The Newnan Community Theatre Company is proud to be hosting their summer Drama Camp again this year. The first week of camp was a huge success with almost 50 of the community's children participating.

Camp facilitator Laurel Alford said, "The response this year has been wonderful! The kids are having fun, the teachers are exhausted, everyone is getting sweaty, dirty, and covered with paint…its great!"

This is the seventh year that NCTC has hosted the summer KidsCamp program. When it began in 2001, Alford says they had a grand total of 13 children in two weeks. Now, over the span of six weeks, they will serve upwards of 300 kids. 

This year marks the first year that the camp has offered both a half day program as well as a full day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Since so many parents both work, they need an all day event for their kids.

Camp is Monday through Friday either 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or 9-5. Then on Saturday the new actors put on a performance for their family and friends. These shows are free of charge and are open to the public.

During the week, the children (ages 5-13) learn classic theatre games and exercises, a role in a short play, they paint their own sets, choose their costumes, find props, use stage make-up, develop a stage voice and make lots of new friends.

Perhaps the most important aspect of children's drama camp is self-esteem. “Nationally the number one fear in America is the fear of public speaking. By getting these kids on stage and having fun right now, they will never develop those fears,” Alford elaborated. “People who are not afraid to speak up go further and have more advantages in life than those people who always stay quiet. It may not seem like a big thing right now, but it is. These kids will have a greater self-esteem because of the skills they learn at camp.”

Newnan Community Theatre is located at 24 First Avenue in Newnan.  All weeks are still open for enrollment. Go to the website, www.newnantheatre.com, and follow the KidsCamp link, or, call Laurel Alford at 678-677-1510 for more information.

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