WATERLOO – The Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy has announced its lineup of march break and summer camps for 2026.
March break Broadway bootcamps will run from March 16 to 20 (for ages eight to 18) and five weeks of summer camps will be offered between July 13 and Aug. 21.
“These week-long programs provide youth with the chance to have fun, make lasting friendships and develop life skills in a safe and welcoming environment, with performing and technical arts training led by experienced theatre educators,” officials state in a press release.
All camps will be held at the Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy in Waterloo.
Drayton Entertainment’s artistic director David Connolly says “The aim of our Youth Academy camps is to encourage kids to put their phones down and enjoy real life emotional, intellectual and social growth through creativity and imagination.
“We’ve designed these weeks to not just build better theatre-makers, but more empathetic, brave and socially aware citizens – all while having a ton of fun.”
Musical theatre camps
“Participants in Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy camps gain fundamental training in singing, acting and movement while exploring material from popular Broadway shows and age-appropriate musicals,” officials state.
Working with industry professionals, students learn how musical numbers are rehearsed and performed, building skills in vocal production, choreography, character creation and ensemble performance.
Throughout the week, participants attend specialty workshops and master classes in areas such as stage combat, on-camera acting, audition technique and puppetry.
Each camp culminates in an end-of-week sharing session where family members are invited to see students showcase what they have learned.
Summer camps
Each week of summer camp will feature a unique theme:
– Week one: Heroes & Villains, July 13 to 17, ages eight to 14;
–Week two: Rock the Stage, July 20 to 24, ages eight to 14;
– Week three: Under the Big Top, July 27 to 31, ages eight to 18;
– Week four: Movie Musical Magic, Aug. 10 to 14, ages eight to 18; and
– Week five: Once Upon a Time, Aug. 17 to 21, ages eight to 18..
Additional intensive camps
A pre-professional triple threat advanced training intensive summer camp for pre-college and college ages will be held from July 13 to 17.
This audition-based intensive will select 25 pre-college and college students pursuing a career in the performing arts.
A junior triple threat intensive summer camp will be held from July 20 to 24.
This audition-based intensive will select 20 performers ages 12 to 16.
For both triple threat intensive summer camps, participants will train with industry professionals to learn four song and dance production numbers and take part in virtual mentor Q&As and in-person workshops such as acting, audition technique and improv.
Auditions open in early 2026.
A vocal performance and audition skills intensive summer camp will be held from July 20 to July 24.
This audition-based intensive will select 16 advanced singers ages 15 to 23.
Designed for both musical theatre and pop performers, the program focuses on developing solo and ensemble skills, refining audition technique and expanding repertoire.
Auditions open in early 2026.
An acting intensive summer camp will be held from Aug. 10 to 14 for 12 to 18 year olds.
This camp is open to all students without an audition and teaches the fundamentals of stage and screen acting.
Participants explore character development through improvisation and text analysis, using age-appropriate monologues and scenes, and attend specialty workshops such as on-camera technique, stage combat, puppetry and audition skills.
Registration is now open.
A technical production summer camp will be held from Aug. 17 to 21 for 12 to 18 year olds.
Open to all students without an audition, this camp is for anyone who wants to learn more about making behind-the-scenes magic.
Technical students will study set design, building and painting along with workshops in stage management, wardrobe, props, lighting and sound.
Registration is now open.
All camps will run from 9am to 4pm with complimentary early drop off available at 8:30am and late pick-up until 4:30pm.
The Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy is located at 145 Northfield Dr., Waterloo.
Early bird pricing is available until Dec. 31 with multi-week and multi-family member discounts available.
“We strive to ensure that all young people, regardless of financial circumstances, are able to participate,” officials state.
For information about flexible payment plans and financial assistance programs contact the Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy.
Indigenous youth under 18 receive free tuition for Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy training programs.
For registration visit draytonentertainmentyouthacademy.com.
