ASC Theatre Camp
Open to: rising 8th graders through graduated 12th graders, ages 13-19.
Take your relationship with Shakespeare to the next level at the ASC Theatre Camp, a residential summer intensive for students. Preview the college experience by living on campus at Mary Baldwin University while you work with professional theatre practitioners to prepare to strut and fret your hour upon the stage.
Campers audition on their first full day of the session to receive their parts for the mid-session Showcase as well as the Final Performance Festival. Campers spend the next three weeks working with directors, production teams, and each other to mount their shows in the Blackfriars Playhouse for friends, family, and their adoring public to see. Perfect for first-time performers and seasoned stage veterans alike.
ASCTC 2025: Shakespeare’s War of the roses
Session 1: June 11 – July 3, 2025Shows: Henry VI, Part 1 (directed by Hailey Pearce) and Henry VI, Part 2 (directed by Mili Koncelik)
Final Performance Festival: July 2, 2025
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Session 2: July 6 – July 28, 2025Shows: Henry VI, Part 3 (directed by Mili Koncelik) and Richard III (directed by Austen Bell)
Final Performance Festival: July 27, 2025
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From summer 2024
ASCTC 2024: Showcase
ASCTC 2024: final performance festival
q: How do I get in to Camp?
- Attendance at Camp is by acceptance only: all prospective campers must apply to attend.
- Accepted campers will be sent an invitation to register. Please note that acceptance does not guarantee attendance. We will not hold an accepted camper’s spot until registration is complete. Registration of accepted campers is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Q: who is eligible to attend camp?
- Camp is open to rising 8th graders through rising college freshman (or the equivalent, for home-schooled students), ages 13-19.
- A graduated 12th grader who will be 19 at the start of camp is eligible to attend camp.
- A graduated college freshman who will be 18 at the start of camp is not eligible to attend camp.
- A rising 7th grader who will be 13 at the start of camp is not eligible to attend camp.
- A rising 8th grader who will be 12 at the start of camp is not eligible to attempt camp.
Q: what is the difference between session 1 and session 2?
- The dates and the show titles. Sometimes, some staff members. Usually, (most of) the campers.
- The eligiblity requirements and curriculum for both sessions are the same.
Q: Can Campers attend both sessions? What do they do in between?
- Campers may attend both sessions.
- Campers attending both sessions may either return home July 3-5, or remain on campus (under staff supervision) for an additional fee.
Q: How much does Camp cost?
- Tuition for ASCTC 2025 is $3950 per session.
- If accepted, campers must pay a $150 tuition deposit per session at the time of registration in order to secure their spot.
- If a camper applies to attend both sessions and later decides to withdraw from one, any tuition paid toward that session may be transferred to the other session, or refunded according to our refund policy.
- Refund Policy: The initial tuition deposit of $150 is non-refundable. If a camper withdraws more than 30 days from the start of camp, all tuition paid above the deposit is refundable. If a camper withdraws 15-30 days before the start of camp, 50% of tuition already paid will be refunded. If a camper withdraws 14 days or fewer from the start of camp, the ASC will not be able to provide a refund for any tuition already paid.
- Tuition covers everything campers need from the moment they arrive in Staunton, including lodging, meals, and show tickets.
Q: Do you offer financial aid or scholarships?
- Yes. ASC and our generous donors make it possible for us to offer Financial Aid, making the ASCTC experience more open to more campers. Accepted campers will receive a link to apply for financial aid in their acceptance email.
- All applicants will have access to a number of opportunities, including two flexible funds:
- The general financial aid fund, which may cover up to half the cost of tuition.
- The Sydney Stark Jr. Memorial fund, which may cover up to the full cost of tuition.
- And the fixed Military Family fund:
- Campers of military families are invited to apply for an exclusive financial aid award. This award acknowledges the potential hardship of military family life, and encourages campers of military families to find a second home at ASCTC by providing at least half the cost of tuition.
