Camp offers an agenda on arts
For almost 24 years, a local non-pro t has been making it harder for parents to complain that there’s nothing for their children to do around this area in the summer.
Shreveport-Bossier Summer Spectacular Fine Arts Camp Inc., was founded by Billie Leach and Laura Caperton in 1990. The group’s mission, according to its website, is “to provide Shreveport-Bossier communities’ children and adults with the opportunities to explore and learn various forms of ne arts with the best and brightest, highly quali ed and trained professional artists from around the United States during one week in the summer.”
Board member and summer instructor Virginia Walker certainly ts the quali cation criteria. With a master’s degree in music from the Juilliard School of Music, Walker studied and performed in Europe for seven years. During most of the year, she teaches piano at South eld School and teaches voice lessons outside of the classroom. She said the camp is a blast for her and the participants. “It’s a neat camp. It’s very different. [Twenty-four years ago], there weren’t any ne art camps. There were sports camps and tumbling camps and cheerleading camps. Now, there are a lot of arts camps around, but they specialize in theater art or individual arts or ballet.”
Walker said the summer ne arts camp gives campers the opportunity to try out various disciplines to see if there is a “ t” for their personalities.
This year’s agenda includes art painting, music composition, an introduction to sound recording, an introduction to the organ, a music and movement class, theater, digital photography, guitar, beginning piano as well as a master class for older musicians, bell-ringing and vocal class.
Walker said one of the teachers, Brian White, is a former camper who was introduced to musical composition one summer.
White went on the receive a bachelor of arts in music composition, theory and piano from Centenary College.
Walker said the camp was the spark that kindled White’s interest and career, which has included directing the Evangel Christian Academy High School Marching Band and teaching private piano lessons in Shreveport.
This year’s camp runs July 22-26, with a special program closing out the week on July 27 at St. Mark’s Cathedral on Fair eld Avenue in Shreveport.
Walker said the camp has been nomadic during the years. “We are kind of like the wandering Arameans, because we’ve been at different places at different times,” she said.
The deadline for registration is July 18, and all the current class information, times and associated costs are provided at the camp’s website at www.summer neartscamp.org.
Registration forms can also be downloaded from the site. Enrollment is limited.
Local Productions
Shreveport Little Theatre’s summer musical, “Company” continues through July 11. “Company” is the story of Bobby, a middle-aged bachelor, who spends his time observing the relationships of his married, engaged and divorced friends. Witty, cutting dialogue and Sondheim’s brilliant lyrics, “Company” is a portrait of urban angst that is nonetheless hilarious.
Cast members are Eric Lincoln, Jenny Warren, Jeremy Ringuette, Jessica Modica, Brian H. Smith, Kelly Powell, Blake Powell, Laura Beeman, Adam Philley, Seva May, Robert Darrow, Jordan A. Cole, Sarah Smith-Brown and Anna Maria Sparke.
River City Repertory Theatre recently staged its production of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” directed by local theater veteran, Robert Buseick.
The director turned 80 at the end of June and spoke to The Forum about his career in theater.
“My career in theater actually began when I was 6 years old. I came from a little town of 275 people in eastern Oregon, Long Creek. My father had a grocery store. When I was 6 years old and in kindergarten, there was a high school production that they were doing of ‘Mrs. Mulligan’s Stew.’ They needed a little boy, and I was the one who got cast in the part. He had lots of things to say, and he said them with just one word. And his one word was scrumptious. And I’ve sort of felt that my experience in theater has been scrumptious.
“I started out really wanting to be an actor and then suddenly discovering that I didn’t think I was a very good actor but I really liked directing because it was far more rewarding.”
Joe Todaro may be reached at joetodaro@scribio.com.
