NMT Announces Musical Theater Camps and Staff for Summer 2013

Northport, Maine - Does your child love music and want to be a performer? Northport Music Theater, located on U.S. Route 1 in Northport, offers kids the opportunity to perform on stage in a real theater under the tall pines during its summer musical theater camps. In July and August of 2013, campers will perform in musicals through singing, acting, and dancing under the direction and guidance of area music theater professionals.

Ruth Gelsinger, NMT Producer and Artistic Director, is pleased to announce the NMT camp staff for summer 2013.Tara Woods, of Linconville, is the Camp Director of the three age-specific camps with Mary Cuskelly as Music Director, assisted by Anna Rich, Assistant/Choreography and Jay Rosenberg, Lighting Design. Tara is a special education teacher in the Bangor Public Schools. She holds a B.A. in Drama and has recently received her Master’s Degree in Education. She directed NMT camps, Fame the Musical and Attack of the Killer Grasshoppers in 2012 and Bugsy Malone Junior in 2011. Mary Cuskelly, of Bucksport, is camp Music Director. Mary teaches elementary music in the Bangor public schools. She was the School Health Coordinator and Middle School Music Director for the annual musical at RSU 25 in Bucksport for many years. She was the music director for Bugsy Malone Junior (2011) and Attack of the Killer Grasshoppers (2012). Mary played the cello in the orchestra for NMT’s production of Funny Girl last summer. Anna Rich will be camp Assistant and Choreographer. Anna is from Camden, Maine and is a graduate of Camden Hills Regional High School. She is a student at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA as a Musical Theater major. Anna has performed NMT as Mimi in RENT: School Edition (2009) in the summer theater camps program and as Bubbles/Mimsey in Funny Girl (2012). Jay Rosenberg, Lighting Design, lives in Belfast and was educated at the School of Theater at Temple University. He has designed lights at NMT for The Bikinis and Sister Robert Anne’s Cabaret Class (2011), many of the camp shows, and was Eddie Ryan in Funny Girl (2012).

The elementary school-age camp for students aged 6-9 will be held from 9:30-2:30 daily during the week of July 8-12 with 2 performances on Saturday July 13 at 11:00 and 1:00.This years’ presentation is Willy Wonka KIDS with lyrics and music by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, adapted for the stage by Leslie Bricusse and Timothy Allen McDonald, and based on the book Charlie and The Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Willy Wonka, the greatest candy maker in the world, has a problem. It’s time for him to retire, but who can replace him? Who will make new candy dreams come true?  This musical is guaranteed to delight everyone’s sweet tooth and will take audiences on a fantasy ride into the land of pure imagination!
The middle school camp for ages 10-13 will be held from 9:00 to 3:00 daily from July 29 to August 2 and will feature The Little Mermaid, JR., based on the Hans Christian Andersen story and the Disney film produced by Howard Ashman and John Musker. There will be two public performances on Saturday August 3rd at 11:00 and 1:00. The musical was written and directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, music by Alan Menken, and with book by Doug Wright. In a magical kingdom fathoms below, the beautiful young mermaid Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above. But first, she’ll have to defy her father King Triton, make a deal with the evil Sea Witch Ursula, and convince Prince Eric that she’s the girl with the enchanting voice. Adapted from Disney’s 2008 Broadway production, Disney’s The Little Mermaid JR. features the hit songs “Part of Your World,” “She’s in Love,” and the Oscar-winning “Under the Sea.”

The high-school age camp for students 14-18 will present The Little Shop of Horrors, book and lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken, based on the film by Roger Corman and screenplay by Charles Griffith. Camp dates are August 5 -9 and 12-16 from 9:00 to 3:00 daily with three performances on August 16, 17, and 18. A down and out skid row floral assistant becomes an overnight sensation when he discovers an exotic plant with a mysterious craving for fresh blood. Soon “Audrey II” grows into an ill-tempered, foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore who offers him fame and fortune in exchange for feeding its growing appetite, finally revealing itself to be an alien creature poised for global domination! Auditions for the high school camp will be held for new and returning campers on Saturday, July 20th from 12-3 at the theater. Videos may be submitted.

Registration is now open and ongoing. For more information, online registration, or questions please visit www.northportmusictheater.com or call 207-338-8383.

Photos Credit: Jay Rosenberg and Anna Rich photos - Marti Stone