Our program is a pragmatically-based drama workshop that teaches and incorporates the basic elements of pragmatic language and social skills.  We use the powerful art of drama as a tool to teach body language, voice and social communication.  Each day, the children and teens attend 3 workshops, each with different goals and objectives that promote successful social development.

Core Pragmatic concepts (Social Skills Lessons) are taught throughout the day and are related to the drama activities as much a possible.  The children will also participate in a variety of other activities including arts and crafts, group activities, and outings.  Our older teens participate in the CIT Program in which they learn skills through "teaching," producing, and modeling.

Each week one of six core Pragmatic Language areas are going to be taught on a daily basis. These areas include:

In addition to our program curriculum goals, our staff members meet everyday after the program to develop and review individual goals for each camper.  These goals are discussed with parents/guardians during the third week of our program, and a final progress note is written after the program describing the students goals, progress, and recommendations.  We also provide two parent workshops during the summer.  Parents are always free to ask for feedback anytime over the summer. 

The weekly breakdown of the pragmatic language topics can be viewed here.

Drama is a powerful tool for teaching social skills, body language, and the mechanics of social interactions.  As such, the children also receive direct instruction in Drama Techniques over the course of the summer.  Much of the techniques taught are tied into nonverbal language skills such as body language (e.g., use of space when interacting) and use of voice (e.g., relaying emotion with aspects other than volume and rate).  These skills are taught through real acting techniques and acting games.  For example, the students will be doing a piece on Pantomime (body only) and either Marionette Work or Voice Over (depending on age of camper).  The children also receive instruction in improvisation for the purpose of reading cues from other actors and determining an appropriate manner to continue the dialogue in a safe manner, non-personal manner (i.e., it is easier to receive direction as an "actor"). 

Also, in Filming Class the children will be working on their portion of a movie that will be video-taped.  This workshop focuses on teaching skills such as group work, negotiation, and social pragmatics, on several different levels.  For example, during a rehearsal, our actors work on their lines and how to relay information using body language and the various aspects of voice (e.g., using elements other than volume to relay emotions such as anger, excitement, etc.).  They also learn how to be part of a scene where an individual does not have lines, and how to contribute to this scene as a supporting actor though body language... without taking the scene away from those with lines.  Every effort is made to give all of our actors the same number of lines.  With the exception of a few key characters, all actors have a similar number of lines.

Also, while most of the movie is scripted, there are many scenes that are blank and require improvisation.  During these scenes our actors, with support, have to work together, negotiate for lines, and include in their scene several important elements to be included in the dialogue.  Such elements include information that is important for the audience to follow along (theory of mind and perspective taking), such as context, important clues, and setting the stage for the next scene. 

At the end of the program, we will have a showing of the movie, "The Premiere" for the actors/actresses and their families with a "Cast Party" afterwards for all!

This year's movie, The Amazing Rat Race!, will be a comedic spoof from the TV Hit Reality Show, The Amazing Race.  Last year, we filmed the comedic spoof of Phantom of the Marionette Opera.  Other movies from the past years include:  Winner Take All!,  Clue (an 80's spoof based on the game),  The Hogwarts Bunch (a 70's Harry Potter prequel with James and Lily Potter), The Mystery of the Camp Ghost, and The Case of the Missing Twin.

There is a break between two of our workshops.  Then, at noon, the children break for lunch and have many choices including:

See trailers from our previous productions:

Summer 2009

Summer 2008