About Charm City Players
Charm City Players is primarily a fast-paced summer musical theatre intensive, not a traditional summer camp. It excels at providing a 'real show' production experience within 6-8 days, making it ideal for dedicated 'theatre kids' who thrive under pressure and seek challenging performance opportunities. Its unique value proposition lies in the rapid development of full-scale productions with professional-feeling end-of-camp shows, and highly responsive/accommodating staff.
What parents should know
Summarized from real visitor reviews.
Best for: Children with a strong passion for musical theatre who thrive in a challenging, fast-paced production environmentKids who enjoy the camaraderie and 'team spirit' of putting on a show, even in ensemble rolesFamilies seeking a 'real show' experience for their child, complete with professional-feeling performancesChildren who are self-motivated and can handle periods of quiet observation when not actively rehearsingParents who value highly responsive and accommodating staff for their child's needs
Why families love it
- Fast-paced production schedule, putting on a full musical in 6-8 days (e.g., Matilda, High School Musical, Beauty and the Beast, Lion King)
- Professional and knowledgeable staff, highly responsive directors (Chrissy noted as super responsive, friendly, accommodating)
- Offers opportunities for both ensemble parts (younger/inexperienced children) and speaking/singing roles (older/experienced children)
- End-of-camp performances are high quality, feeling like 'real shows' in a 'nice theater with intermission and flowers'
- Fosters strong camaraderie and 'lifelong friendships' among participants
- Successfully adapted to run productions during the 2020 pandemic
Insider tips
- Manage expectations: this is an intensive production experience, not a traditional summer camp with diverse activities beyond rehearsal.
- If your child is new or less experienced, expect an ensemble role and be prepared for potential significant downtime.
- Inform the program director about any special needs (e.g., anxiety) as they are noted to be responsive and accommodating.
- Be prepared for a very fast-paced rehearsal schedule (full show in 6-8 days).
- For families traveling, it is considered 'worth it' (one family travels 45 min one way).
Good to know before you go
- Children expecting a traditional summer camp experience with varied arts & crafts, games, or diverse theatre workshops
- Kids who require constant engagement and struggle with long periods of sitting quietly or waiting for their turn to rehearse
- New participants or those without prior experience who are solely focused on securing a lead role
- If your child is not passionate about traditional musical theatre performances
- Labeled a 'camp' but operates as a 'theatre intensive' with limited activities beyond rehearsing the play (no set building, theatre skills classes, or varied camp activities mentioned by negative review)
- Crowds
- One review mentions a production having 'about 80 kids', indicating potentially large cast sizes.
- Value
- No specific pricing is mentioned. Perceived value is very high for children deeply engaged in theatre, with one family stating it's 'worth it' despite a 45-minute commute and another child choosing it over a beach vacation. However, for those expecting a traditional camp experience or for non-lead children experiencing significant downtime, one reviewer felt it was 'not worth the time or money.'
- Accessibility
- Director Chrissy is described as 'super responsive, friendly and accommodating to all needs'
- Safety
- Staff is described as 'professional and knowledgeable'
What parents say
"Third year and counting with Charm City Players summer theatre program. My child has been performing in musical theatre productions in our small town on the Eastern shore since she was 5. It is her passion. Our first year she knew no one. My child has a diagnosis of anxiety which I informed the program director about. Her first day jitters were immediately addressed and her first time there 2019 session she got a small, speaking role that suited her. The summer of 2020 the program was able to pull off all of their productions during the pandemic! My daughter was in 2 and over the moon. This su"
3 years ago
"Charm City Players is great! My daughter has had the best experience! This summer will be her third camp and she can’t wait for it to begin. She has learned so much, and her love for the theatre has grown! The staff is so professional and knowledgeable. She has made lifelong friendships!"
2 years ago
"My daughter attended the camps this summer. First was Matilda, then High School Musical and lastly she will attend the Beauty and Beast camp. She has had a fantastic time! She is learning a lot. She has had ample time to sing, dance and act. She loves the fast pace of putting on a production in 6 days. It’s challenging and fun! Chrissy( the director) is super responsive, friendly and accommodating to all needs. This has been a highlight to my daughter Gabby’s summer!!! She’s already asking about next summer. We travel 45 min one way to get here and it’s worth it! If you are looking for a fast "
3 years ago
Reviews sourced from public Google data.
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