First of all, thank you for a wonderful summer!  I was thrilled with the whole thing – the kids were a joy to work with, the energy and creativity they brought was refreshing, and their performances were events to be proud of.  Congratulations to all!

For those of you who have not gotten them yet, all of the summer’s DVDs are in and ready to be picked up.  I have them in a box outside my (winter) office – if you enter Hill House through the regular “summer camp front door” and go diagonally across the building, you will find my backstage office.  Just outside my door is a cardboard box with DVDs as well as a posted checklist.  Please stop by, take the appropriate DVD, and check off your name so I know who has gotten what.  If I’m not teaching when you’re here, I’d love to say hi as well.  If you live too far away to drop by, please just remind me of that in an email with the correct address to which I should send your copy.

I wish you all a wonderful fall, and hope to see you when summer rolls around again!

All my best,

Christy

Totally Egypt

an original musical written by the cast

directed by Stephanie Spaziano

musical direction by Jeremy Kindsvatter

choreography by Ellie Jones

technical direction by Meredith Brown

Friday July 30^th and Saturday July 31^st at 7:00

Hill House, St. Michael’s School

180 Rhode Island Ave.

Newport, RI 02840

admission $6

for more information, call 401-849-5970 x411

 We’re right around the corner from the beginning of the Theatre at St. Michael’s As You Like It Shakespeare Camp, and I just wanted to touch bases with all of you.  The faculty and I, along with all of the counselors, can’t wait to start working on this wonderful play.  So please make sure to bring lots of energy with you!  Our performances will be on Friday, August 13^th and Saturday, August 14^th at 7:00, so don’t forget to mark those dates on your calendar!

 Registration is at 9:00 on Monday morning, August 2^nd, at the lobby of Hill House (the gym), and I’ll need to see parents as well as the campers for a few moments at the beginning of the first day to make sure all your paperwork is in order.  If you have a balance to pay, or forms to fill out, you can do that then.  Please don’t forget to get a copy of your immunization records for me to have on file as well. 

 Please use the Gibbs Ave. parking lot for drop-off and pick-up – that avoids a traffic jam with the Summer at St. Michael’s campers.  Campers need to be picked up by 4:00, and as early as 3:00 is fine if they don’t want to swim. 

 Enclosed is a carpool form and a lunch program form, as well as an extra copy of the medical form in case you haven’t sent that in yet.  You can bring them with you on the registration morning, but if you’d like to have the camp lunch on the first day, please leave me a message indicating cheese or pepperoni ahead of time so I can call in the order.  Otherwise, please remember to bring your own lunch!  It’s also a good idea to pack a snack, as well as extra bottled juice or water (especially good when it’s hot out…).  Of course, don’t forget your bathing suit and a towel for pool time at the end of each day as well.  For those of you who may not want to swim, bring a good book or playing cards if you’d like. 

 I think that’s all the information I need to give you before we get started, but feel free to call if you have any questions.  My camp cell phone is 401-207-7699, or the Theatre at St. Michael’s voice mail is 849-5970 x411.  Thanks, and I’ll see you all very soon!  I can’t wait to see what’s in store this year.

 Sincerely,

Christina Johnston (Camp Director)

First, let me tell you how much amazing work all the movie campers have done!  I’m very impressed by their creativity, energy, and teamwork to take on such a huge project, and love the stories that they have come up with for all three movies – The Mystery of Gilbert Mansion, Don’t’ Trust Me… and Mind Control Mischief!  We have had days full of actors running around in full costume muttering lines to memorize, and crew valiantly setting up for shot after shot.  I just came from the editing lab, where the pieces are all being put together.  It’s a lot to do, but they’re doing a great job, and I can’t wait to see Friday’s screening!

As for Friday the 9^th, campers will be taken from camp to the Jane Pickens by bus, and you can meet us there.  The screening will start at 2:00, and will be over when the movies are done (we don’t quite have a running time yet…), so you can take them with you when it’s over.  Campers will all receive a ticket good for popcorn and a drink, and the refreshment stand will be open for everyone else to purchase what they’d like.  

I believe that the t-shirts will be ready by Friday as well, and I’ll hand them out at the screening.  DVD copies of the final project will be copied and delivered as soon as they’re ready.  I’ll give you all a call when they’re ready. 

I can’t believe that we’re almost done with this session of camp already!  Please put the performance dates of other summer shows on your calendars, so you can come back and see what else is in store.  The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) will perform on Friday July 16^th and Saturday July 17^th at 7:00.  The original musical will perform on Friday July 30^th and Saturday July 31^st at 7:00, and As You Like It will be on Friday August 13^th and Saturday August 14^th, also at 7:00.  I’d love to see any and all of you there!

Please give me a call if you have any questions.  I can’t wait to see you (and the final films) on Friday!

Christy Johnston

We’re right around the corner from the beginning of the Theatre at St. Michael’s Musical Camp, and I just wanted to touch bases with all of you.  The faculty and I, along with all of the counselors, are looking forward to the burst of creative energy that will mark the beginning of our tenth summer’s original musical.  So please make sure to bring lots of imagination with you!  Our performances will be on Friday, July 30^th and Saturday, July 31^st at 7:00, so don’t forget to mark those dates on your calendar!

