CARPE DIEM THEATER

 One of Carpe Diem’s many strengths is its cycle of leadership; kids who have grown up in the camp have the opportunity to enter the COUNSELOR PROGRAM when they enter 10th grade, and remain counselors until the summer after high school graduation. As a result, they have three summers of theater leadership experience before even going to college, an opportunity rarely found in other theater programs in the Capital District. 

 The mission that will guide us moving forward is to empower children through accessible programs that provide opportunities for performance and high-quality education in theatre, arts leadership, and collaboration. This is inspired by the way camp has organically functioned for the past 10 years. In this time, we have observed that theater has given the Carpe Diem campers the tools to express themselves and be confident in who they are. They continue to break down barriers within themselves and others, and create the bonds of family. They gain the confidence to voice their creative ideas, take risks in their performances, become mentors to one another, and use the skills they learn in camp to overcome obstacles in their lives.