Twin Cities Theater Camp

Twin Cities Theater Camp is a 5-week intensive theater day camp where campers take part in acting class, movement and dance, dance fundamentals, choreography for the show, music class, vocal technique, musicianship, performance skills, improvisation games, dialects, and art class. Campers also work on a summer-long art project, learn backstage management and technical theater, and take part in rehearsals for a full-length musical, including massed rehearsals to compose large group numbers.

• Ages: 7–15 years old
• Schedule: 5-week summer sessions with daily activities from 8:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Twin Cities Theater Camp is described as a unique summer theater institute where children learn from professionals in all areas of the theater arts and perform in a full-length musical production. The program states that it offers children a fun, stimulating experience where they can be themselves, express themselves, and make new friends. It is a stated value of the staff that theater education be available to all, and scholarship funds are available to students who cannot afford the program tuition.

The camp is led by a team that includes John Catron (Director, Acting), Ellen Fenster (Artistic Director), LaTia Childers (Dance Instructor and Choreographer), Eliza Rasheed (Assistant Director, Acting Coach), Gianna Haseman (Production Stage Manager), Lisa Arnold (Art Instructor), and former Music Director Tim Kraack. Twin Cities Theater Camp has highly skilled performing-arts professionals on staff with decades of combined experience teaching theater to children, including award-winning actors, directors, and teachers from the Twin Cities. LaTia completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance from the University of Minnesota where she also studied American Sign Language, and Gianna received a bachelor’s degree in Theater Arts and Sociology from the University of Minnesota. Lisa is a visual artist based in Minneapolis who specializes in mosaic and has works hanging across Minnesota through grants including the Minnesota State Arts Board and projects in Minnesota libraries. Tim is a musician and teacher from St. Paul who teaches piano, songwriting, and voice privately and at St. Joseph's School of Music and serves as Director of Choirs at Saint Paul Academy.

Twin Cities Theater Camp notes that it is led by and showcases some of the best performing arts talent in the Twin Cities and that it has a tradition of musical excellence, teaching healthy and expressive singing. The program culminates in three performances of a full-length musical, often incorporating student-created content, and in 2022 TCTC premiered Tim’s original musical “The Logic Pit.” Students work on a summer-long art project with an artist-in-residence that is displayed for the audience before and after performances at the end of camp, and each year Lisa engages the students in a visual art project that relates to themes of the summer’s show. The age range is described as facilitating a unique mentoring opportunity between older, more experienced children and younger children who are new to theater and the TCTC experience.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. One published comment from Theresa J Beckhusen in Minnesota Playlist notes, “They understood the stakes of the show. They'd learned a lot over five weeks. Most important: They had fun.” Camper comments include, “I like camp because it feels great!” (Lili), “Camp is about meeting old friends and making new ones” (Aiden), “That moment when I feel so happy and welcome here” (Katherine), “I just love it here!” (Rylan), “Camp is about being part of an awesome community” (Annika), “Performing as a community and as a family” (Ethan), “Making new traditions” (Eloise), and “You can become someone else” (Lexi).

Last updated June 27, 2026.