Community Center's annual theater camp. -- Rich Miller / The Star
 
andy.gammill@indystar.com
 

For 18 north suburban children, summer camp doesn't involve cabins, nature trails or sweltering heat.

It's all about song and dance. And air conditioning.

"I don't like outdoor camps," said Jackie Morris, a 10-year-old from Carmel.

Which was fine, because she was sitting in front of the stage as part of the Arthur M. Glick Jewish Community Center's annual Broadway Camp. Children 10-15 spend six weeks learning about theater and putting on their own production of a musical.

This year's show, "Once on This Island," will be presented at 7:30 p.m. today and 10 a.m. Thursday at the center, 6701 Hoover Road. Admission is free.

Jackie, who is going into fifth grade, has been excited to be a part of the show and finds the acting to be fun, she said.

"Usually in regular camp, they don't give you so much attention," she said. "In here, each of you is different . . . and there's not so much singing and dancing in real life."

Plus, campers do go swimming in the aquatics center, travel for field trips and interact with other day campers at the center.

Not that it's all horsing around.

The center's five paid staffers train the students in acting, choreography and blocking. The goal is to put on a high-quality show and teach the kids about theater.

They even help build the set.

"They work us hard," said Katie Teal, 13, Carmel, who will be a freshman at Carmel High School. "But it's fun."

Older teens are expected to help coach the younger children, too, said Bryan Cahen, the community center's cultural director. While the audience's reaction helps determine if a show is considered a success, so does how well the group works together and gels as a cast, he said.

At a rehearsal Monday, students marched across stage in carefully choreographed numbers and tried on costumes being prepared for the evening

"Once on This Island" -- a Caribbean love story of star-crossed love between a peasant girl and wealthy boy -- is heftier fare than recent productions of "Seussical the Musical" and "Peter Pan."

"They do a good job," Cahen said. "This show we're doing this year is probably one of the most difficult we've done."

That's not a problem for the cast, whose members said they enjoy "Once on This Island."

"It's got a pretty good plot," said 12-year-old Synthia Steiman, Carmel, a student at Park Tudor School. "Last year it was more of a kids show."

Call Star reporter Andy Gammill at (317) 444-2607.

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