SUMMER CAMP
Explore all aspects of life on stage with NESA this summer! Campers grades K-8 will learn everything from singing and dancing, to stage combat and Alexander Technique. We are offering six one-week sessions from July 1st through August 9th out of our new space in downtown Lebanon. Plus, we're partnering with CCBA to offer swimming and yoga lessons. Join us for a summer full of creativity, growth, and friendship!
Who
Elementary School Cohort: Entering Grades K-4
Middle School Cohort: Entering Grades 5-8
When
8:00 am - 3:30 pm*
Session 1: July 1st - 5th (no camp July 4th)
Session 2: July 8th - 12th
Session 3: July 15th - 19th
Session 4: July 22nd - 26th
Session 5: July 29th - August 2nd
Session 6: August 5th - 9th
*Extended Day Option: 4:30 pm pickup for $50/session
Where
9 Hanover Street, Lebanon, NH
Price
Elementary School Cohort: $550/session
Session 1: $440 (no camp July 4th)
Middle School Cohort: $500/session
Session 1: $400 (no camp July 4th)
Extended Day Option (4:30 pm pickup): $50/session
NESA seeks to make our summer camp accessible to all families. If you need financial assistance, please see more information below.
Programming
Session Themes
-
Session 1: Around the World
Students will sing songs from musicals that span the globe, write their own monologues with a lens toward travel, learn choreography from different cultures and explore stage makeup from Europe to Africa!
-
Session 2: Hollywood
Students will learn some of the classic Hollywood songs, learn how to dress to impress, write their own monologues for the big screen, learn how to create illusions for the stage, have a popcorn party, learn how the famous actors do their makeup for film, and tap their way through a fantastic week!
-
Session 3: Anything Goes
This week ANYTHING GOES! Campers will experience a hodge podge of theatrical experiences. Students will sing songs from the musical Anything Goes, write their own monologue on the craziest thing they’ve ever done, learn circus acts, perform a dance routine that pushes the boundaries, and experiment with makeup for the stage.
-
Session 4: Under the Big Top
Everything Circus related! Students wil learn circus acts, sing songs from musicals such as The Greatest Showman, and dance, sing and act their way to the Big Top!
-
Session 5: Wacky 'n' Wonderful
Students will sing songs from some of the wackiest musicals ever written such as Seussical, Honk, Xanadu and others. They will make wacky costumes, write a monologue on a wacky or wonderful topic, and learn some of the wackiest dance moves.
-
Session 6: Rock 'n' Roll
Students will sing classic rock n Roll songs ala Elvis, Bruce Springsteen, and others. Learn how to apply killer rockstar makeup, learn dance moves to revel Patrick Swayze and learn about the special effects that go into major rock venues.
Daily Schedule
This is an example of what a day at NESA Summer Camp might look like. Each session and day will be unique based on the weekly themes, weather, and other variables.
Elementary School Cohort
8:00 - 8:15 Drop off/Sign In at NESA
8:15 - 8:45: Warm-ups/Games
8:45 - 9:00 Snack
9:00 - 9:30 Walk to CCBA, get changed for lessons
9:30 - 10:00 Swim Lessons or Yoga
10:00 - 10:30 Get changed and walk back to NESA
10:30 - 11:30 Circus Acts
11:30 - 12:30 Lunch and time in the park and rail trail, weather permitting.
12:30 - 1:15 Singing
1:15 - 2:00 Improv acting for the stage
2:00 - 2:15 Snack
2:15 - 3:00 Dancing
3:00 - 3:30 Clean up and pick-up
Middle School Cohort
8:00 - 8:15 Drop off/Sign In at NESA
8:15 - 9:00 Ice breakers and warm-ups
9:00- 10:00 Tap dance lesson
10:00 - 10:15 Break/Snack
10:15 - 10:30 Walk to CCBA for group swim/get changed
10:30 - 11:30 Swimming
11:30 - 11:45 Change-walk back to NESA for lunch
11:45 - 12:30 Lunch and time in the park and rail trail, weather permitting
12:30 - 1:15 Improv acting for the stage
1:15 - 2:00 Combat for the stage
2:00 - 2:15 Snack
2:15 - 3:00 Singing
3:00 - 3:30 Clean up and pick-up
How to Pay for Camp
There are two ways to pay for camp. The first is by using a credit card at the end of the online registration form, which has a 3% credit card processing fee. The second is to mail a check to New England School of the Arts / P.O. Box 594 / Etna, New Hampshire 03750. After completing the registration form, you wil receive a confirmation email with a bill and payment instructions. Full tuition is due April 30.
Financial Aid
We seek to make NESA summer camp accessible to all families regardless of socioeconomic status. Please fill out the application below, and follow the instructions at the top of the document, to apply for financial aid. Email jenniferchambers@nesarts.org with any questions.
