Porchlight Summer Camp
SUMMER CAMP 2025 IS NOW ON SALE!
Create and perform with Porchlight all summer long!
Chicago’s favorite music theatre summer camp is back and bigger than ever!
Our expanded offerings for actors aged 4 – 17 include skill-based classes to stretch their creative muscles and grow in their music theatre goals in acting, dancing and singing! All Porchlight classes are taught by theatre professionals who have appeared on stages throughout Chicagoland.
Our Foundation Classes – Mini Musicals for ages 4 – 6, Broadway Basics for ages 7 – 10 and Intermediate Ensemble for ages 11 – 13 – introduce music theater skills in a fun and welcoming atmosphere.
Campers grow from exploring environments in Mini Musicals to creating characters through play and improvisation in Broadway Basics, to more challenging technique and group work in Intermediate Ensemble. Campers will spend their day singing, dancing and creating an original musical performance to share on the last day.
Actors aged 7 – 13 years are invited to join us in applying their skills as they rehearse and perform a full licensed script in an extended camp in Porchlight Youth Presents. This summer our campers will dive into Seussical, JR and bring to life the Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant and all of Whoville!
Pre-professional and high school aged actors (14 – 17 years) focus on leveling up specific skills in our Broadway Dance Intensive and Broadway Singing Intensive. We highly recommend both classes for any actors curious about or planning on auditioning for college music theater programs. Actors will leave more confident in their music theatre skills and more prepared for their Common Music Theatre Prescreen Audition.
New this summer we’re excited to offer PMTeens – a one of a kind opportunity for the next generation of Chicago music theatre talent. This elite group of 12 actors aged 14 – 17 will receive professional theatre training, exclusive masterclasses and leave more confident and prepared for music theatre auditions. They will also have the opportunity to perform as part of our Broadway in your Backyard free summer concert series alongside professional actors in summer 2025.
Aftercare is offered each camp day at the DePaul School of Music from 3:30 – 5:30 PM and families are welcome to pickup anytime in this window. Aftercare is available to add on to each camp session at an additional fee and daily rates may become available depending on aftercare enrollment.
Summer Camp Locations:
Holtschneider Performance Center at the DePaul University School of Music
2330 N. Halsted St.
Chicago, IL 60614
Accessible by CTA Red, Brown and Purple line trains at the Fullerton CTA Stop, as well as the Fullerton and Halsted buses.
Porchlight Music Theatre Studios
4200 W. Diversey Ave
Chicago, IL 60639
Accessible by Diversey bus.
Porchlight believes that arts education is essential for all students, so no child will be turned away for their inability to pay. Scholarships and financial aid are awarded on a need and interest basis determined through this application and additional supports (travel and meal support) may be available as well. Payment plans are always available.
Want to try before you buy?
Join us for our Summer Camp Sampler on Sunday, April 27th 2025. Actors will get a taste of a camp day and parents can grab a donut and cup of coffee and get all your questions answered!
Sampler participants will get a special code for $100 off to use by the end of the day. The sampler will meet at the DePaul School of Music (2330 N. Halsted). Register for camp samplers for $20 — if you end up signing up for the full camp, the cost of the sampler will be applied to your purchase.
| Mini Musicals | Broadway Basics | Intermediate Ensemble |
| Ages 4 – 6 | Ages 7 – 10 | Ages 11 – 13 |
| 10 – 10:30AM | 10:45 – 11:15AM | 11:30AM – 12PM |
| Mini Sampler | Basics Sampler | Intermediate Sampler |
| Seussical, JR | Broadway Dance Intensive | Broadway Singing Intensive |
| Ages 7 – 13 | Ages 14 – 17 | Ages 14 – 17 |
| 12:15 – 12:45PM | 1 – 1:30PM | 1:45 – 2:15PM |
| Seussical, JR Sampler | Dance Intensive Sampler | Singing Sampler |
| PMTeens |
| Ages 14 – 17 |
| 2:30 – 3PM |
| PMTeens Sampler |
MINI MUSICALS • AGES 4 – 6
Summer Camp, 1 week
9 AM – 3 PM
Offered at the DePaul School of Music
Aftercare available to add on
Join us for a week of songs, games and exploring a theme through music.
