We learn about all things theater—from acting to design to script writing! Over the course of two weeks, we explore every step in building a story and bringing it to life. Along the way, we learn to collaborate, share our own unique talents, and hopefully make new friends! During Week One, we will spend time together exploring our story, developing characters, and collectively creating a script. Then in Week Two, we’ll bring our story to life through rehearsals and designing elements (like props and costumes) that shape what our world looks like. With new stories and new collaborators each session, each camp experience is unique to its ensemble and how they envision their story together.

No, not really, but we do generally incorporate a lot of music, singing and dancing.  Each show is designed around its unique, creative ensemble, and what they would like to highlight and share while telling the story. So if we have campers who really love to tell stories through music, song and dance, then we will lean into that for that particular production. But also singing and dancing can be really scary from some young artists, so it’s strictly opt in. For those that really LOVE musical theater, we do offer several Musical Theatre classes that dive into the contemporary and classic musical theatre genre throughout the year.

Absolutely, that will be held on the last day of camp at The Theatre School at DePaul. We have two age groups, and run shows back-to-back without an intermission. This is a great way to be supportive and see what everyone has been working so hard on. So we ask that you stick around for both, if possible. Each performance will be between 20-30 minutes in length and the entire show around an hour.

Final performances are not open to the general public. To ensure everyone’s safety, only campers, staff, and invited family and friends are allowed to attend. Ticket links will be sent to families at the start of the second week of camp, and all attendees will need to register in advance. The final performance will take place in the black box theater on the last day of camp at the end of the day. A detailed email with performance information and reservation details will be sent closer to the date. There is no charge for the performance, but space is limited. Each family will be able to reserve 2–4 seats based on camp size.

A typical camp session lasts two weeks! Mondays through Fridays, 9am-3pm, no weekends.

9:00-9:45am:              Check In, Ensemble Warm-Up and Goal Setting for the Day
9:45-10:30am:            Ensemble Building Activities
10:30-10:45am:          Snack & Bathroom Break
10:45-12:00pm:          Creative Storytelling & Movement, Writing, Rehearsal
12:00-1:00pm:            Lunch Club & Playground
1:00-2:50pm:              Mindful Moment-Recentering for Afternoon/Craft Project/Rehearsal
2:50-3:00pm:              Closing Reflection
3:00-3:15pm:              Pick Up/Dismissal
3:15pm-4:00pm:         After Care

Note: Please label all personal items with the camper’s name. We also recommend that you do not pack any items of personal value or money that may be lost or misplaced during the camp day.

• Healthy Snack & Lunch (no peanuts/tree nuts).
• Water Bottle
• Sunscreen (if needed for outdoor activities).
• Towel or yoga mat (optional, especially for campers with grass allergies).
• Old, oversized T-shirt for messy craft days (please label).
• Extra change of clothes (extra set for younger campers; old, oversized shirt for messy craft days for all ages)
• Layers for comfort indoors and outdoors.
• Extra masks (optional, if your camper prefers wearing a mask).
• Copy of the book/story they’ll be adapting (if they have one; no need to purchase).
• Books, games, or coloring activities for breaks/lunch (no technology).
• After Care activities (e.g., book to read, coloring supplies, or a simple game).

Please make sure that your camper is wearing clothing in which they can move freely in. We move our bodies a lot in theater camp, as it’s one of our most important actor’s tools! So Creative Root recommends for safety, comfort and enhanced confidence: No open-toed sandals or flip flops or clothing that otherwise limits movement, comfort or confidence.

Drop off & Pick Up will take place at The Theatre School (2350 N Racine Ave). A Creative Root staffer will greet you outside by the main entrance of the building to check each camper in for the day. The main entrance is located in the middle of the building on Racine (not the corner on Fullerton—those doors are locked). There is free parking along Racine on the northbound side and paid parking along the southbound side.

Campers must be signed out by a parent or guardian (or someone authorized on your google form) before they are allowed to leave camp, unless they have written permission to sign themselves out and walk home. Please be sure to pick up your camper no later than 3:15pm unless enrolled in after care, as many of our  staff and instructors have other professional commitments after camp hours. If you’re running late,  need to update pick-up details, or your camper will be absent, feel free to call or email—we’re here to  help and happy to support your family!

If you’re running late for drop-off or pick-up, or if your child will miss a day, please let us know as soon as possible so we can plan accordingly. We appreciate your cooperation in keeping things running smoothly and ensuring a safe and timely process for everyone!

We typically offer after care until 4pm, but no later, for an additional fee. It is a self-directed time, so campers are encouraged to bring a book to read, a quiet game to play, or another activity they enjoy. There is no early drop off.

Creative Root’s camp location includes rehearsal rooms at The Theatre Building at DePaul (2350 N  Racine Ave). For lunch, we will travel to Oscar Mayer School’s playground area (2250 N Clifton) for at  least one hour each day, weather permitting.  We will remain indoors if it is raining or too hot to be outside. It is always helpful to pack clothes for the weather outdoors or air conditioning indoors. Please prepare your camper to spend time outdoors by packing sunscreen, refillable water bottle, beach towel or yoga mat, if they prefer not to sit on the grass.

