About 80 children from Henderson, Union and Webster counties are hard at work this week on the stage of the Preston Arts Center.
As a part of the Henderson Area Arts Alliance’s summer theatre camp, the students are working with local educators to put on a Friday play called “We Are Monsters.”
The play will be at 4 p.m. at the PAC. It’s free and open to the public but donations are accepted.
Kensington Eck, the executive director of HAAA, is directing the show. She is assisted by Angela Travis, the music director at Cairo and Jefferson elementary schools, and A.J. Casey, who is working this week as the tech director and who teaches in Henderson County High School’s School of Fine Arts.
The week of theatre camp is also free for participants (also free is lunch provided by Henderson County Schools), and it is an initiative that Eck says is part of HAAA’s mission to support and grow the arts in the community.
Students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade are participating, and the way the play is built allows for actors with more experience to take more of the lead roles while the less experienced—and younger—can be a part of different ensembles, such as vampires and werewolves, Eck said. She added that this lets the younger actors get experience on stage and realize it’s not so nerve wracking.
Last year, the Missoula Children’s Theatre came to lead HAAA’s summer theatre camp, and according to Eck, 29 students participated. She credited this year’s bump because of the local teachers involved and their bringing along some of their students.
Before taking her current position, Eck taught in public schools for 6 ½ years, and she has taught voice and acting since 2004. She said this week of theatre camp is some of her most fulfilling work, especially when she sees a child have one of those “a-ha” moments.
“It’s so cool to witness,” she said.