Mini Musicals focuses on exploring environments and skills include understanding what an actor does, how musicals tell stories, remembering basic choreography and performing on the last day of camp.
Mini Musicals: Outer Space
Dates: June 16 – 20 (no camp June 19)
Cost: $260
Register for Mini Musicals: Outer Space
Add Aftercare to Mini Musicals: Outer Space
Or in checkout click “Add More Items” and “Summer Camp 2025 Aftercare” –> Aftercare Session 1
Mini Musicals: Enchanted Forests
Dates: July 14 – 18
Cost: $325
Register for Mini Musicals: Enchanted Forests
Add Aftercare to Mini Musicals: Enchanted Forests
Or in checkout click “Add More Items” and “Summer Camp 2025 Aftercare” –> Aftercare Session 4
Mini Musicals: Open Ocean
Dates: July 21 – 25
Cost: $325
Register for Mini Musicals: Open Oceans
Add Aftercare to Mini Musicals: Open Ocean
Or in checkout click “Add More Items” and “Summer Camp 2025 Aftercare” –> Aftercare Session 5
BROADWAY BASICS • AGES 7 – 10
Summer Camp, 2 weeks
9 AM – 3 PM
Offered at the DePaul School of Music
Aftercare available to add on
A two-week entrance to the world of music, drama, dance, writing and more! Actors will create characters who interact in a musical story.
Broadway Basics focuses on creating characters and skills include learning to warm up our actor tools, writing a story with music together, helping to choreograph a song, and making big character choices with our bodies and voices.
Broadway Basics: Villains & Sidekicks
Dates: June 23 – July 3
Please note: this camp ends on Thursday, July 3rd. There is no camp on Friday, July 4.
Cost: $585
Register for Broadway Basics: Villains & Sidekicks
Add Aftercare to Broadway Basics: Villains & Sidekicks
Or in checkout click “Add More Items” and “Summer Camp 2025 Aftercare” –> Aftercare Session 2
Broadway Basics: Majesties & Magicians
Dates: July 28 – August 8
Cost: $650
Register for Broadway Basics: Majesties & Magicians
Add Aftercare to Broadway Basics: Majesties & Magicians
Or in checkout click “Add More Items” and “Summer Camp 2025 Aftercare” –> Aftercare Session 6
INTERMEDIATE ENSEMBLE • AGES 11 – 13
Summer Camp, 2 weeks
9 AM – 3 PM
Offered at the DePaul School of Music
Aftercare available to add on
Middle school actors join us for two weeks to grow their theater skills and create their own musical revue!
Intermediate Ensemble focuses on music theater genres and skills include learning to sing in harmony with our ensemble, perform a small group or individual solo (if desired), more challenging choreography and acting techniques, and basic improvisation.
Intermediate Ensemble: Jukebox Rockstars
Dates: June 23 – July 3
Please note: this camp ends on Thursday, July 3rd. There is no camp on Friday, July 4.
Cost: $585
Register for Intermediate Ensemble: Jukebox Rockstars
Add Aftercare to Intermediate Ensemble: Jukebox Rockstars
Or in checkout click “Add More Items” and “Summer Camp 2025 Aftercare” –> Aftercare Session 2
Intermediate Ensemble: Golden Age Classics
Dates: July 28 – August 8
Cost: $650
Register for Intermediate Ensemble: Golden Age Classics
Add Aftercare to Intermediate Ensemble: Golden Age Classics
Or in checkout click “Add More Items” and “Summer Camp 2025 Aftercare” –> Aftercare Session 6
PORCHLIGHT YOUTH PRESENTS • AGES 7 – 13
SEUSSICAL, JR
Summer Camp, 2 weeks
9 AM – 3 PM
Offered at the DePaul School of Music
Aftercare available to add on
Actors aged 7 – 13 years are invited to join us in applying their skills as they rehearse and perform a full licensed script in an extended camp in Porchlight Youth Presents. This summer our campers will dive into Seussical, JR and bring to life the Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant and all of Whoville!
