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musical theatre summer camp

Registration Opens January 17th!

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Performing Arts Academy offers 1-week and 2-week Musical Theatre Summer Camps for Pre-K, elementary, middle, and high school age groups in the South Denver area. All Summer Camps occur during the months of June and July. Please note that Summer Camps fill up quickly, and several have audition dates that fall before the camp starts.

Musical Theater Summer Camps at PAA

This summer, students students will embark on a journey of putting on a fully-staged musical!

Summer camps start the day with a morning conversation around a positive, enriching value or theme for the day, such as compassion, leadership, or communication. There is also wrap up time at the end of the day to conclude the day with reflection on the day’s value or theme.

Camps are 1-2 weeks in duration, half-days or full days, with one or two casts per camp. For multi-cast shows, campers will be placed in either the AM or PM cast based on their role placement determined at auditions.

These are action-packed and challenging weeks full of learning, fun, and friends! Students will study acting, music, and dance as part of the rehearsal process, which also includes technical elements such as lights, sound, set, costumes, props, and projections. Camps end with a fully-staged performance!

 

Summer Camp Audition Information

Students audition prior to the start of the program, however, upon enrollment, every student has a place in the cast (with the exception of our conservatory level program). The auditions allow the teaching artists to find the best role for each student.

Students register for an audition time slot, and proceed through the audition process in small groups. Auditions have voice, dance, and acting components and are structured to provide a supportive atmosphere where students are encouraged to be brave and show the artistic team engagement, willingness to learn, and a positive, collaborative spirit. No previous experience is needed.

 

Good things to know about Musical Theater Summer Camp at PAA

Space is limited and registrations are taken on a first come, first served basis. No registration is complete without payment. PAA offers 1, 2, 3, or 4 installment Payment Plans to help you with your family budget. You can read more about available payment options here.

After completing your registration form you will be directed to pay online with a credit or debit card. To pay by cash or check please enter the code ccpp into the promo code box. PAA’s Financial Manager will contact you for payment.

Please see our Cancellation Policy for details on cancellations and refunds.

Financial assistance is available. Please see our Financial Aid page for more information. Financial Aid Applications for Summer are due by February 15th. 

Please review our Policies page for a full list of PAA Summer Camp policies.

Questions? Our FAQ page might have the answer!

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SAVE ON SPRING CLASSES!

In honor of our 15-year Anniversary, we are offering 15% off Spring Classes when students register for 2 or more classes!

The same student must be registered in both classes for the discount to apply.
Offer expires Monday, January 31

VIEW CLASS SCHEDULE

John Boggs

John Boggs is a pianist, composer and vocalist based currently in Thornton, Colorado. He holds a DMA in Composition from the University of Colorado Boulder, a M.M. in Composition from the University of Michigan and a B.F.A. from Bard College. Previous piano instructors include German Diez and MaryAnn Griebling. He taught students of all ages and experience during his undergraduate and graduate studies.

At Bard College he studied voice with tenor Rufus Müller. He has sung such roles as Jamie in The Last Five Years, The Lecturer in Reefer Madness, and El Gallo in The Fantasticks. He teaches repertoire in the genres of musical theater, art song, pop and opera. He currently is a Choral Pro for both the Ars Nova singers and the St. John’s Episcopal Compline Choir. In 2016, John co-founded Renaissance and Contemporary a cappella group, Solis, to promote new works from local and national composers.

His music direction includes Pippin and Rocky Horror Picture Show with the Bard Musical Theater Company. In 2017 he music directed Centerstage Theater Company’s production of Godspell, and most recently their 2021 production of Theory of Relativity.

He has had composition premiers by such groups as the American Symphony Orchestra, University of Michigan’s Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Choir, DaCapo Chamber Players, Ars Nova Singers, the Columbine Chorale, 303 Children’s Choir (now Vocal Coalition), the Chamber Music Society of Ohio, and new music ensemble Contemporaneous. He is the co-founder/co-writer as well as the keyboardist and vocalist for experimental rock band Fifth Veil, and is delving into the world of film and interactive game scoring.

He also has experience teaching students with developmental disabilities. He provided accompaniment for Tapestry Theater’s productions of Elf, School House Rocks and Shrek Jr. He was previously employed with Imagine’s CORE day program, where he instructed group music classes using midi over wifi to create the feeling of being in a band and orchestra.

 

 

Amy Arpan

Amy Arpan has worked professionally as an actress, show host, variety artist, improviser, fight choreographer, clown, and director for 22 years.

She is represented by Radical Artists Agency, and you may have seen her competing in the ‘Dish Network Challenge’ and zooming along on an electric scooter in the ‘Colorado Lottery’ Commercials.

Past local credits include Ella Enchanted at the Arvada Center; Mrs. Soames in Our Town at Miners Alley; the Conductor and Engineer in The Polar Express; Madame Volange in Les Liaisons Dangereuses at Miners Alley; Characters in Crisis for the Colorado Police Departments; and directing Fright Fest and the Summer Illusion Shows at Elitch Gardens. She is also a local weekly Trivia and Bingo Host.

Favorite out of State Credits and Clients
include: Nickelodean, Royal Caribbean,
Disney Cruise Lines, & Cedar Fair Theme Parks , Shakespeare Carolina, ChickSpeare, The Children’s Theatre of Charlotte,.