- All applicants will have access to a number of opportunities, including two flexible funds:
- All these funds are available through the financial aid application link found in a camper’s acceptance email. Deadline to apply for financial aid is April 15, 2025.
- Campers can also apply for external Scholarships to help cover the costs of tuition:
- Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge offers funding to Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County Middle and High School students through the Performing Arts Enrichment Scholarship, intended to support local performing arts students, grades 6-12, to further develop their talent. Click here to learn more and apply today.
- A full scholarship to ASCTC is also the prize for top winners of the National Shakespeare Competitions run by the English Speaking Union (ESU) and The Anglo-Mexican Foundation (TAMF)
Q: What is the deadline for applications?
- Camper applications are considered on a rolling basis until the session is full or until the final application deadline, whichever comes first. Applications will be reviewed on the first of each month, with admissions decisions sent the following week.
- The final deadline for all applications is May 1, 2025, and applications submitted after that will be considered for acceptance only if space is available.
Q: Where do campers live?
- ASC Theatre Campers live on campus at Mary Baldwin University, a few blocks away from the Blackfriars Playhouse. Click here for more information about Tyson Hall, ASCTC’s main campus location, and MBU’s Program for the Exceptionally Gifted, housed there year-round.
q: what is the daily schedule like?
- Busy! In addition to rehearsals for both the Showcase and the Final Performance Festival, campers attend a variety of classes (e.g. verse, rhetoric, theatre history), receive training in all sorts of theatrical skills and styles (e.g. voice, audience contact, improv, clown, combat), and participate in all sorts of extra-curricular activities (e.g. movie nights, pool days, the talent show, the Masquerade dance). Sometimes, there’s even free time to nap, write letters home, or check out of the dorm with friends and explore downtown Staunton!
- While no two days are exactly the same, here’s a general outline of a day in the life of the ASC Theatre Camp:
7:30 am Wake up
8:00 am All Camp Yoga Warmup
8:30 am Breakfast
9:30 am Rehearsal
12:30pm Lunch
2:00 pm Classes, Training, or Showcase Rehearsal
5:00 pm Dinner
7:00 pm Free Time, Fun Time, or trips to the Blackfriars Playhouse
10:00 pm Nightly Dorm Meeting
11:00 pm Lights Out
- Get an inside look at the camp experience by checking out the Camp Blog. Staff members post multiple times a day while the session is running, and include abundant pictures of rehearsals and activities.
Q: what’s the deal with security and supervision?
- Security: MBU Campus Safety is on the clock 24 hours a day while camp is in session, and always accessible via phone call or one of the 22 emergency call boxes stationed around campus.
- Supervision: Campers are always supervised by staff. Our camper-to-staff ratio is 5:1 — or 2:1 counting production interns and non-residential staff like the directors, actors, and teachers who work with campers in classes and rehearsals. The residential staff team of Residence & Directing Assistants (RDAs) live with the campers in the dorms, serve as assistant directors for their shows, and provide the majority of the daily (and nightly) supervision.
Q: What pandemic precautions are you taking to prevent the spread of Covid-19?
- The Covid-19 pandemic is a continuing and evolving public health crisis, and we remain flexible and alert in our response.
- At this time, we are not planning to require proof of vaccination from ASCTC 2025 participants (though proof of vaccination will be required of all ASCTC 2025 staff members to the fullest extent permitted by law).
- All participants will be required to disclose (and confirm, if applicable) their vaccination status to Camp administrative staff at the time of registration, and campers may be grouped or separated by vaccination status as needed and recommended by VDH.
- We will follow the ASC SafeStart protocols for all events in the Blackfriars Playhouse and the MBU pandemic protocols while on campus, as well as all state and federal guidelines.
APPLICations for 2025 rda positions open november 1.
Apply by Wednesday, December 18, 2024.
The American Shakespeare Center seeks to fill the following positions for the 2025 ASC Theatre Camp:
- 4 Residential & Directing Assistants (RDAs) in the following supervisory & artistic roles:
- 2 Residential Wellness Leaders & Assistant Show Directors
- 2 Residential Social Leaders & Assistant Show Directors
Read on for detailed descriptions of each role, including responsibilities, employment dates, and compensation details.
