CCS Awards 2010 Scholarships

June 18, 2010
Portsmouth, NH

We've just completed the challenging process of reviewing and awarding scholarships for Camp CenterStage's 2010 summer session. Part of our mission is to ensure that any camper who has a desire to attend Camp CenterStage is able to do so; and we also recognize that these are tough economic times for many families. With the help of some very generous donations, we are able to award scholarships in an amount that is more than twice the originally intended dollar value. We are thankful for the support from the Cathy Allen and Jonathan Allen memorial funds, provided by the Allen family.

"We joyfully accept this award; Thank you for answering our prayers and for making a dream come true."

"We greatly appreciated the scholarship that has been awarded to us. Your care and concern in helping the campers to come and participate is exceptional; I'm sure Centerstage will be a rewarding experience for all."

CCS welcomes aboard Victoria Ernst!

Camp CenterStage is excited to welcome aboard Victoria Ernst to our staff! Tori has been actively involved in theatre and the performing arts for several years. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from Marymount Manhattan College. In 2008, Tori attended the Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Arts where she studied theatre. PGSA gave her a new appreciation for the connection all the arts have with each other. Tori is also a big yoga fan and loves to be active. She is honored and overwhelmingly excited to be a new member of Camp CenterStage, and can't wait to share her love for acting, singing, and performing arts with the campers at CCS!

http://campcenterstage.org/latest-camp-centerstage-news.cfm?article=061110

CCS "Studio" Signups Begin

June 8, 2010
Portsmouth, NH

This week, CCS camper's will be receiving their 2010 "Studio Signup Forms". "Studios" are classes that campers will participate in every day while at camp; this signup process helps us to place our campers in one of their favorite camp "Studio" classes. Campers will be selecting from offerings such as "Musical Theatre", "Theatre Dance", "Acting/Improvisation", "Arts & Crafts", and "Creative Writing/Photography". As one of its goals, the "Creative Writing" studio will be creating the "CCS Chronicle", a keepsake/yearbook that all campers will receive after camp!

http://campcenterstage.org/latest-camp-centerstage-news.cfm?article=060810

CCS welcomes aboard Chrissy Albanese!

Camp CenterStage is excited to welcome aboard Chrissy Albanese to our staff! Chrissy is currently a student at New York University in NYC studying musical theater at the CAP21 program. When not at school, Chrissy lives here in Maine, where she has been involved in theater for many years. Last summer she worked at the Ogunquit Playhouse and is now at the Arundel Barn Playhouse in "The Producers." Chrissy is looking forward to not only teaching at Camp CenterStage, but also learning more about why she loves theater, how it can bring people together, and how it can open up all kinds of wonderful, surprising possibilities!

http://campcenterstage.org/latest-camp-centerstage-news.cfm?article=060410

CCS Welcomes Crystal Lisbon!!

Camp CenterStage is excited to welcome aboard Crystal Lisbon to our staff!
Crystal holds a B.A. in Theatre/Performance from the University of Vermont. She has trained theatrically with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford Upon Avon, England and with the Friches Theatre Urbain in Paris, France. For the past four years, Crystal has been working extensively in Boston. She has performed with a broad range of theatre companies, as well as worked in local film, television, and voice over. Most recently she completed a highly successful run of "Act a Lady" with Theatre on Fire. Previous to her work in Boston, Crystal worked at a variety of regional theaters throughout the country, and toured the United States with The Diary of Anne Frank. Crystal is also a classically trained ballet dancer and choreographer, having danced with The Seacoast Ballet Company for 9 years, and training at The Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts. She has choreographed a number of productions for various theaters in the Seacoast area. Crystal is thrilled to be working at CCS this summer, and looking forward to all of the art we'll create together!

For more information, visit www.campcenterstage.org.

Alexis earns top business award in Hawaii!!

Alexis Dascoulias, Executive Director for Maui OnStage at the Historic Iao Theater and Camp Director for Camp CenterStage, recently received a top business award and was named one of Hawaii's "Forty Under 40" by Pacific Business News. This annual award recognizes industry leaders who are committed to making a meaningful impact on their community and industry. Criteria for the award includes recognition as an industry leader, a high degree of business acumen, a respect of colleagues, a consistent "take-charge" attitude, and a commitment to their communities beyond the requirements of their job and industry. One of Alexis' contributions that earned his this prestigious award is that she is a founding member of Camp CenterStage, LLC which is a two week camp program that nurtures leadership skills and excellence through the arts for youngsters ages 8 - 17. This program will be held in Maine during the summer of 2010, with goals of adding a session in Hawaii in 2012 and another in a third US location in 2014.