Creative Root will take breaks to re-energize and refuel with a morning snack and afternoon lunch. Please remember that camp is a NUT-FREE ZONE, and we ask that you do not pack any snacks or foods that contain nuts. Creative Root does NOT have snacks or lunch available for campers, so please remember to pack a healthy snack & lunch each day. Weather permitting, all snacks and lunches will take place outside.  Unfortunately, there is no refrigerator or microwave for camp use. Lunches and snacks will be kept indoors in air-conditioned spaces, and insulated lunch packs are always recommended.

We said it before, and we’ll say it again—Creative Root is a peanut & tree nut free zone. We have so many campers with really serious allergies, and it can be really scary when an allergic reaction is accidentally triggered. So please help us out and don’t pack any nut-based snacks or foods. And if your camper has an allergy, please let Creative Root staff know in-person on the first day of camp as well as on the health form. Also, for so many reasons, we ask that campers don’t share any food or snacks.

All campers and instructors will be using campus bathrooms primarily located in the Theatre School Building. Restrooms are cleaned several times each day by DePaul’s custodial teams. There are also multiple All Gender restrooms located throughout the Theatre School building, including on the first floor, second floor and fourth floor. There are water fountains on campus available for refilling water bottles.

Cool Tricks is an exciting opportunity in which campers can choose to share a special talent, skill or anything that makes them confident//brings them joy with their ensemble that we can celebrate, and  maybe even incorporate into our final performance. Cool Tricks can include anything from singing a favorite song, to performing martial arts, to telling a favorite joke or even sharing a magic trick. And no worries if your camper doesn’t want to share a Cool  Trick—cheering on the ensemble is a perfect way to participate too! We ask that a cool trick be no  longer than 2 minutes!

At Creative Root Summer Camp, we prioritize a nurturing and creative environment for all campers. Each age group is led by a dedicated team consisting of one lead teaching artist and one college intern, maintaining a ratio of one adult per every 10 students. Our camp manager is also available to provide additional support as needed.

While our team is made up of trained theater professionals passionate about teaching and creativity, they are not certified in special education or mental health counseling. If your camper requires one-on-one support or an aide during the school year, we may not be fully equipped to meet those specific needs. However, we’re happy to discuss how we can best support your child’s camp experience within our framework. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or to share ways we can help your camper thrive at Creative Root!

We totally understand—you’re excited to see all the fun your camper is having! However, we’ve found that campers are more likely to fully engage and develop independence when parents/guardians aren’t in the room. We kindly ask that you drop off your camper and let them immerse themselves in the magic of camp on their own. Don’t worry—you’ll have the chance to celebrate their creativity and hard work during the end-of-session performance or event. We can’t wait to welcome you as part of the audience then!

We are at camp, so  let’s connect with those around us! Keep those cell phones in your backpacks so you’re not distracted or disengaged. We ask that phones only be used for emergencies or  important check-ins with guardians. Always check in with your instructor or camp manager before using  technology. And remove the temptation by leaving all other devices (iPads, tablets, gaming devices,  fidget spinners) at home or in the car. This is an interactive and collaborative theater arts camp, what a  wonderful opportunity to take a break from our technology!

Creative Root works towards always holding an inclusive space. Let us know how best to support your camper in order to create an environment where they can be their most happy, silliest, imaginative and brilliant selves.  Campers are encouraged to share their pronouns with teaching artists, staff, or in the health form to ensure everyone feels seen and respected.

In the spirit of mutual respect, please review the following ensemble agreements with your camper before camp begins:

1. Respecting Other Campers:

• Create a safe space for everyone emotionally, physically, and creatively.
• Practice kindness: listen actively, take turns, and make space for all ideas.
• Use constructive feedback and be a supportive team member.

2. Respecting the Space:

• Care for the spaces we use, from the theater to the playground.
• Always ask staff if you’re unsure about what’s allowed in a space.

3. Respecting the Staff:

• Treat staff, teaching artists, interns, and CITs with respect.
• Trust that staff will share schedules, goals, and daily plans transparently.
• We’re all part of the ensemble—collaboration includes everyone!

4. Respecting the Work:

• Fully participate in the creative process, knowing that theater is a team effort.
• Casting and performing are just one part of the process. At Take Flight, we value every step that leads to creating a unique ensemble performance.

Our age guidelines are carefully designed to ensure the best experience for all campers. For our full-day summer camp, the minimum age is 6-years-old, and campers must have completed kindergarten to participate.

We offer a limited number of partial scholarships each summer. Families are welcome to submit a scholarship request form at any time. Scholarship placements depend on camp availability, and we typically cannot confirm until we are closer to the start of each session. If space becomes available, we will reach out to qualifying families directly.

If a session is sold out, we offer a waitlist option at no cost. You can email [email protected] with your name, camp//age group requested and best way to contact you. If space becomes available, we will contact families in order as spots open up, so be sure to keep an eye on your email!

We’re sorry to hear your camper won’t be joining us! If you’d like to transfer to another session (pending availability), we’d be happy to assist with that. If switching sessions isn’t an option, we offer a full refund for cancellations made by May 1st, 2026. Please note that refunds aren’t available once the camp session has begun. Feel free to reach out with any questions—we’re here to help!

Creative Root directly at [email protected]. And we’ll get back to you right away!