Full Tuition Deadline
Full tuition is due by April 30, 2024. Campers who register after April 30 are expected to pay for the full tuition within 2 weeks of registration either online or a mailed physical check.
Refunds
It may be necessary for a parent to cancel a camper’s registration after full tuition has been paid. If cancellation is due to a serious illness or injury that prevents participation in camp activities, New England School of the Arts will refund the paid tuition minus the deposit provided that a doctor’s note certifying the illness or injury is submitted in writing. Any cancellations for other reasons are not subject to refunds.
Waitlists
Once we reach capacity for a session, we will start a waitlist. To sign up for the waitlist, fill in an application online. There is no deposit required to be placed on the waitlist.
Contact Information
Email jenniferchambers@nesarts.org with questions about summer camp.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Yes and yes! Each week will have it’s own theme. Campers can enroll for multiple sessions and deepen their fun and learning each week.
-
Yes, we strive to make NESA summer camp as accessible as possible to all families. Please complete the application and follow the instructions in this document.
-
Yes, for an additional $50 per session, campers have the option to stay until 4:30 pm.
-
No, campers should come with their own lunch and plenty of water for the day.
Instructors
Ashley Barrow
Acting
Ashley Barrow hails originally from Hendersonville, NC and received her BA in Theatre Arts and Dance minor from Catawba College, in Salisbury, NC. Her theatre credits include Cape Fear Regional Theatre, South Carolina Children’s Theatre, North Carolina Theatre, Springer Opera House, Hanover High School, City Center Ballet, and Opera North. Ashley’s most recent engagement was as the Theatre Programming Coordinator for Artistree and the Grange Theatre in South Pomfret, VT. She is one of the original founding members of NESA.
Megan Baxter
Creative Writing
Megan Baxter holds an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Vermont College of the Fine Arts and a BFA in Poetry from Goddard College. In 2004, when she graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy as a Creative Writing major, Megan was honored as a Presidential Scholar in the Arts. Past works include The Coolest Monsters: Essays and Farm Girl. Her most recent book, Twenty Square Feet of Skin, was published in May of 2023 by Mad Creek Books from Ohio State Press as part of their 21st Century Essay Series.
Megan has won numerous national awards including a Pushcart Prize. Her work has been listed in The Best American Essays of 2019. Recent publications included pieces in The Threepenny Review, Hotel Amerika, The Florida Review, and Creative Nonfiction Magazine. She teaches writing at Colby-Sawyer College, where she enjoys serving as a mentor to young writers and developing cross-genre and innovative creative writing pedagogy for her workshops and classes.
Skip Cady
Circus Skills, Special Effects, Stage Production
Skip Cady, presently teaching for the Upper Valley Circus Collective, has a BFA from MECA in metalsmithing and jewelry. Skip has been performing for 45 years and teaching in the upper valley theater, circus arts, special F/X, set design and stage combat. He has consulted for non profits helping to bring creativity into public school programs in VT and created and acted in exercises for Russel Keat LLC. He specializes in teaching knife making and received an IMDb movie credit for building a costume for the movie "Lost Nation " with Jay Cravin as the director.
Jennifer Chambers
Vocal Performance
Jennifer completed her undergraduate degree in Music Education from DePaul School of Music, DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, and her Master’s in Vocal Performance from Hunter College in New York. Jennifer has taught in London, New York City, and most recently has been the Music Coordinator at Hanover High School for 10 years. She currently serves on the NH All State choral committee and is the President elect for the New England Music Festival Association. She holds her CAGS from New England College and is one of the founding members of NESA.
Jennifer Guess
Dance
Jennifer is an experienced dance teacher and dance coach specializing in technical training and performance preparation. She is classically trained in the Vaganova method of ballet, classical modern techniques (Horton & Graham), and jazz (Luigi, Maddox, Hachett). She graduated from North Carolina School of the Arts in 1989, and supplemented her training with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre from 1985-1991 before being signed, working and traveling with the Campbell Agency (Dallas) and Fontaine Agency (Los Angeles). In addition to walking the runways in New York, Dallas and Los Angeles, Jennifer worked in print, editorial, catalog, and commercial television advertising. Jennifer is one of the founding members of NESA.
Denise Frawley
Dance
Denise Frawley has been in theatre since the age of 7 when she performed with the Regale Players in Waltham, Massachusetts. She toured the country as a dancer and singer and performed for artists such as Frank Sinatra and John DeLouise. She was the first female to win the state championship in Waltham, Massachusetts for soap box derby racing and went on to represent Boston at the world championship in Akron, Ohio. Denise has spent the past 20 years of her life in the Upper Valley choreographing shows at Hanover High School, Crossroads Academy, the Lyme School and Hartford High School. She is passionate about starting a performing arts school and believes in any opportunity that provides more access to the arts for the Upper Valley community.
Interested in joining our team of summer camp counselors?
Apply to be a Lead Instructor (above 18) or Counselor in Training (under 18):
Testimonials from 2023
