Summer Camps!
Find your camp below!
The MAC Education Difference: Each child who registers will be placed in a role. The focus is on growth of each child – not the final product. A quality performance is important, but for camps and educational productions, the focus is to challenge each child to achieve their goal and grow, taking their work to the next level as appropriate for them. The registration fee is used to help pay professional designers, directors, and teaching artists to work with the kids. These camps and productions aren’t led by high school kids or college kids, although we hire high school seniors and college students to assist. For camps, no volunteer help is required of parents. For productions, parents are asked to volunteer behind the scenes and in front of the house, for load in and strike. Educational productions (Feb & Oct) are presented to a small audience of 96 family and friends per night. Cast members get a discount code for performance tickets.
Jungle
CAMP
JUNGLE CAMP
6/20/24 @ 9-9:45 a.m.
*For 3-5 year olds
Does your child have an adventurous side? Join MAC on an imaginary jungle expedition, exploring wildlife through songs, stories, crafts and games.
Children are encouraged to dress as their favorite jungle animal, but costume is not required. Camp is taught by Sarah Gullickson
Class fee is $29
Superhero
CAMP
SUPERHERO CAMP
6/27/24 @ 9-9:45 a.m.
*For 3-5 year olds
Join MAC for Superhero Camp! Experienc Superhero songs, crafts and stories as well as some fun play-acting.
Each child gets to choose a genuine imagination-powered
superhero mask to take home.
Children are encouraged to dress as their favorite superhero character, but costume is not required. Camp is taught by Sarah Gullickson
Class fee is $29
This Camp is SOLD OUT – email Barbe@merrillartscenter.org to be placed on the waiting list.
Fairytale
CAMP
FAIRYTALE CAMP
7/18/24 @ 9-9:45 a.m.
*For 3-5 year olds
Does your child enjoy fairytales? Join this fun MAC camp where children choose a fairytale character to portray and enjoy a story, games, songs and a craft to take home.
Children are encouraged to dress as their favorite fairytale character, but costume is not required. Camp is taught by Sarah Gullickson
Class fee is $29
Disney
CAMP
DISNEY CAMP
8/1/24 @ 9-9:45 a.m.
*For 3-5 year olds
Be our guest at MAC’s Disney mini-camp! Enjoy Disney-inspired games, songs, stories, and crafts!
Children are encouraged to dress as their favorite Disney character, but costume is not required. Camp is taught by Sarah Gullickson
Class fee is $29
3 Little Wolves
CAMP
3 LITTLE WOLVES CAMP
6/17/246-6/20/24 @ 10-11 a.m.
*For 5-9 year olds
Join MAC for a four-day mini workshop-style production. Kids learn and rehearse a short play, putting a fun spin on the classic tale of The Three Little Pigs.
The final day will include a private performance for family and friends. Camp is taught by Sarah Gullickson
Class fee is $69
This camp is SOLD OUT – email barbe@merrillartscenter.org to be placed on the waiting list.
Little Red Hen
CAMP
LITTLE RED HEN CAMP
7/15/24-7/18/24 @ 10-11 a.m.
*For 5-9 year olds
Join MAC for a four-day theater camp, rehearsing this children’s classic tale. The final workshop-style performance will offer a private show for family and friends.
Camp is taught by Sarah Gullickson
Class fee is $69
Acting
Workshop
ACTING WORKSHOP
6/27/24 @ 10-10:45 a.m.
*For 5-12 year olds
Is your child interested in theater but would like to learn more about acting? This introduction to acting is geared towards younger kids.
They will explore how to approach a character, some basic acting tips and vocabulary, and will include acting games and exercises.
Camp is taught by Sarah Gullickson
Class fee is $39
Audition
Workshop
AUDITION WORKSHOP
8/1/24 @ 10-10:45 a.m.
*For 5-12 year olds
Is your child interested in gaining more confidence auditioning? This introduction to auditioning will include help with picking a song, tips for how to present themselves, acting tips, and a fun activity on how to practice and prepare for an audition.
Camp is taught by Sarah Gullickson
Class fee is $39
Camps: Most Camps are held at the Merrill Arts Center. Note* The Addams Family will be held at MAC Black Box Theater at East Ridge HS.
All camps rehearse a shortened version of a straight play or musical and present memorized workshop-style shows for family and invited guests. Performances for week-long shows are about 20 minutes. The 2-week camp’s final performance is about 45 minutes long. Cast pulls together costumes, props, and set pieces from existing stock or from pieces they bring from home – using their own shoes and socks, for example. The kids learn theater vocabulary, teamwork, self-reliance, and build confidence by achieving a challenging goal.
CINDERELLA CAMP
6/17/24 – 6/28/24
*An abbreviated show with music, not all roles will sing*
2 week camp held Monday through Friday, June 17-28 from 1-5 p.m.