Porchlight Youth Presents
Seussical, JR
Dates: July 7 – 25
Cost: $975
Add Aftercare to Seussical, JR
Or in checkout click “Add More Items” and “Summer Camp 2025 Aftercare” –> Aftercare Session 3
BROADWAY SINGING INTENSIVE • AGES 14 – 17
Summer Camp, 1 week
9 AM – 3 PM
Offered at the DePaul School of Music
High school actors work on building their “book” of songs as well as vocal technique and acting through song.
Broadway Singing Intensive – Session 1
Dates: June 23 – 27
Cost: $500
Register for Broadway Singing Intensive
Broadway Singing Intensive – Session 2
Dates: July 7 – 11
Cost: $500
Register for Broadway Singing Intensive
BROADWAY DANCE INTENSIVE • AGES 14 – 17
Summer Camp, 1 week
9 AM – 3 PM
Offered at Porchlight Studios, 4200 W. Diversey Ave
High school-aged actors focus on their music theatre dance skills in tap, jazz, ballet and learn real Broadway choreography.
Broadway Dance Intensive
Dates: July 28 – August 1
Cost: $500
Register for Broadway Dance Intensive
PMTeens • AGES 14 – 17
Summer Camp, 2 weeks
9 AM – 3 PM
Offered at Porchlight Studios, 4200 W. Diversey Ave
Only 9 spots left!
Porchlight is looking for the next generation of Chicago music theatre talent! New this summer 12 high school-aged actors will join us to learn from Chicago’s music theatre experts and perform on a Porchlight stage. Actors will leave this immersive two-week experience with polished audition materials (monologue, uptempo and ballad and dance audition skills) as well as experience performing in the teen ensemble at Porchlight’s popular summer series – Broadway in your Backyard – alongside professional actors. Spots are limited for this exclusive experience!
Ensemble members will also receive masterclasses, updated professional headshots and coaching in resumes and video submissions for college and professional auditions.
Dates: July 14 – 25
Cost: $600
Sample Camp Day
Every day we’ll have time to learn music/acting technique, work on our final presentation, and get to know each other as an ensemble. A typical day at camp will look something like this:
- 9 – 10 AM – Welcome and Warm-Ups (Voice, Body, Ensemble)
- 10 – 11 AM – Learn Group Songs / Choreography for final show
- 11 AM – 12 PM – Drama Games / Whole Cast Work
- 12PM – Lunch & Free Time at Oz Park
- 1 – 2 PM – Prop and Individual Final Show Work / Rehearsal
- 2 – 3 PM – Drama Games and Review, Sign Out
Payment plans are available for all youth programming by emailing rebeccah@porchlightmusictheatre.org. Scholarships and financial aid available by filling out this application.
Scholarships Provided due to generous donations from:
CAMP REGISTRATION AND SAFETY POLICIES
Porchlight Music Theatre has the right to cancel a class up to one week prior to the start date. Refunds will be processed if a class or camp is canceled. No refunds available if a purchaser drops a class or camp unless the spot can be filled from a waitlist. If a spot can be filled, a refund will be given.
Porchlight Music Theatre has the right to determine minimum enrollment. A refund will not be processed if a purchaser believes the enrollment to be too low.
Transfers towards a different camp or class session may not be possible.
Porchlight Music Theatre classes and camps are mask encouraged for all campers and Teaching Artists. Guidelines and recommendations were created following advice from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Illinois Department of Health and Chicago Public Schools. Policies may update based on expert recommendations.
Full policies and FAQ here.
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