COVID-19 / INSPIRATION STAGE SUMMER PROGRAMMING UPDATE
Thank you for your patience as we’ve been working hard to determine the best path forward for our summer camp program. We know this is a complicated and trying time for our community, and your health and safety are foremost in our decision making at every step. We also know that many of you are trying to make your summer plans and have reached out about the status of our summer program to gauge when and how summer camps will go on.
Like many performing arts studios and theatres, summer programming is vital to health of our organization, and the purpose of this communication is to outline our plan for continuing our summer program as safely as possible while still offering the fun, educational experiences you’ve come to know and love. With your health and safety forefront and our overall camp experience in mind, we’re announcing online-only camp programming in June and an anticipated return to in-person camp operations in July.
Currently, we are awaiting specific local guidance to fine-tune our policies and procedures for in-person operations. We are working closely with county, city, and school district authorities to determine the enhanced protective, sanitization, and distancing practices our organization will take to offer an environment our staff, children, and parents feel comfortable participating in. Planning to resume in-person operations in July rather than June gives us more time to prepare and implement these safety measures and allows you time to consider the best camp offering for your family’s situation.
Finally, we will only hold in-person summer camp operations if and when we are given authority from the State of Texas and Fort Bend County to do so. If we are not granted permission to do so, registrations for those in-person camps will be refunded in full. This also applies to any cancelled or changed camp offerings.
SUMMER 2020 PROGRAM CHANGES
We are thrilled to announce the premiere of our virtual learning program and online summer camps—“Zoomsicals”—that will kick off this June! Just what is a “Zoomsical”, you ask? It’s an adaptation of a musical specifically written with virtual delivery in mind. The entire camp experience goes virtual—we cast, rehearse, and perform over the Zoom digital medium, learning music, choreography, lines and assembling production elements like we would for an in-person experience. “Zoomsicals” allow a safe-at-home experience for our students, concluding with a performance experience streamed to Inspiration Stage’s Facebook and YouTube channels, offering something new for our parents and students—a way for non-local friends and family to see your kiddo perform! See an example of a Zoomsical here (https://youtu.be/Q82oihPP_zQ) and tune in to Inspiration Stage’s Facebook page on Memorial Day as we premiere OUR first Zoomsical “The Greatest Ten Minute Musical Ever Written!” by Timothy Allen McDonald and Rob Rokicki.
Our in-person summer camp programming has likewise been adapted. We are pleased to offer a lineup of in-person summer camps throughout July and August that can be facilitated with a reduced number of campers (currently limited to 20 campers per session). As stated above, we’re working with government officials to put in place appropriate enhanced sanitization and other protective measures. We are also working with our licensing providers to seek permission to record camp performances and limit live audience viewing.
For those who have already registered for summer camps, you’ll be offered the option to transfer your registration to any camp in our revised schedule (including our online Zoomiscals!), gift your summer camp tuition paid, receive a credit back to your Inspiration Stage account for use on any future classes/camps/productions, or receive a refund in full. We know your home situations are all different and will need to be addressed on a case-by-case basis. Our Summer Camp Administrator, Sarah Patterson, will work closely with each of you to determine the best step forward and meet your family’s individual needs. Sarah can be reached at sarah@inspirationstage.com or 713-855-3653. Please look for communication from her in your email inbox regarding the status of your camp registration and options moving forward.
In conclusion, we encourage you to check out our revised summer camp offerings and register as you feel comfortable. Registering in advance helps us sustain our camps, plan our staffing needs accordingly, and secure your spot in the camp, especially with all of our camps operating at a reduced capacity. Rest assured that should we require cancellation for any reason, your registration will be refunded in full.
We again thank you for your patience and understanding as we’ve navigated this uncharted territory. We look forward to carrying on our inspired summer program virtually and in person very soon!
If you have any questions, concerns, or need any assistance at all, please contact our Summer Camp Administrator, Sarah Patterson via sarah@inspirationstage.com or 713-855-3653.
Thank you, stay well, and wash those jazz hands!
Your Inspiration Stage Creative Team
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Summer 2020 Camp Registration is now LIVE!
If you have questions about the registration process, contact Sarah Patterson, sarah@inspirationstage.com / 713-855-3653.
Don’t see the plugin with the dropdown list of camps below? Sometimes this happens if your internet browser is out of date or unsupported. Click this link to navigate directly to our class registration system, Amilia.