There are almost as many children’s theater camps this summer as we have theaters. In some, kids will originate their own plays; in others, they’ll act in well known stories. One venue combines stage performance and video production. Another offers sketch comedy. Fees range widely and locales are across our landscape.   
     
County Seat Theater has a hugely active summer season. They perform the Gin Game June 8-17. They’ll offer special picnic performances of the award-winning “Wiley and the Hairy Man” June 29 and 30. These shows will raise funds for their July visit to Toyama, Japan when they bring Wiley to an international theater competition.

County Seat’s popular children’s theater camps run for three weeks in July and August with children’s performances on the last days of camp. The July theme is “Clowns”, a musical, and the cost is $40.  Teen theater, “The Wiley Factor”, for kids 12 to 17, is held August 13 to 17. Teens will work with  Wiley’s director, cast and crew and put on their own Wiley performance on the 17th. The cost is $30 which includes the script and a tee shirt. A registration form can be found online at www.countyseattheater.com/schedule  The camps will be held in the Encore Performing Arts Center in Cloquet. Call Jeff Soukkala at 878-0071 for more information.
 
The University of Wisconsin-Superior offers a two-week Summer Theatre Camp for 6th through 12th grade students June 11- 22. This six-year old program offers not only theater but also video production. The ending performance- students will perform “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and screen their original films- held in the Manion Theater in the Holden Fine Arts Building is free and open to the public.
UWS faculty will instruct, along with local professionals and current UWS theatre students who’ve been involved in campus plays. This small class, with room for up to 25, is already half-filled. Tuition is $150, but Cathy Fank, head of the Communicating Arts Department, says a serious discount is given to siblings. Go to www.uwsuper.edu/accaddept/commarts/theatre/camp.cfm  or call Cathy Fank at 715-394-8388.

At the College of St. Scholastica, Mitchell Auditorium has again invited Barrett MN’s Prairie Fire Children’s Theatre to run summer theater camps for kids ages 7 to 16. The June 11-15 camp will perform “Jack and the Beanstalk”; the July 9-14 group will stage “Sleeping Beauty”; and the August 13-18 crew will give us “Snow White”. There are both AM and PM sessions with room for 70 students per camp.

Children of all abilities are invited. Each camp is $65 per child and campers can choose any or all sessions. Performance DVD’s will be available and registration can be done online at css.edu/prairiefire
or call Mitchell Auditorium Event Coordinator, Kate Kucinski at 723-7000.

Rubber Chicken offers a new take: Teen Sketch Comedy Workshop, June 25-29. Kids 13-18 will immerse in all aspects of sketch comedy. Think: Monty Python, Saturday Night Live, Kids in the Hall, Rubber Chicken. Students will write up ideas, brainstorm, and learn how to direct and perform. Classes will be held at Fitger’s Spirit of the North Theater in the Fitger’s Complex, culminating in a Dessert Sketch Comedy Show on June 29. The workshop costs $75. Tickets to Dessert Sketch are separate. Contact Instructor Brian Matuszak at Brian@RubberChickenTheater.com to reserve a space.

Education Director, Kate Horvath of The Duluth Playhouse did not respond regarding their children’s summer theater offerings, but maybe you’ll have better luck at www.duluthplayhouse.org or 733-7555.

Positivity Children’s Theater Director, Julie Stryker, and I played phone tag. This South Shore-based Theater runs the last week in July and the first week in August. Kids write and perform their own pieces. I will give more details when I get them.

TWIN PORTS SESSION ALE

What a blast at Thirsty Pagan this past Monday to test three brewskis made with the same hops, barley, et al by three local breweries. The ales all tasted like a favorite of mine, grapefruit, but all had noses and clarities decidedly different. There was a foamy, a cloudy, a clear. Brewmasters Mike Miley of Carmody’s, Dave Hoops of the Brewhouse and Nate McAlpine of the Pagan were available to explain their brews. Could I choose a favorite?

Yes, and it was Thirsty Pagan’s coconut stout. No artificial coconut flavors here- only coconut juice and coconut flakes. Never had anything like it and the table next to mine loved it too. Brewer McAlpine offered me a short brewery tour, with a generous sampling of a rose-colored framboise still in the works. He made my day when he told me of a Belgian tripel he’ll soon brew (I missed his dubbel which is no longer available). His ‘ambient’ yeast will actually be imported from Belgium.

It was not a night to be missed and was a first for the Twin Ports. For the event, the three brewmasters sat down to discuss ingredients and events to celebrate Craft Beer Week, May 14-20. If you didn’t make the Pagan or the samples ot TPSA at Zeitgeist Arts Cafe’ this Wednesday, you can join the pub crawl  on Thursday. You’ll bus your way to 3 pints at 3 pubs and get some pizza to boot for the price.

News to me: Thirsty Pagan has begun beer/food pairings. Sarah’s Table is up next with a unique home brew; call 715-394-2500 for details. According to McAlpine, we can look forward to more comparison brewing. The Pagan across the bridge has got it going.