AUGUST CAMPS at Bay Street Theatre- Sag Harbor, NY

ALL CAMPS MONDAY - FRIDAY, 9:30AM - 12:30PM DAILY

My Life: The Musical - This is your life; let’s make it a musical.
Ages 7 – 9: August 5 -9

Ages 9 – 12: August 12- 16

In this camp, students will work together with a teaching artist to create and perform their very own musical! In addition to developing ideas for an original script, students will learn standard songs and choreography that culminate in a presentation on the Bay Street Theater Mainstage on Friday for family and friends. Students will receive instruction in acting, singing, dance, and musical theater history; and they will also participate in creative theater games and improvisations that help to develop communication skills and encourage them to stretch their imaginative abilities.

TEACHING ARTIST: Kristen Poulakis

Kristen Poulakis is a vocal coach, piano instructor and song writing advocate for students of all ages. She teaches privately here on the East End of Long Island, when she's not in the theatre. She is also a choreographer and dancer. She taught several styles of dance at the Dance Centre of the Hamptons. Kristen co-owned/directed two musical theatre companies, ACT Out East as well as East End Children’s Theatre company at the Vail Leavitt Music Hall where she produced several musicals. Kristen’s formal training in dance and voice began in Boston, where she grew up, as well as at the Broadway Dance Centre in Manhattan. She attended the prestigious colleges, The Boston Conservatory of Music as well as The Berklee School of Music. She inevitably decided to make the move out West to graduate from a buddhist based college, Naropa University in Boulder Colorado where she earned a degree in Vocal Performance and Music Therapy. Kristen has been a Music Director, and most recently a Director of the Children’s Musical Theatre productions at Westhampton Performing Arts Center for several years. Kristen is thrilled to be back at Bay Street Theater for another fun summer!

Puppet Power Camp - Learn and play with Puppetry.
Ages 4 – 7: August 5-9

Puppet Power Camp combines theater, craft and your child’s imagination in this week-long camp for our youngest thespians. Under the guidance of Goat on a Boat’s Liz Joyce, campers will make a variety of puppets and will perform their own puppet show on the final day of camp.

TEACHING ARTIST: Goat on a Boat's Liz Joyce

Liz Joyce was trained as a fine artist and teacher before she happened upon puppetry. She worked with master puppeteers, honed her carving skills working with traditional puppet carvers in Prague and often collaborates with other puppeteers. Liz's puppet operetta, Sing a Song of Sixpence was awarded an UNIMA Citation, the highest award in American puppetry. As creative director, Liz has hosted many talented puppeteers at Goat on a Boat Puppet Theatre in Sag Harbor, NY.

Remix Shakespeare: Have fun playing with Shakespeare.
Ages 7 – 9: August 19 - 23

Come play with some of Shakespeare’s most classic stories and make them your own! Along with a teaching artist, campers will stretch their imaginations and explore creative ways of expressing the popular themes and language of The Bard. The camp will culminate in a presentation of the campers’ original work for family and friends to attend. 

TEACHING ARTIST: Bethany Dellapolla

Bethany Dellapolla is an actress, teacher, director, and choreographer based in NYC and Long Island. She received her BA in Theatre Performance from SUNY New Paltz, where she was named one of the Outstanding Graduates of her class. She also graduated (with honors), from LIU with her Masters Degree in Childhood Education, and holds teaching certifications in Childhood Education, Early Childhood Education, Special Education, and Theatre Education. Teaching and coaching credits include: Broadway Dance Center, Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, Bay Street Theater, TADA! Youth Theatre, Pierson Middle-High School, Gateway Playhouse, and NexGen Youth Theatre, her own youth theatre company based in NYC (www.nexgenyouththeatre.com). She has been fortunate to direct and/or choreograph many shows for children and adults as well, such as The Little Mermaid, The Drowsy Chaperone, Anything Goes, Seussical, Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan Jr., The Boyfriend, Really Rosie, Willy Wonka, Shrek, 13, Fame!, and The World Goes 'Round. As an actress, Bethany has performed in everything from independent film, to radio and theatre. Most recently, Bethany was seen as Mrs. Potts/Villager in Beauty and the Beast (BroadwayWorld.com nomination - Best Actress in a Musical), Steph in Reasons to Be Pretty, and Nurse/Worker 2 in Eco: The Musical (NYMF). Favorite regional credits include: Love, Loss, and What I Wore (BroadwayWorld.com nomination – Best Actress in a Play), The Graduate (Elaine), Cabaret (Frenchie), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Olive), Ruthless! The Musical (Lita Encore), Company (Jenny), and The Tempest (Iris). She is also a competitive ballroom dancer. Twitter/Instagram: @bdellapolla

Shakespeare Mini-Mainstage
Ages 9 – 12: August 19 – 23

Students will work with a teaching artist to explore an abridged, kid-friendly version of a Shakespeare play, culminating in a presentation on Bay Street Theater’s Mainstage on Friday for family and friends. As students gain basic instruction in acting, they will become familiar with the classic language, characters, and comedy of The Bard.

TEACHING ARTIST: Suzanne Clifton-Walsh

Suzanne Clifton Walsh is a Theatre Specialist.

After studying Acting at Eugene O'Neill National Theatre Institute & Connecticut College, she transferred to NYU where she graduated with a BA & MA in Educational Theatre.

She has taught drama and public speaking to students of all ages. She has also directed numerous musicals and plays. Her 40 year teaching career in New York City included the founding of a very popular summer multi-arts program called CREATIVE ARTS. Supervising a staff of 50 artists and an enrollment of about 200 children, Suzanne also instituted a Guest Artist program for the campers. Renowned actors, musicians, athletes and costume designers visited the camp and shared their experiences at daily Noontime Shows!

Suzanne always looked forward to visiting Bay Street during the summer. But now that she has recently relocated to Water Mill as a full time resident, she is excited to be more involved at Bay Street.