*For ages 7-17
Registration/tuition for the 2 week camp is $375.
The final workshop-style private performance for parents will be Friday June 28 @ 7 p.m. and run about 50 minutes.
If the show gets double-cast, a second performance will be added on Saturday, June 29 @ 2 p.m.
Camp directed by Dayna Railton, Artistic Director of The Play’s the Thing Children’s Theater.
This camp is at MAC located at 380 Rivertown Drive, Suite 100 in Woodbury
Little Mermaid
CAMP
LITTLE MERMAID CAMP
7/8/24 – 7/12/24
July 8-12 from 3-6 p.m.
*For ages 7-17
Registration/tuition for the 1-week camp in $275.
Kids work with a professional choreographer, director, and vocal coach on 2-3 songs from the popular musical.
A workshop-style final showcase for parents and invited guests will take place at the end of the final day of camp and run about 20 minutes.
Students should dress to move and bring their own water bottle and snack for each class.
This camp is directed and choreographed by M.J. Railton with Vocal Coaching by Tyler Eliason and actor coaching by Dayna Railton.
This camp is at MAC 380 Rivertown Drive, Suite 200 in Woodbury
Mean Girls
CAMP
MEAN GIRLS CAMP
7/15/24 – 7/19/24
July 15-19 from 3-6 p.m.
*For ages 7-17
Registration/tuition for the 1-week camp is $275.
Kids work with a professional choreographer, director, and vocal coach on 2-3 songs from the popular musical.
A workshop-style final showcase for parents and invited guests will take place at the end of the final day of camp and run about 20 minutes.
Students should dress to move and bring their own water bottle and snack for each class.
This camp is directed and choreographed by M.J. Railton with Vocal Coaching by Tyler Eliason and actor coaching by Dayna Railton.
This camp is at MAC 380 Rivertown Drive, Suite 200 in Woodbury
Addam’s Family
CAMP
THE ADDAMS FAMILY CAMP
7/22/24 – 7/26/24
July 22-26 from 3-6 p.m.
*For ages 7-17
Registration/tuition for the 1-week camp is $275.
Kids work with a professional choreographer, director, and vocal coach on 2-3 songs from the popular musical.
A workshop-style final showcase for parents and invited guests will take place at the end of the final day of camp and run about 20 minutes.
Students should dress to move and bring their own water bottle and snack for each class.
This camp is directed and choreographed by M.J. Railton with Vocal Coaching by Tyler Eliason and actor coaching by Dayna Railton.
This camp is at the MAC Black Box Theater at East Ridge High School, Door 7, 4200 Pioneer Drive in Woodbury
Beauty & the Beast
CAMP
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST CAMP
7/29/24 – 8/2/24
A one-week camp that runs July 29- August 2 from 3-6 p.m.
*For ages 7-17
Kids work with a professional choreographer, director, and vocal coach on 2-3 songs from the popular musical.
A workshop-style final showcase for parents and invited guests will take place at the end of the final day of camp and run about 20 minutes.
Students should dress to move and bring their own water bottle and snack for each class.
This camp is directed and choreographed by M.J. Railton with Vocal Coaching by Tyler Eliason and actor coaching by Dayna Railton.
This camp is at MAC 380 Rivertown Drive, Suite 200 in Woodbury
Dayna Railton – Dayna has been a prolific director in the Twin Cities for 18 years, directing 140 plays including 36 full musicals in that timeframe. She is the artistic director of The Plays the Thing Production since 2009 in Lakeville.
Tyler Eliason – Tyler is an actor, teacher, singer, musical director and vocal coach in the Twin Cities who has worked with numerous theatres including Ahland, Lakeshore Players, TPTT Productions, the Phipps, RVTC and many more. He is the music teacher at United Christian Academy in Bloomington.
MJ Railton, BFA – MJ is an LA-based actress, singer, dancer, and model originally from Lakeville, Minnesota. Recent roles include Mama Mia, Hair, Slasher, and The Wolves. Favorite choreography includes The Little Mermaid Jr, Frozen Jr, Shrek the Musical, The Aadam’s Family, Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse, and Heathers.
Sarah Gullickson – Sarah (Teaching Artist) is a busy Twin Cities theater artist. She served as Vocal Director for Madeline’s Christmas at MAC in 2022 after playing Miss Clavel for the same show in 2021. This year, she worked as Assistant Stage Manager & Assistant Scenic Designer for Sherlock Holmes; Assistant Costume Designer & Spotlight Operator for You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown; Assistant Stage Manager & Assistant Hair & Makeup Designer for Anastasia; & Assistant Stage Manager & Assistant Lighting Designer for Romeo & Juliet at Northwestern University in St. Paul. Sarah teaches the mini camps for younger children for MAC.