Registration is at 9:00 on Monday morning, July 12^th, at the lobby of Hill House (the gym), and I’ll need to see parents as well as the campers for a few moments at the beginning of the first day to make sure all your paperwork is in order.  If you have a balance to pay, or forms to fill out (I’ll need the medical, carpool, and lunch forms), you can do that then.  Please don’t forget to get a copy of your immunization records for me to have on file as well. 

Please use the Gibbs Ave. parking lot for drop-off and pick-up – that avoids a traffic jam with the Summer at St. Michael’s campers.  Campers need to be picked up by 4:00, and as early as 3:00 is fine if they don’t want to swim. 

If you’d like to have the camp lunch on the first day, please leave me a message indicating cheese or pepperoni ahead of time so I can call in the order.  Otherwise, please remember to bring your lunch!  It’s also a good idea to pack a snack, as well as bottled juice or water (especially good since it’s so hot out…).  Of course, don’t forget your bathing suit and a towel for pool time at the end of each day as well.  For those of you who may not want to swim, bring a good book or playing cards if you’d like. 

I think that’s all the information I need to give you before we get started, but feel free to call if you have any questions.  The Theatre at St. Michael’s voice mail is 849-5970 x411, and the camp cell phone is 401-207-7699.  Thanks, and I’ll see you all very soon!  I can’t wait to see what’s in store this year…

                                                                    Sincerely,

                                                                   Christina Johnston (Camp Director)

     We’re off and running with this year’s movie camp and the kids are doing a great job!  Stephanie, Lelia, Zach and I are so impressed by all the energy and enthusiasm that the kids are bringing to their movies.  So far, the kids have divided up into three different groups, and each group is off to a running start on their movie.  They have brainstormed ideas, created characters and written scripts, gathered costumes, and started filming.  I think there’s even a little editing that has already begun… At this rate, we’ll have three impressive pieces for the final showing. 

Please don’t forget that these fabulous movies will be shown next Friday, July 9^th at our screening, which will be at 2:00 at the Jane Pickens Movie House.  You’re all invited, and we hope to see you there!  Campers will be taken down from school by a bus, and pick-up on that final day will be at the Jane Pickens instead of St. Michael’s. 

     A few other things to note:

• As a reminder, the camp cell phone number is 401-207-7699 (I try to keep me on me at all times).
• We may be asking for a few more costume pieces to come from home for each character.  Costumes should be left here for the duration of filming and brought home on the last day of camp.
• Video camp T-shirts are in the works.  They will have the Theatre at St. Michael’s logo on the back, and their movie marquis on the front.  The order form is included with this letter.
• Each camper will receive a DVD copy of their movie once the final editing has been completed.
• Please don’t drop off your kids before 8:45.  I do my best to get here at 8:30 each day, but I am traveling quite a distance, and sometimes hit traffic.  Supervision is guaranteed after 8:45!
• There will be no camp this Monday, the 5^th of July.  Have a wonderful 4^th of July weekend!

Thanks again for sending us your kids – they’re wonderful!

                                  Have a great day,

                                  Christy Johnston (camp director)

We’re right around the corner from the beginning of the Theatre at St. Michael’s Movie Production Camp, and I just wanted to touch bases with all of you.  The faculty and I, along with all of the counselors, are looking forward to the burst of creative energy that will mark the beginning of our tenth summer of camp.  So please make sure to bring lots of imagination with you!  Our movie will have an exciting showing again this year – at the Jane Pickens Theater on the big screen!  So don’t forget to set aside Friday, July 9^th at 2:00 to come to our world premiere screening!

Registration is at 9:00 on Monday morning, June 28^th, at the lobby of Hill House (the gym), and I’ll need parents to check in for a few moments at the beginning of the first day to make sure all your paperwork is in order.  If you have a balance to pay, or forms to fill out, you can do that then.  I am including a lunch form for those of you who would to participate in our camp lunch program, and another copy of the medical form and carpool forms in case you haven’t sent those in yet.  Please don’t forget to get a copy of your immunization records for me to have on file as well.   

Please use the Gibbs Ave. parking lot for drop-off and pick-up – that avoids a traffic jam with the Summer at St. Michael’s campers.  Campers need to be picked up by 4:00, and as early as 3:00 is fine if they don’t want to swim.  

To have lunch on the first day of camp, please just call and leave a message for me or jot me an email.  Otherwise, remember to bring your lunch!  It’s also a good idea to pack a snack, as well as bottled juice or water (especially good when it gets hot out…).  Of course, don’t forget your bathing suit and a towel for pool time at the end of each day as well.  For those of you who may not want to swim, bring a good book or playing cards if you’d like.  

I think that’s all the information I need to give you before we get started, but feel free to call if you have any questions.  My camp cell phone is 401-207-3313, or the Theatre at St. Michael’s voice mail is 849-5970 x411.  Thanks, and I’ll see you all very soon!  I can’t wait to see what’s in store this year…

 Sincerely,

Christina Johnston (Camp Director)

Summer is almost upon us, and TASM camps are filling up!  We have no more spaces for actors in either the Musical Production or Shakespeare – “As You Like It,” so please either consider tech for those productions, or one of our other sessions instead.  Thanks, and I can’t wait to see you this summer!

Christy (TASM camp director)