We are hoping to add aftercare options for Summer Camp 2025, so please check back in the spring for an update. In the meantime, feel free to let us know if before or aftercare would be helpful for your family as you plan for the future!

Not exactly, but music, singing, and dancing often find their way into our camps! Each show is uniquely crafted around the creativity and interests of the ensemble. If your camper loves telling stories through song and dance, we’ll happily lean into that and let it shine! At the same time, we understand that singing and dancing can feel intimidating for some young artists, so participation in those elements is always optional. Our goal is to create a space where every camper feels comfortable and excited to share their talents!

Creative Root’s camp takes place at The Theatre School at DePaul (2350 N. Racine Ave). We’ll head to Oscar Mayer’s Playground (2250 N. Clifton) for lunch and a short playground break. If weather conditions like rain, heat, or poor air quality make outdoor activities unsafe, we’ll stay indoors.

Please pack your camper for the weather, whether it’s for outdoor fun or cool indoor air conditioning. If they’ll be outside, don’t forget sunscreen, a refillable water bottle, and a beach towel or yoga mat if they prefer not to sit on the grass. Each camper will have a cubby to store larger items like towels, mats, jackets, and paint shirts during the session.

Creative Root is committed to providing a fun, creative, and safe experience for all campers. While we are excited to offer an immersive and engaging theater experience, we are also dedicated to ensuring the health and safety of all participants and instructors. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is not required, but it is strongly recommended. We remain mask-friendly, and you can let us know if you’d like your camper to wear a mask indoors or outdoors. Two weeks prior to your camp session, you will receive a Welcome Letter with a detailed information packet outlining our COVID-19 policies and procedures, including guidelines for exposure, symptoms, or diagnosis. We will follow DePaul University’s campus policies, which can be reviewed here: DePaul’s COVID-19 Policies.

At Creative Root’s Summer Theater Camp, we jump into the world of theater with creativity and fun! Over the course of two weeks, campers will explore acting, design, and script writing—learning how to build a story and bring it to life, all while making new friends. Each day starts with fun warm-ups, including gentle yoga-based stretching, breathing exercises, and mindfulness, to get our bodies and minds ready for creativity. Through theater games and activities, we’ll develop our actor’s tools—our imaginations, bodies, and voices—and strengthen our ensemble by working together and learning from each other. In the first week, we’ll dive into our story, creating characters and developing an original script. In the second week, we’ll bring our story to life with rehearsals, design elements like props and costumes, and shaping the world we’ve created. Every camp experience is unique, driven by the ensemble’s creativity and the story they bring to the stage!