For more information, visit www.campcenterstage.org.

CCS Welcomes Jen Mallard!!

Camp CenterStage is excited to welcome aboard Jennifer Sue Mallard, who will serve as our Lead Counselor and CIT Mentor this summer.

Jennifer has been performing and working regionally for over 15 years, including Off-Broadway NYC at the Theater at Saint Clements as Yitzhak in "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" and with the New York Musical Theater Festival. Jennifer has directed and choreographed numerous shows around New England and has been working with children and young adults for over 5 years now as a theater teacher, camp counselor and a private acting coach. Some companies include The Seacoast Repertory's PAPA Camp, Peacock Players, 21st Century Program after school instructor, Acting Loft, Phoenix Academy, and now Camp CenterStage! She loves sharing and teaching her craft and has an extreme passion and love for the arts. Jennifer is glad to be a part of something new and to have the opportunity to help the campers discover themselves, help them grow, and give them the tools to help perfect their skills in what they love.

For more information, visit www.campcenterstage.org.

Camp CenterStage May Newsletter Just Released!

Camp CenterStage May Newsletter Just Released!
http://campcenterstage.org/newsletter/052710CCSNewsletter.html

CampCenterStage April 2010 Newsletter Just Released!

Camp CenterStage April Newsletter Just Released!
http://campcenterstage.org/newsletter/042810CCSNewsletter.html

2010 Theme: A Celebration Under the Stars!!

Every year Camp CenterStage hosts a theme for its 12-day camp session on Crescent Lake at Camp Agawam. This year's theme will be "Celebration Under the Stars". Some of the full camp songs and performance numbers will be themed around star, both the kind up in the sky and the kind on stage! In addition, our 12 days will be filled with ways to enjoy the stars:

* Twilight swim: Swimming at sunset while the moon is rising over Crescent Lake.
* Games such as Greased Watermelon, Drip-Drip-Splash, Dive for Gold, and What Time is It Blue Whale? are sure to ensue. Too cold for you to go in swimming? Warm up by the beach-side campfire and cheer for your team.
* Drive-in movie: Snuggle up in your sleeping bag as you watch a movie out under the stars and share popcorn with your fellow campers
* Star Gazing: What better way to enjoy the end of a fun-filled day at camp than with a little star gazing? Listen to "How the Bear Lost His Tail" and other legends while watching for shooting stars.
* Acoustic Campfire: CCS talent show "unplugged" - enjoy a coffee house style night of storytelling, guitar playing, singing, jokes, poetry reading and other talents at the Camp CenterStage Twilight Express outdoor theater.
* S'mores Galore: Toast marshmallows to make s'mores, shaggy dogs and snakes on a stick: share your cabin's theme song and listen to the loons all while under the blanket of the stars on the beach.

Welcome Aboard John & Susan Battye!

We are both excited and privileged to welcome to our staff, John & Susan Battye. John will be our camp's Mentoring Coach where he will facilitate our Mentoring Leadership Program. He is currently an elementary educator in Maryland and has been a joyful teacher for 18 years. He holds a BA in English as well as a Masters in Education. John has also been a leadership educator of children and adults for the past five years, specializing in the areas of communication, rapport-building, and goal setting. He is very excited to be joining the inspiring team at Camp CenterStage.

Susan will be taking on the role as our camp's Communications Director. Susan currently works as a consultant specializing in marketing, media relations and communication. She has trained children and adults in leadership and coaching skills for over a decade. She currently directs a school-based elementary theater program near Washington D.C. and is thrilled to be on the CCS staff!

Camp CenterStage March 2010 Newsletter

CampCenterStage March Newsletter Just Released!
http://campcenterstage.org/newsletter/033010CCSNewsletter.html

SCHOLARSHIPS for Camp Centerstage

SCHOLARSHIPS: Learn about our scholarship program here: Scholarship Information.

Camp CenterStage February 25, 2010 Newsletter

View the full version of the Camp CenterStage February 25, 2010 Newsletter here!.

Join us at Agawam for Summer 2010!!

It will be here before we know it - honest! Lots of new classes and activities, including our special MasterClasses, and our new Community Outreach component. We're looking forward to campfires on Crescent Lake as we hear the loons accompanying the guitar playing, the fire crackling and s'more making! Join Alexis, Jeffrey, Steven, Lisa, Kathy, Shay, Brian, Carla, Anna, Alex, Taylor, and many other Camp CenterStage staff and campers as we prepare for another great summer at Camp Agawam!!

