Calling All Imaginative Kids!

It can sometimes be tough to find ways to keep the kids entertained over the summer in ways that use their imaginations and creativity.

In comes the City of Fairfax Theatre Company.

CFTC's summer program for kids ages 5 to 14 is now in its sixth year and offers even more than ever before, said founder and Camp Director Wendy Flora Knight.

Knight explained, the camp is not just for those who love plays and musicals, or who dream of being a Broadway star. The camp teaches several different forms of arts, she said.

"It's not just about acting - there are classes in art, music, and dancing as well," she said.

Perhaps most importantly, the camp allows children to take the reins and create their own production, rather than choose a well-known show that's been around for years.

Knight said, at the end of each two-week camp session, the campers in each age group put on their own 30- to 40-minute musical - that they write themselves.

"They make their own lyrics, music, dancing, write their own script - and it all comes together in about 2 weeks," she said.

Knight explained, each two-week session is given a theme to work with, but other than that, the kids get to run with their own imaginations.

For example, the most recent session this year had a carnival or state fair theme, she said.

The best part is, the show they came up with had an important lesson in the end. Knight said, they wrote a show about a state fair, with some kids playing the "acts" or "sideshows," one playing a narrator, and another playing a reporter that goes around and interviews each of the acts.

"As each act tells their story, through it all, it helps them see how each are unique and special in their own way, so it helps to teach them to be yourself, be proud of who you are, and about having self-esteem," she said.

Knight said, all of CFTC's summer drama camp teachers are professionals in the arts, and the camp also brings in college students from all over who are studying to have careers in theater or music education. The college students gain valuable experience through the camp by learning from the instructors and helping to design their own lesson plans.

The Details:

Where: Lanier Middle School campus, 3801 Jermantown Road, Fairfax City

When: Three two-week sessions. Next sessions are Session B, July 8-19; and Session C, July 22-Aug. 2.

Cost: $325 per two-week session

Registration: Through the City of Fairfax Parks and Recreation Department. In-person at City Hall, 10455 Armstrong St., or online here. (Click on 'Specialty Camps' and then 'CFTC Summer Drama Camp.')

See more information about CFTC including examples of daily camp schedules on the CFTC website.


Has your child participated in CFTC Summer Drama Camp before? Tell us about it in the comments below.

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