Resident & Directing Assistants (RDAs)
ASC Theatre Camp Residential & Directing Assistants (RDAs) are more than just camp counselors: they are teachers, directors, supervisors, cheerleaders, role models, mentors, and fellow students. RDAs are the captains of dorm life, the production leaders and assistant directors for the mainstage shows, the mentors for the production interns, and the directors of the mid-session showcase performance.
The six RDAs work as a united team under the leadership of the two “Team Captains” who serve as liaisons between camp staff and ASC admin and as lead directors for the mid-session Showcase. Each member of the RDA team has specific roles to play in both the residence halls and the rehearsal rooms, outlined in more detail below.
QUALIFICATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS
- Must be at least 21 years of age
- Valid driver’s license and good driving record preferred
- Must be willing to submit to (and pass) a standard background check
- Experience performing, directing, and/or teaching Shakespeare (specifically) as well as a rich, diverse background in theatre arts (generally)
- Exhibits dependability, punctuality, patience, teamwork, self-control, and enthusiasm
- Possesses good leadership skills and responsibility
- Demonstrates appropriate behavior at all times
RESPONSIBILITIES
SERVE AS A RESIDENT ASSISTANT FOR ALL CAMPERS
- Supervise campers throughout the duration of their stay (e.g. escorting campers to and from rehearsals, meals, and activities during the day, being present and available in the dorms during downtime, etc.)
- Serve as positive role models for healthy behavior
- Work amicably and cooperatively with campers and staff members
- Observe and promote all rules and regulations of ASC Theatre Camp
- Fulfill all requirements of assigned Residential Role (Wellness or Social Leader, described in detail below)
WELLNESS LEADERS
In charge of all camper physical, emotional, and spiritual health and wellbeing needs not requiring the assistance or intervention of trained medical personnel.
- Physical
- Assist campers with daily medications as needed and able
- Create and maintain first-aid kits at all camp locations
- Provide transportation to urgent care as needed
- Organize and supervise extracurricular athletic activities for campers based on need and interest (e.g. morning runs)
- Take point on Covid testing procedures in the case of outbreak of exposure, including delegating testing assignments to other staff when needed
- Emotional
- Provide emotional support for campers as needed, which may look like:
- Taking a walk with a camper who needs a break to help them regulate their emotions
- Helping a homesick camper plan a good time to contact parents for a chat
- Providing a listening ear for a camper who is having a bad day
- Notifying Team Captains when a camper’s need for emotional support rises beyond the level of what we can provide at camp
- Provide emotional support for campers as needed, which may look like:
- Spiritual
- Assist campers in locating services for worship as needed
- Coordinate transport for campers who wish to attend services
SOCIAL LEADERS
In charge of coordinating camp life events as well as maintaining camp’s social media presence.
- Event coordination
- Create and execute themes for camp life events (e.g. Masquerade Ball, talent show)
- Inventory and maintain event supplies (e.g. sunscreen, bug spray, decorations, etc)
- Coordinate prep for camp field trips
- Social media
- Post daily on ASCTC social media outlets (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)
- Write and post regular blog entries about camp life activities on the ASCTC blog
SERVE ON PRODUCTION TEAMS FOR MAINSTAGE CAMP SHOWS
WELLNESS & SOCIAL LEADERS: Assistant Directors
By serving as Assistant Directors for one of the session’s mainstage shows, Wellness Leaders and Social Leaders also:
- Attend production meetings with their artistic teams
- Participate in pre-audition workshops during orientation
- Prepare text for Tableaustry section of auditions
- Attend auditions and casting sessions
- Attend all daily rehearsals with their cast
- Work individually with campers during rehearsals as qualified and as needed/assigned by the show’s Director
- RDAs may be asked to block scenes, teach/review choreography, work with campers on text analysis, etc.
