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f i r . .Theatrics kids by Maureen Curtis 1 Left to right: Summer Theatre Camp Builds Self-Confidence and Skill Whether their next gig is serving lattes at Starbucks or acting a part in a television Stepping movie, teens participating in Capilano College's Stones Musical Theatre Camp, July 2-26 will be able to meet future challenges with more self-confidence. Musical theatre encourages young people to do things they never thought they were capable of. Performing helps kids improve self confidence and the ability to present themselves - a useful skill in any field of endeavour. Musical theatre also offers plenty of variety and fun. The Stepping Stones program is aimed at the 13-17-year-old age range, a group for which relatively few recreational and cultural programs are designed. Whatever the teen's acting ability, it is bound to improve during the intensive four-week session with a group of professionals who love working with kids. The students work with actress/director Gillian Barber and her partners Andrew Toth and Scott Knight in facilities at Capilano College that include two studios and its Performing Arts Theatre. Morning classes focus on instruction followed by afternoons spent developing the final three-night stage performance. Toth will focus on acting and Knight on music. The mother of a 12 and 13 year-old. Barber juggles her own acting career with teaching the young what she has learned. "I love working with teens; they get excited about things, they really make a commitment. I like to see their power - an assertiveness I didn't have as a kid," she recalls. In the final days, the instructors will step back into supportive roles and let the young performers "take it away." "I think they'll learn a tremendous amount. They will have to take it over and do it all," says Barber. Students will get into different aspects of putting on a production, shadowing various experts including a stage manager and a technical director. By week three, work on the performance will intensify. All members of the class will participate, choosing the kind of presentation pieces they like to do. Stepping Stones decided against doing one production because it introduces a more competitive tone than they are looking for. "We want everyone to do something and we want to encourage teamwork," says Barber. Scott Knight, Gillian Barber, and Andrew Toth 6 July | August