In addition to Clowning around with her Ringling Brother’s Circus School training, she is also fond of Juggling, Improv-ing, Performing Magic, Balloon Twisting, Lip Print Reading, Stilt Walking, Mascot work, Puppeteering, Show Hosting, and Character Roaming. She has been the owner and principal performer for Amy Arpan’s Illusions And Confusions since its founding in 1998.

Katie Reid Milazzo

Katie is thrilled to be returning to her beautiful home state of Colorado after 15 years away performing and teaching professionally, and she is very excited to be joining PAA! National Tours: South Pacific (Nellie Forbush), 'S Wonderful (Jane), Annie (Ronnie Boylan). Regional: Last Five Years (Cathy), Marvelous Wonderettes (Missy), Princess and the Pea (Queen u/s), Land of Forgotten Toys (Queen), Full Monty (Pam), Ordinary Days (Claire), B’way: The Big Band Years (featured singer), Sweeney Todd, The Who's Tommy. BFA Musical Theater from The University of Oklahoma. In Chicago, Katie taught and directed at several performing arts programs, directing/music directing over 20 shows with ages K - 12. She especially loves working one on one with students and believes in the transformative power of theater for everyone!

 

Jennifer Maggi

Jennifer Maggi grew up dancing in Orange County, California at the Pacific School of Ballet from the age of 5 to 18. Throughout her years there, she trained in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Lyrical/Contemporary, and Tap. She went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from California State University, Fullerton with an emphasis in Ballet and Modern. While completing her degree, Jennifer performed and choreographed for numerous professional dance shows and showcases as well as participated in the Limon Dance Intensive under Collin Connor. After graduating, Jennifer returned to Cal State Fullerton to choreograph the BFA Musical Theatre main stage productions of Andrew Lippa’s Wild Party, and Cry Baby. In 2014, Jennifer was cast as a performer at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California where she danced and portrayed famous Disney characters in the Pixar Play Parade, Paint the Night Parade, The Frightfully Fun Parade, and The Christmas Fantasy Parade. She moved to Denver in May 2019 and is so excited to join the team at PAA and share her passion for dance with her students.

Jana Wesson

Jana Wesson is thrilled to be back at PAA! As a former alumni, Jana is excited to be continuing with PAA as a staff of the outreach program. Since her last show in 2013 Jana has gone on to do community theatre at the Pace Center and Wesley Players Theatre Company, starring in shows such as Singin’ In The Rain, Mary Poppins, The Music Man and many more!

McKensey Struzik

McKensey graduated from Point Park University’s Conservatory of Performing Arts with a BA in Acting and a Minor in Musical Theatre in 2016.  Since, she has taught children’s theatre at various studios in Virginia as well as in Colorado.  She has taught dance, private voice and group acting classes as well as choreographed, music directed many productions.  She has tap danced for 17 years and had the opportunity to study under tap dancers such as Savion Glover, Chloe Arnold, Maude Arnold, and Jason Janas.  She is thrilled to teach tap with PAA this year and can’t wait to get started.

Andrew McGlothen

Andrew McGlothen is thrilled to be back for his 2nd summer with PAA. Originally from Texas, Andrew has been fabricator, scenic painter, director and actor for over a decade. He’s had the privilege to work for companies like the Arvada Center for Arts and Humanities, Rocky Mountain Theatre for Kids, Denver Comic Con, Visionbox Studio and many others. If you need something designed or created, he’s your guy. When not working in theatre Andrew is a Graphic Designer and coffee snob. He’d like to thank his husband and dogs for the support and PAA for the opportunity!”

 

Melanie Ware

Melanie has been with PAA as their Properties Master for six years and teaching classes for five. Melanie received her BA in Theatre from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs in May of 2016. Between Acting, Directing and Properties Design she has roughly 12 years of theatrical experience. Favorite PAA design credits include: You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown!, Tarzan, Mary Poppins and The Addams Family.

 

 

 

Shelly Cole

Shelly Cole has been an acting coach in Denver for the past 10 years. Before moving to Denver she was an actress in Los Angeles for 12 years, working regularly. Shelly has an impressive iMDB page which includes 3 1/2 years on the Gilmore Girls, playing the role of Madeline Lynn. She also had major guest starring roles in NCIS, Criminal Minds, CSI NY, and Cold Case, to name just a few.

Her feature film roles include her breakout performance as Sally, a drummer in an all girl band in the film Prey For Rock n Roll opposite Gina Gershon, Drea de Matteo and Marc Blucas. PFRR had its premiere at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival. She then went on to play Gloria, opposite John Ratzenberger in The Village Barbershop, for which she won best actress at the Newport Beach Film Festival. She has a great passion for acting and an even greater passion for fostering young artists.

Our June Summer Camp (The Little Red Hen) is full.

We are working to create a July summer camp for this age group, Kindergarten-2nd grade.

If you are interested in this new summer camp please submit your email address below and we will send you details as soon as we have them.

Thank you!

Stephanie Hesse

Stephanie is thrilled to join PAA, and is very proud of this group of talented kids!  With a BA in both Theatre and Dance from Colorado Mesa University,  Stephanie has performed with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Avatar Movement Dance Company, and in several musicals in the Denver area including 9 to 5, 42nd Street, Crazy For You, and West Side Story. Choreography credits include: A Gentleman’s Guide To Love And Murder, Hello Dolly!, She Loves Me, 13: The Musical, and Disney’s Mary Poppins Jr.