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By Laura McConatha

 On July 8-12, Sumter Players held its annual KidsWeek and TeenWeek Theatre Camp at the Rylander Theatre, with more than 60 youth participating. According to Youth Theatre Director Irmgard Schopen-Davis, “KidsWeek and TeenWeek provide a week of immersion in all aspects of theatre. We emphasize the creative process – participants learn to develop characters, as well as helping to design and create props. This year, TeenWeek participants engaged in advanced theatrecraft under the expert tutelage of the Rylander’s technical director, Andy Harper.”

Irmgard also shared about the significant impact community theatre has on children’s social and emotional development. “They learn to work as a team, develop reading skills as they learn to decipher and interpret a script, develop the confidence to speak before an audience, and develop empathy as they learn to inhabit a character who may be very different to them. Theatre teaches real-life skills.  Our intention is not primarily to create theatre professionals, but to equip participants with the confidence to be successful in their future careers. I see us as counteracting the effects of COVID that isolated us – we are all about creating connections and community,” she stated.

On Friday night, July 12, a packed house of community members attended the end of week performances of two short plays: “Game of Tiaras,” performed by the teens, and “Stinky Cheese Man & Other Fairly Absurd Tales,” performed by the children. Laura McConatha, President of Sumter Players, remarked, “I was so impressed with the amount of work that everyone involved put in to bring these very entertaining performances to the stage in such a short amount of time. From the youth themselves, to all of the volunteer assistants, to the Rylander staff, and to the parents and family members who entrusted their children to our care, I am extremely grateful.”

Laura continued, “KidsWeek and TeenWeek reflected the mission of Sumter Players perfectly: to awaken and encourage creativity and self-expression by providing opportunities for engagement in community theatre. As we enter our 60^th anniversary season, we invite you to become involved with Sumter Players. We welcome not only performers and backstage talent, but almost any skill – carpentry, marketing, painting, photography, costuming, etc. Visit us on our Facebook page and on our website: SumterPlayers.org to learn more”.