Now Accepting Registrations

We've just introduced our new "green" Online Registration System! This will greatly reduce the amount of paperwork needed compared to a traditional paper-based system. Parents maintain control of their personal information, and can return to the site at anytime to complete the registration process, make changes to contact information, add additional campers, make a payment, and much more. All information is secure and password protected. Visit our Registration Page for more information.

Tuition & Sibling Discounts

We have extended our deadline for the "Early Registration" discount. And with our "Sibling Discount", receive a $250 discount for each additional family member that enrolls! See our website for more tuition information.

Discounted Tuition if registered by February 28!

Scholarship Information

Camp CenterStage will award several partial scholarships and one full scholarship this season. Scholarships will be awarded in the form of waived or discounted registration fees, and are awarded on the basis of financial need, a "Letter of Recommendation" from a teacher or director, and the camper's response to a few questions. See our website for more information, as well as the scholarship application.

Community Outreach

Camp CenterStage will introduce its "Community Outreach" component this summer. Our own Anna Visciano leads this exciting, new project. CCS will host a field trip to a nearby camp where CCS campers will share their talents and skills with other campers and their families. Stay tuned for more information!

View the full version of the Camp CenterStage February 25, 2010 Newsletter here!.

Camp CenterStage Goes “Green” with new Online Registration System

The staff at Camp CenterStage, a music and performing arts camp which focuses on achieving excellence through the arts, is pleased to be introducing its new “green” Online Registration System for its 2010 Summer Session.

The new Online Registration System will greatly reduce the amount of paperwork needed compared to that used in a paper-based system, and will also offer many conveniences to our customers.

“Our customers will maintain full control over all of their personal information. They can come back and login anytime to complete their registration, make changes to their contact information, add additional campers, make payments, and many other administrative tasks”, says Assistant Camp Director, Jeffrey Elwood. “Much of the redundancy found in the old paper systems is automatically eliminated. And registration for our returning campers in future camp sessions will be a breeze; since they have already setup an account with us, registering for future camp sessions is as easy as clicking a button!”

CCS is a judgment free environment where campers are encouraged to explore and share their talents in an atmosphere that combines the performing arts and traditional camp experiences as a way to teach positive life and leadership skills. The CCS mission is to create a safe and supportive camp environment of youth artists who value serving each other and their communities through the use of their talents. Camp CenterStage is headed by staff members: Alexis Dascoulias, Steven Dascoulias, Jeffrey Elwood, Kathy Fink, Lisa Forsley, Carla Murphy, Shay Willard and Anna Visciano.

For more information, visit www.campcenterstage.org

Camp CenterStage Announces Music and Dance Directors

Camp CenterStage is pleased to announce the hiring of two outstanding professionals for its new summer camp program. Kathy Fink has been hired as the camp’s Music Director, and Brian Swasey has accepted the position of the camp’s Dance Director for 2010! Both come with a long history of performing arts in education.

Kathy has worked at many New England theaters, serving as both pianist and musical director. She teaches all levels & styles of piano, leads the Fourth Street Jazz Choir, and serves as musical director for St. Thomas Episcopal church in Dover, NH. She holds a B.A. in piano performance and an M.A. in music history from the University of New Hampshire. Kathy has been a music educator, musical director, and pianist for theater for over 30 years and looks forward to mentoring the next generation of actors, singers and audience members. Her offerings this summer will include coaching for auditions, piano accompaniment CDs and demo CDs for individual campers, ensemble singing, musicianship for the actor/singer and much more. Kathy is “excited to join this terrific team of professional artists for a season at Camp CenterStage”

Brian will be joining Camp CenterStage immediately following 3 summers as a director/choreographer for Bristol Valley Theater. Brian holds a B.A. in Musical Theater and Dance and is currently an Assistant Producer for Queens Theater in the Park in NYC. Brian has directed and/or choreographed for theaters such as Astoria Performing Arts Center, Lakes Region Summer Theater, New London Barn Playhouse and the University of New Hampshire. Brian has also worked as a dance teacher and choreographer for the Walnut Hill School summer program in Natick, Massachusetts. Brian will be teaching Musical Theater for Camp CenterStage as well as running the camp’s afternoon Dance MasterClass program.


For more information, visit www.campcenterstage.org

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