Registration is now open for Summer 2025
Performing Arts 2025
T01 Let’s Play Guitar!
Week: 6 Grades: 5 & up
Wouldn’t you love to be able to play the guitar, or if you already can, wouldn’t you like to play more? In this class we learn how to make music on the coolest of all instruments – the guitar! We play basic chords, learn to read various kinds of notation and make music individually and as a group. Guitar players looking to take their playing up to the next level will also love this class! We’ll learn new chords, tunes and techniques, and increase our overall knowledge of the guitar. Complete beginners and people with quite a bit of experience are welcome to join the fun.
Note: You do NOT need to have a guitar to join this class, but if you have one, do bring it!
Instructor: Joe Hetko
T02 Be a Magician!
Week: 1 Grades: 3 & up (ages 8 & up)
Here’s your chance to learn magic from one of the top magicians in the Capital Region. Magician Jim Snack will draw from his bag of tricks to teach sleight of hand, close-up magic, and illusions. Each student will master several tricks with cards, coins, rope and other readily available objects to present at the Open House. The workshop is for ages 8 and above.
Instructor: Jim Snack
T03 Marionette Theater students perform: “Battle of the Trolls!”
Week: 3 Grades: 5 – 8
The woods trolls and the mountain trolls battle for the Heldebergs! Join the struggle! Build your own marionette troll and perform the story of the ancient trolls of the Heldebergs for the whole Workshop. Will you make a terrifying troll or the most beautiful princess? Puppet painting, costuming and puppet performance skills are all part of this adventure!
Instructor: John Koethen
T04 Action Academy: Super Hero Training Camp
Week: 2 Grades: 3-8
Do you have what it takes to become the next great Super Hero? * Determine your super powers and secret identity. * Design your hero’s costume, cape, logo, and mask. * Develop heroic character traits and super abilities.* Vanquish vile villains. * Defeat fiendish foes. * Defend the defenseless and get ready to save the World! *Discover the HERO inside of you!
Instructor: Scott Payne
T05 Wizards Workshop
Weeks: 1, 4 Grades: 3 – 8
Your OWL has arrived! Don’t miss your opportunity to attend Hogwarts in the Helderbergs. Potions, Magic Charms, and Mystical Beasts (and where to find them) are just a few of the subjects that students will enjoy in this crash course in theatrical conjuring. Apprentices will construct a Wizard’s wardrobe, magical apparatus, and other accessories of Abracadabra! Grab your broomstick and get ready to play wizard games. Imagination and Magic creatively combined!
Instructor: Scott Payne
T07 Theater in the Helderbergs
Weeks: 3, 4 Grades: 5 – 8
Get ready for a fun, creative class where you’ll team up with fellow students to write and perform your very own scenes for the stage! Together, you’ll dive deep into the world of character development and plot structure. Whether your scenes are funny, dramatic, or somewhere in between, you’ll have the chance to explore what makes your characters tick and bring them to life with your group. Throughout the week, you will draft, revise, and rehearse scenes to prepare for a performance on Friday. It’s all about collaboration, imagination, and, of course, a bit of theatrical flair!
Instructor: Emily Farrell
T08 WHO DONE IT? YOU DO IT!
Week: 4-5 (2 week course) Grades 5 – 8
What’s better than a good comic mystery “who-done it?” Nothing! Unless you write it yourself! In this two-week adventure, you and your fellow mystery writers get to do it all! You will all write the play, design the sets, costumes, and props, then rehearse and perform the play for an audience. With twists and turns, and comedy, you are sure to wow the audience and keep them guessing till the end!
Instructor: Steve Suriano
T09 Fantasy Faire
Week: 3 Grades: 3 – 8
Elves, Fairies, Gnomes, Dwarves, and other mystical creatures gather together to celebrate Midsummer with games. songs and festivities. Enjoy the Joust and make merry at the Maypole! Fun and frolic for all!
Instructor: Scott Payne
T10 Puppet Pandemonium “Let’s All Go to the Lobby!”
Week: 5 Grades: 3 – 8
What’s one of the best parts about going to the Drive-In or Movies? The Snack Bar, of Course! *Create original Hand and Rod puppets to entertain and entice everyone to “have ourselves a Treat!” *Parody the classic Intermission Snack Bar announcements made famous in the 50’s & 60’s. *PopCorn, Hot Dogs, Ice Cream and Soda Pop will all tell their silly stories. *Sing along with a classic Jingle that you will never forget, as we perform an original show that’s all about the Intermission!
Instructor: Scott Payne
T11 Whodunnit? Miniature Mysteries
Week: 6 Grades: 3 – 8
Design and build an original scale model Escape Room using stage-craft techniques, Create the clues for friends & family to unravel the mysteries awaiting in these puzzling and peculiar places. Develop your detective skills as you deduce the method, moment, and motive in these Mini-Mysteries.
Instructor: Scott Payne
T12 Let’s Play Ukelele!
Week : 1 Grades 5 – 12
Wander the Heldeberg hills and trails with one of the most portable and versatile musical instruments. This class is suitable for both complete beginners, and folks with some playing experience. We’ll learn to play tunes, chord progressions, and work on right hand techniques to bring variety to your playing.
Note: You do NOT need to have a ukelele to join this class, but if you have one, do bring it!
Instructor: Joe Hetko
T13 Voice Acting and Vocal Performance
Weeks: 2, 6 Grades: 5 – 12
Do you Love To Act or Sing? Well in this class you will learn the endless art and possibilities your voice can create! Learn how to create voices for different characters, and how even small changes in our voice can change and improve any scene. We will learn not only how to better our singing voices but to gain a deeper understanding of how beautiful singing voices are crafted and how both singing and voice acting can be used to tell a story. With your voice you can create almost anything…the only limit is your imagination!
Instructor: Yael Woods
T14 Adventurers Wanted: Swords & Sorcery
Week: 2 Grades: 6 – 12
Adventure awaits for those courageous enough to answer the call! In this course, we will we will sharpen our character development and role playing skills, using one of the most popular tabletop roleplaying games. Learn to create your hero using your character sheet, craft a backstory, draw art of your character, roleplay and act alongside other players, and set off with your adventuring party on quests fighting monsters and magical creatures. We will explore the Workshop and take our characters into the woods for more adventure! Seasoned players join in on miniature campaigns and have opportunities to become a Game Master and create and run combat encounters for other players. What kind of hero will you be?
Instructor: Mackenzie Johnson