This morning, as I enjoyed the luxury of a slow breakfast (post-summer camps,) a young girl shyly approached my table. She was in our August A Play A Day Camp, participating quietly and fully in all our stories. "Ms. Jenny," she said this morning as her mother joined her, "do you know what my favorite camp was all summer?" "We were just talking about it," her mother explained, "I asked her which was her favorite out of all the camps she took this summer." "Which was your favorite," I asked the young girl. "Durham Regional Theatre!" she exclaimed, smiling big. "What did you like about the camp?" I wanted to know. "Everything." she told me, meaning it.
That's a lovely way to start a day, isn't it? It made me remember other generous comments from students this summer. Two of the comments were very similar. Both students were quite quiet and shy on stage when they started DRT classes four and five years ago. And both made great breakthroughs in courage, strength and grace in leading roles at our 2015 summer camp shows. Each young actress approached me at the end of her successful performance, saying, "When I have to speak at most places, I'm still kind of shaky and shy, but here I'm never scared. I'm excited. I love doing it." While I remain committed to our students feeling happy to speak anywhere, anytime they wish, I'm also glad for the message of a job well done.
Summer camp students are already enrolling in our fall 8-week acting classes. I look forward to the empowering, fun, creative time we will continue to have all year. You are welcome to join us! (Just go to the "Classes" page under "Education.")
Warmly, Jenny Justice, DRT artistic director