- Work individually with campers on line memorization, choreography, music, and other production elements outside of rehearsals as needed
SUPERVISE PRODUCTION INTERNS
In addition to the general production responsibilities outlined above, Social & Wellness Leader RDAs will be in charge of supervising one of the production interns assigned to their show each session. While the interns should be the ones executing these tasks, RDAs are in charge of making sure they have what they need in order to be successful.
Stage Management Interns
- Take blocking notes
- Be “on book” during rehearsals
- Write and send official daily rehearsal reports
- Coordinate costume and prop check-out, organization, maintenance, cleaning, and strike
- Keep time in rehearsal
Dramaturgy Interns
- Review intern’s research and assist with compiling packet of information about the play(s)
- Assist intern with dramaturgy presentation(s)
- Assist director with script preparation process in the lead-up to camp
- Maintain prompt copy of the text
- Serve as general outside eye and advocate for the play throughout the rehearsal process, providing regular feedback to the director and/or the camp company on questions of staging and clarity
SERVE ON TEAM OF DIRECTORS FOR MID-SESSION SHOWCASE
RDAs also have a chance to stretch their wings as solo directors: each RDA will be responsible for directing a section of the mid-session Showcase performance each session, put together under the general direction of the Team Captains with input from Camp Admin. Showcase also includes the “All-Camp Song” (a musical number including all of the campers), which the entire staff helps campers put together under the direction of the Team Captain Music Director.
More info: After the mainstage shows are cast, RDAs will work with Camp Admin to finalize the Showcase script and decide casting based on a) the distribution of parts for the mainstage shows, b) the strengths and interests of the RDAs, and c) the needs, wants, and desires of the campers (as listed on their audition forms).
MAINSTAGE SHOWS
Session 1
Henry VI, Part 1 (directed by Hailey Pearce)
Henry VI, Part 2 (directed by Mili Koncelik)
Session 2
Henry VI, Part 3 (directed by Mili Koncelik)
Richard III (directed by Austen Bell)
EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT DATES: June 10 – July 28, 2025
- June 10: Staff Orientation
- June 11: Session 1 camper move-in
- July 2: Session 1 final performances
- July 3: Session 1 camper move-out and general strike
- July 4-5: BREAK
- July 6: Session 2 camper move-in
- July 27: Session 2 final performances
- July 28: Session 2 camper move-out and general strike
Residential Staff Members must attend orientation and stay through Session 2 final strike.
RDAs receive one day off per week, scheduled in rotation by the Team Captains.
RDAs may choose whether to remain on campus during the break between sessions. If campers attending both session remain on campus, “break RDAs” have the option to supervise them for additional compensation, to be decided in conversation with the Camp Director.
COMPENSATION
$1,450 per session ($2,900 total)
$150 optional “break RDA” add-on
A private room in the residence hall with an en-suite bathroom
All meals for the duration of the contract
applications for asctc 2025 production internships open november 1.
The American Shakespeare Center seeks to fill the following positions for the 2025 ASC Theatre Camp:
- 4 Production Interns, each of whom will:
- Serve as Dramaturgy Intern for one show per session
- Serve as Stage Management Intern for one show per session
Read on for detailed descriptions of each role, including responsibilities, employment dates, and compensation details.
Production Internships
Get hands-on experience working in the thick of the theatre scene with an ASC Theatre Camp Production Internship. ASCTC 2025 Production Interns work as either the stage manager or the dramaturg for one of the mainstage shows each session, completing both production internships in the course of a single summer. Production Interns also get to stretch their directing wings as assistant directors for the mid-session Showcase.
QUALIFICATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Exhibits dependability, punctuality, patience, teamwork, self-control, and enthusiasm
- Demonstrates exceptional organization, problem-solving, and communication skills
- Valid driver’s license and good driving record (preferred)
- Calm under pressure
- A penchant for innovative, outside-of-the-box thinking
- Willingness to experiment with an attitude of “Yes”
PRODUCTION RESPONSIBILITIES
As members of the production teams for the ASCTC 2025 shows, all Production Interns will:
- Participate in all staff and orientation training in the days leading up to each session
- Attend unified auditions and assist artistic teams with casting
- Attend every rehearsal with your cast(s)
- Serve as assistant directors for the mid-session Showcase
ASCTC 2025 Production Interns also work as either the stage manager or the dramaturg for their assigned mainstage show each session (under the supervision of the Wellness & Social RDAs) and have additional specific production responsibilities according to their role:
DRAMATURGY
- Assist with script formatting in the lead-up to Camp
- Prepare dramaturgy packet of information about the play
- Prepare and deliver a presentation summarizing your research to all campers, later to be adapted into a public joint presentation by both dramaturgs for a general audience at a “Friday Night Lights On” pre-show event towards the end of the session
- Write and post daily “rehearsal recap” blog posts to the camp blog using the provided template
- Take notes and provide feedback as directed by RDA supervisor and/or Director
STAGE MANAGEMENT
- Take blocking notes
- Be “on book” during rehearsals
- Coordinate costume and prop check-out, organization, maintenance, cleaning, and strike
- Keep time in rehearsal
- Write and send out rehearsal reports after each rehearsal
Production Interns may also be asked to serve in other capacities throughout the rehearsal process as the demands of the production and the interests/talents of the intern dictate, including but not limited to:
- text coaching
- leading warmups
- music arrangement and coaching
- fight choreography and coaching
MAINSTAGE SHOWS
Session 1
Henry VI, Part 1 (directed by Hailey Pearce)
Henry VI, Part 2 (directed by Mili Koncelik)
Session 2
Henry VI, Part 3 (directed by Mili Koncelik)
Richard III (directed by Austen Bell)
INTERNSHIP CONTRACT DATES: June 10 – July 28, 2025
- June 10: Staff Orientation
- June 11: Session 1 camper move-in
- July 2: Session 1 final performances
- July 3: Session 1 camper move-out and general strike
- July 4-5: BREAK
- July 6: Session 2 camper move-in
- July 27: Session 2 final performances
- July 28: Session 2 camper move-out and general strike
Residential Staff Members must attend orientation and stay through Session 2 final strike.
Production Interns may choose whether to remain on campus during the break between sessions.
COMPENSATION
$300 stipend per session ($600 total)
All ASCTC Production Interns receive room & board for the duration of the internship.
Production Interns are often only called for a portion of the Camp day. Rather than a full day off each week, Production Interns’ schedules have more flexibility for daily downtime.
CAMP IN YOUR POCKET!
We found our people at Camp…now we can stay together everywhere!
Have you ever…
- Longed to connect with your ASC Theatre Camp friends and colleagues at scheduled digital events?
- Hoped to network with the Camp community to find your next internship (or intern)?
- Yearned to access ASC’s educational resources in one place?
- Wished you could keep Camp in your back pocket?
NOW YOU CAN!
Fulfill all these dreams and more by enrolling as a member of: the Epizeuxis Society.
*Epizeuxis (ep·i·zeux·is) is the rhetorical device that represents words in repetition
As part of your membership, you will receive direct access to all things Camp on Slack, the exciting new year-round digital world for the thriving ASC Theatre Camp community!
For as little as $5 a month, all current and former campers (and Camp staff!) can gain access to this exclusive digital bubble. In this safe space, you can chat, share resources, start video calls, and participate in exclusive digital programming hosted by the ASC — truly keeping Camp in your back pocket.
JOIN NOW
Here are just the highlights of what you will receive access to as a member of our Slack:
- Exclusive lectures, workshops, and talkbacks with ASC professionals,
- Access to ASC’s educational resources for use in your classroom, preparing for your big role, or behind the table in rehearsal,
- Easy connection with the Camp community from your pocket,
- Being welcomed into our community of donors,
- Knowing you are helping keep the lights on at ASC in these hard times by joining for a donation of at least $5 a month.
We are ready for you — what are you waiting for?