HOW DO I REGISTER? 

Registration for Summer 2026 will open in January. Dates and links will be shared here and via email as soon as they go live.

More camp policies and FAQs for Musical Theatre camps held at Duke School can be seen here. 

​​More Camp policies and FAQs for Creative Drama camps held at Montessori School of Durham can be seen here. 

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Please note: VaultWorks Summer Ensemble is an audition-only program for advanced teens; registration is only available for accepted students after auditions. Registration instructions will be sent directly to those accepted into the program. 

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WHICH CAMP IS RIGHT FOR MY CHILD? 

All camps are tailored for both beginners and seasoned young artists! Over the course of the camp, students will learn musical theatre or creative drama skills, learn to work as ensemble, and bring to life the story through using the tools of an actor: voice, body, and imagination. 

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Vault Theatre offers two types of camps: Musical Theatre camps and Creative Drama camps.

• Musical Theatre camps will explore putting on a final presentation of a musical and students will take classes in acting, singing, and dance.

• Creative Drama camps, students will work as an ensemble to create their own story learning all areas from creating, acting, directing, and crafting. Musical elements may also be included in Creative Drama camps.

• All camps end in a final presentation of the work created and learned in each camp! 

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This year, VT is introducing an audition-only program for advanced students. VaultWorks Summer Ensemble auditions will be held in February. Students must audition and be accepted in order to register for this program. 

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WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WORKSHOP AND PRODUCTION CAMPS?

Vault Theatre offers two types of Musical Theatre Camps, each designed to focus on different aspects of the theatre-making process:

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• Workshop Camps: These camps emphasize the creative process. Campers focus on acting, singing, and dancing skills while collaborating as an ensemble. The final presentation is an informal sharing of the work, without props, costumes, or technical elements. This format allows campers to concentrate fully on storytelling and their performance skills.

• Production Camps: These camps include a stagecrafts class where campers help create simple costumes and props. The final presentation incorporates these elements, giving a glimpse into the process of putting together a production. While still focused on learning and creativity, this format introduces students to some technical aspects of theatre in addition to performance.
   

Both formats prioritize the joy of learning, collaboration, and personal growth. Workshop Camps encourage creativity and skill-building without external elements, while Production Camps offer a hands-on opportunity to explore additional aspects of theatre-making.

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WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN "Kids" and "Jr." and "Young Performer's" TITLES? 

The only difference is length. It does not indicate that the material is for younger or older students. "Jr" and "YP" titles are adapted to be an hour-long final presentation. Vault Theatre's two-week long camps, Cinderella, James and the Giant Peach, Jr., and Elf, Jr. are hour-long titles. The "Kids" titles are adapted to be 30-minute-long final presentations. Vault Theatre's week-long camps are Kids titles this year that title is 101 Dalmatians. 

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WHAT ARE THE MUSICAL CAMPS LIKE DAY TO DAY? 

Vault Theatre’s Musical Theatre Camps are designed to support a wide age range while ensuring each student receives attention and guidance.

 

Group Placement
On the first day, students are divided into small groups of up to 15, primarily by age. Each group is assigned a dedicated teaching artist who supports them throughout the camp.

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Daily Rotations
Groups rotate through Acting, Singing, Dance, and, when applicable, Stagecraft classes. Each class is led by a specialist, maintaining a student-to-teaching-artist ratio of approximately 7–8 to 1.

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Workshop-Style Auditions
Students participate in low-pressure, workshop-style auditions to explore a song, a dance, and scenes from the show. This allows teaching artists to understand each student’s strengths, interests, and performance goals.

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Cast Assignments
On the second day, students are placed into cast groups based on age, interests, and the needs of the production. Younger students typically stay within their age group, while older students may work in mixed-age groups when appropriate.

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Rehearsal Process
Cast groups spend most of their time with their assigned teaching artist working on their scenes and roles. As the final presentation approaches, all groups come together for combined rehearsals to create a unified performance.

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This structure ensures individualized attention within a collaborative ensemble environment.

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WHAT ARE THE CREATIVE DRAMA CAMPS LIKE DAY TO DAY? 

Vault Theatre’s Creative Drama Camps focus on ensemble-based, student-driven theatre creation. Camps are intentionally smaller to give each young artist the space to explore, create, and collaborate.

 

Group Structure
Students work as a full ensemble while also breaking into small groups to develop original material. Each small group is paired with a teaching artist: at Montessori School of Durham, camps cap at 20 students with 2 teaching artists; at Vault Theatre Studios, camps cap at 30 students with 2 Studio Specialists and 2 Ensemble teaching artists.

 

Daily Activities
Days include a mix of creative games, individual exercises, and collaborative ensemble work. Students spend time exploring their own ideas, devising scenes, and experimenting with storytelling techniques.

 

Student-Directed Process
Campers take ownership of the creative process, making choices about their characters, stories, and performance style. Teaching artists guide and support while ensuring every student has the opportunity to contribute.

 

Final Presentation
Each camp concludes with a presentation of the ensemble’s work, showcasing the creativity, collaboration, and skills developed over the course of the session.

This structure emphasizes collaboration, imagination, and skill-building in a supportive, hands-on environment.

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WHAT IS THE FINAL PERFORMANCE LIKE? 

Vault Theatre’s classes and camps are focused on the process of creating theatre as an ensemble. There will be a final, informal celebration of the work campers explored over the course of the camp. The final presentation takes on Friday of the final day of camp starting between 2:15 and 3:30pm depending on the camp. 

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The final presentation celebrates the work campers have done during the session:

• Workshop Camps: Informal presentations that highlight the creative process. These presentations feature minimal props or costumes, with campers wearing a Vault Theatre t-shirt. The focus is on storytelling, collaboration, and the skills learned during camp.

• Production Camps: Presentations that include a sample of costumes, props, and other creative elements made during camp. These presentations offer campers the opportunity to share their work with added visual elements that reflect their creativity and effort.

• Creative Drama Camps: Presentations include student-made elements including props, costumes, and set pieces. These are all created with students serving as actors, directors, designers, collaboratively as an ensemble. 

• VaultWorks Summer Ensemble is an advanced production and will include all technical elements of the show and end in a short run of multiple performances on the final weekend. 
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All camp formats focus on creativity, teamwork, and skill-building, ensuring a meaningful and fun experience for all campers.