San Diego Junior Theatre Summer Camps

Accommodation

San Diego Junior Theatre Summer Camps are day camps. Campers attend during the day and return home afterward. No overnight lodging, cabins, dorm rooms, hotel stays, or residential supervision are included.

Most camps run Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Some holiday-week sessions are shorter four-day camps. Campers may be dropped off as early as 8:15 AM at no extra charge. Optional aftercare is available from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM for families who need a longer supervised day.

Most camp programming takes place in Junior Theatre’s Balboa Park setting. Some teen studio or specialty programs may use a different theatre venue, so families should check the exact camp listing before the first day.

The camp format is structured around daily theatre classes, group work, rehearsals, creative activities, and final-day Open Sharing. Families receive a more detailed informational letter the week before camp begins.

Meals

Campers should bring a sack lunch, a water bottle, and two snacks each day. Food is not provided as part of the standard camp day.

The schedule runs from morning through mid-afternoon, so lunch and snacks are important. Campers move, dance, sing, rehearse, and work in groups, which can be tiring even for kids who are used to active school days. A practical lunch should be easy to open, not too messy, and suitable for a theatre camp setting.

Safety

San Diego Junior Theatre uses a closed classroom policy. Adults are not permitted to sit in on camps until the invited Open Sharing on the final day. This keeps the camp environment focused and consistent for students.

Campers are grouped by the grade level they will enter in the fall. Friend or sibling grouping requests may be considered when students are in similar age or grade levels and registered for the same program, but placement is not guaranteed. Students cannot be placed above their grade level.

Drop-off begins as early as 8:15 AM. Pick-up begins at 3:00 PM. Students may release themselves at the end of camp only with written permission from a parent or guardian.

Teaching Artists have completed background checks and state-mandated training. Camp classes have a primary Teaching Artist plus one or two aides per group. Programs for students in third grade or younger include at least one Teacher’s Aide in addition to the primary Teaching Artist.

Health & Medicine

San Diego Junior Theatre is committed to supporting students with different needs. Families whose child may need accommodations due to a medical condition, learning difference, IEP, or other special circumstances should contact the education team before registration.

Kinderstars campers must have attended a full-day Pre-K or TK school program to be eligible. All students must be potty-confident. Junior Theatre’s general policy also notes that students must be able to use the bathroom without assistance.

Campers should wear closed-toe shoes and clothing they can move in. Flip-flops are not allowed. Tech Camp students should wear clothes that can get messy or have paint on them, with closed-toe shoes required and no Crocs or slip-ons.

San Diego Junior Theatre Summer Camps give students several ways into theatre. Kinderstars and Performance Camps rotate younger campers through drama, music, dance, and art. These camps are beginner-friendly and designed for students who may be brand new to theatre or already comfortable on stage.

Musical Theatre Intensives move faster and focus mainly on singing and dancing. Some intensives may include first-day auditions at the discretion of the Teaching Artists. Acting Academies emphasize acting and may also include playwriting, movement, auditioning, dramaturgy, scene work, or Shakespeare.

JT Studio is designed for grades 7–12 and gives teens a high-energy, professional-style rehearsal environment. Tech Camp introduces backstage theatre through tool safety, painting techniques, Foley sound effects, stage management, and design work.