DREAM Summerstock VTC Intensive is a 2 week comprehensive sleep-away program for the serious Theater performers, ages of 12–19. Staff is led by professional actors and directors. Campers participate in skill enhancing workshops, a full range of outdoor activities, and perform in one fully produced show.
When: August 3rd - 17th
Where: Elmer, nj
ELMER, NEW JERSEY
APPLICATIONS FOR SUMMERSTOCK 2025 ARE NOW OPEN!
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Exceptional Theater Training
From vocal training to acting techniques and dance, students receive high-caliber instruction led by master artists. Workshops like musical theater dance, character analysis, and vocal mastery help campers refine their craft while expressing their unique voices. It’s not just about creating a beautiful final production, but learning new things every day to become a better artist.
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Building Community & Confidence
Beyond the stage, students build social and emotional skills through group activities, outdoor adventures, and community-building experiences. Swimming, outdoor activities, campfires, and more help foster friendships and resilience, creating a supportive environment where students can truly thrive, feeling their most comfortable. Our guidance counseling staff keep a close eye on campers, supporting them socially and emotionally along the way.
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Mentorship & Professionalism
In just two weeks, campers work with professionals to put on near-professional productions, experiencing the fast-paced environment of theater. With guidance from working actors, directors, and coaches, students gain invaluable insights into the demands of the industry while building confidence.
VTC’s handbook contains comprehensive, detailed information about our Summerstock Intensive Program including VTC policies, philosophy, as well as practical advice on preparing for Summerstock.
Guided by Vanguard’s commitment to DREAM values—Diversity, Reciprocity, Education, Activism, and Mentorship—Summerstock is more than a theater camp. It’s a powerful experience where CAMPERS learn to lead, grow, and inspire, both on stage and off.
Our mission is to challenge social and cultural narratives through theater that resembles fully professional settings - giving each CAMPER the tools they need to be a change-maker in the world and industry at large.
Vanguard Theater's DREAM Summerstock VTC Intensive for students ages 12 - 19 pairs excellent musical theater and dramatic training with vital resources for students of many different lived experiences. Our approach marries artistry with social and emotional skills, giving our campers the tools to thrive alone and together, onstage and off.
During two enriching and rigorous weeks, campers are immersed in a multifaceted curriculum encompassing vocal training, acting techniques, dance instruction, creative exploration, and backstage arts. Led by master instructors, rehearse for fully produced shows performed the last weekend of summerstock, and engage in workshops, including songwriting, Shakespearean performance, musical theater dance, character analysis, the art of belting for Broadway, riffs and runs, and college prep.
In addition to honing artistic skills, campers participate in outdoor activities such as swimming, hiking, and sports such as gaga, tennis, or volleyball, fostering camaraderie and community. At night, we have lively campfire gatherings, movie and karaoke nights, and spirited dance parties, providing a holistic and memorable summer experience that merges the great outdoors with art and expression.
Participants may work with professional photographers to capture headshots and audition photos, enhancing their portfolios. Committed to supporting the needs of 21st-century performers and cultivating the skills of future artists and leaders, Vanguard Theater's DREAM Summerstock program is dedicated to empowering emerging visionaries in the world of musical theater. Many alumni credit Summerstock with giving them the tools to be successful at some of the most competitive musical theater programs in the country including: University of Michigan, Pace University, Syracuse University, Boston Conservatory, Ithaca College, NYU / Tisch, Emerson College, Northwestern, Berklee School of Music, BOCO, HARTT, Montclair State University, Manhattan School of Music, and more.
High school students who are passionate about pursuing musical theater in college and/or as a career, or who are eager to connect their artistic endeavors with leadership and service, are encouraged to register. Summerstock truly exemplifies Vanguard’s dream of being the change we wish to see in the world. Our students will tell you that it changed their lives and perspectives forever.
