Sally Bingham
(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- Registration is now open for East Lynne Theater Company's annual Youth Theater Camp for kids ages 11 to 17. The two-week camp takes place July 14-18 and 21-24, and culminates with a live performance on July 25. All levels are welcome; no previous experience is required.
Taught by acclaimed professional actor Sally Bingham, the program is designed so that all children are involved in all aspects of the theater, whether they wish to perform on stage or stay behind the scenes to help backstage. Bingham stresses that this is not just about learning theater skills; it’s about learning life skills, such as public speaking, teamwork and confidence building.
Bingham, who has acted, directed and written plays for over 35 years in Chicago, Philadelphia and New York, teaches theater skills, improv, creativity, and team building for corporations and schools, such as Wildwood’s after-school Century 21 program.
This year, the children’s performance will be Bingham’s original take on Sherlock Holmes, to tie into East Lynne’s upcoming fall production of “Sherlock Holmes: Scandals.” However, Bingham says that the students actually have a big role in how the play turns out.
“I wrote a working script, but it’s really important that the play rings true to the students,” said Bingham. “They are very much entrenched in the outcome of the final script. It continuously evolves. The kids have great ideas and they put their stamp on it so it becomes something that’s all of ours.”
Sessions take place 1-4 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, July 14-18 and 21-24. A free, live, open-to-the-public performance will take place on July 25. All classes and the performance take place at the Cape May Presbyterian Church, 500 Hughes St., Cape May.
“The point is not to have the best production, it’s to have the best journey to get there,” said Bingham. “This is a safe and inviting place. It’s very joyful – this is not work – because it’s summer.”
Tuition is $250 and due by July 1. Kids under age 11 may join if an older sibling is registered. Class is limited to 15 students. To register or for more information, go to EastLynneTheater.org.
Founded in 1980, East Lynne Theater Company has been named by The New York Times as one of the Top 75 summer theaters in North America and recognized by the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly as “one of the state’s most important cultural treasures.” In 2023, understanding that the American Theater is itself a growing work of art, East Lynne expanded its mission to “present and preserve America’s theatrical heritage” by including plays about America today. As the company expands into the Clemans Theater, so does its calendar, which will offer year-round entertainment that includes plays and performances from worldwide writers, actors, musicians, and more.
