Welcome to Summer 2026!
At Ovation Academy, we engage, inspire, and educate our students through the transformative power of musical theater. We pride ourselves on presenting the highest caliber of artistic expression that enriches our students, entertains audiences, and excites our community.
Each camp includes theater games, singing, dancing, and acting, and culminates in a musical theater production that is open to the public.
Tuition pays for our fabulous teams of directors, music directors, choreographers, designers and technicians as well as our beautiful space in the Madison Street Theater. Tickets to the final performance are not included in tuition and must be purchased separately.
Celebrating as we experience summer!
FULL & HALF DAY CAMPS
PETER PAN, JR.
SESSION 5A: FULL DAY CAMP / TWO WEEKS
Based on J.M. Barrie’s classic tale and featuring an unforgettable score, Peter Pan is one of the most beloved and frequently performed family favorites of all time. This high-flying Tony Award-winning musical follows Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, and the Darling children on a magical journey across the stars as they come face to face with a ticking crocodile, the fierce Brave Girls, a band of bungling pirates and, of course, the villainous Captain Hook.
Led by Margot Frank and Karlie Traverse
SESSION DATES: July 20 – July 31 | Monday – Friday 9am – 3pm
RECOMMENDED AGES: 10 – 14
PERFORMANCES: Friday, July 31 at 3pm
TUITION: $795
DISNEY’S THE JUNGLE BOOK KIDS
SESSION 5B: HALF DAY CAMP / TWO WEEKS
The jungle is jumpin’ with a jazzy beat in Disney’s The Jungle Book KIDS. Banished by the ferocious tiger, Shere Khan, a human boy named Mowgli and his panther friend, Bagheera, are on the run. When Shere Khan returns, our heroes must rally their fellow animals into battle and restore peace throughout the jungle.
Led by Tori Hutson, Emma Perisho, Isabel Hafeman, and Elliott Mayeda
SESSION DATES: July 20 – July 31 | Monday – Friday 8:30-11:30am
RECOMMENDED AGES: 6 – 10
PERFORMANCES: Friday, July 31 at 11:30am
TUITION: $500
Waitlist Only
DISNEY’S MOANA, JR.
SESSION 6A: HALF DAY CAMP / TWO WEEKS
Disney’s Moana JR. is a musical adaptation of the 2016 Disney animated film, featuring all your favorite songs, written by Tony, GRAMMY, Emmy, and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Lin-Manuel Miranda, including “How Far I’ll Go,” “Shiny,” and “You’re Welcome.” This thrilling and heartwarming coming-of-age story follows the strong-willed Moana as she sets sail across the Pacific with legendary demigod Maui to save her village and discover the truth about her heritage.
Led by Tori Hutson, Joe Dennis, Jordan Rowan, and Emily Iverson
DATES: August 3 – 14 | Monday – Friday 9am-12pm
RECOMMENDED AGES: 10 – 14
PERFORMANCE: Friday, August 14 at 11:45pm
TUITION: $795
JOURNEY OF THE NOBLE GNARBLE
SESSION 6B: HALF DAY CAMP / TWO WEEKS
The ocean floor is filled with the rarest of creatures, but none are as rare as gnarbles. Their fins are small, their tails are floppy, and they have never strayed far from their homes…until now. Journey of the Noble Gnarble is a story of a little gnarble with a big dream, who tries to make it past doubting blyfish, sneaky subbalubbles, and hungry plinks on his way to the surface of the sea. Along the way he befriends the glinny glims who teach him the importance of positivity and determination!
Led by Karlie Traversa, Isabel Plana, Akeila Sharp, and Tyler Soltys
DATES: August 3 – 14 | Monday – Friday 8:30-11:30am
RECOMMENDED AGES: 5 – 10
PERFORMANCE: Friday, August 14 at 11:00am
TUITION: $500
LOCATION: Ovation Studio West – 7419 Madison Street, Forest Park IL
DISNEY’S MOANA, JR. (NEW!)
SESSION 6C: FULL DAY CAMP / TWO WEEKS
Disney’s Moana JR. is a musical adaptation of the 2016 Disney animated film, featuring all your favorite songs, written by Tony, GRAMMY, Emmy, and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Lin-Manuel Miranda, including “How Far I’ll Go,” “Shiny,” and “You’re Welcome.” This thrilling and heartwarming coming-of-age story follows the strong-willed Moana as she sets sail across the Pacific with legendary demigod Maui to save her village and discover the truth about her heritage.
Led by Margot Frank, Savannah Sinclair, and Emily Iverson
DATES: August 3 – 14 | Monday – Friday 9:30 am-3:30 pm
RECOMMENDED AGES: 10 – 14
PERFORMANCE: Friday, August 14 at 3pm
TUITION: $795
MINI CAMPS
TAYLOR SWIFT
MINI CAMP / 4 DAYS
Calling all SWIFTIES! Get ready to sing, dance, act, and create your own theatrical world– Taylor style– in a supportive and encouraging environment. Campers get to put themselves in the pop-star’s shoes and shine in front of friends and family in a final Showcase on Thursday. Whether they’re new to theatre or already love performing, this camp is the perfect place to join fellow swifties and live your Taylor dreams!
Led by Isabel Plana and Nova
DATES: August 3 – 6 | Monday – Thursday 12:30-3:30pm
RECOMMENDED AGES: 7 – 11
PERFORMANCE: Thursday, August 6
LOCATION: Ovation Studio
TUITION: $295
Camp Information
Tuition & Payment Plans
Upon enrollment, a credit card must be put on file. You have the option of paying in full at the time of enrollment OR opting into our payment plan.
Payment plans divide tuition into 4 equal payments, with the first due on enrollment. Remaining payments will be charged to the card on file on the 1st or 15th of each month until tuition is fully paid. All camps must be paid in full prior to the first day of camp.
Forms
Two weeks before your child’s camp starts, you will receive a Camper Information Form to fill out with information about your child’s prior experience, any allergies or medical considerations, and how your child is getting to and from camp each day.
If you do not receive our email 2 weeks prior to your child’s first day of camp, please check your SPAM folder, and if you still do not have it reach out to us to confirm enrollment.
Waitlist
Ovation summer camps sell out very quickly. If you try to register, and do not see your desired camp as an option, it is full. To join the waitlist, click “Show Full Classes” and follow the prompts. No payment will be due unless your child is enrolled in the camp.
As plans change and spots open up, waitlisted performers will be invited to join on a first-come first-served basis. An email will be sent to the parent/guardian on file notifying them that a spot has opened up, and you MUST respond to that email to confirm your child’s spot. If no response is received after 48 hours, the spot will be offered to the next child in line.
5-Year-Olds
We’re thrilled to introduce new Musical Mini Camps, which are perfect for 5-year-olds and above. There is one half-day camp open to 5 year olds. It’s critical your 5-year old is able to focus for the 3-hour half day.
Drop Off/Pick Up
Campers may be dropped off in front of Madison Street Theater or Ovation Studio West 5-10 minutes prior to the start of their camp.
Parking is available along Home Avenue or Madison Street.
At pickup, we ask campers to make eye contact with their parent/guardian before leaving the building. Pick up at Ovation Studio is available in the back alley as well as along Madison Street. If someone other than the parents/guardians on file plan to pick up your camper, or if they have permission to walk or bike home, please let our staff know via the Camper Information Form submitted prior to the start of camp.
What to Bring
We ask that campers only bring the following:
- A small backpack, cinch sack or fanny pack
- 1 full water bottle with the camper’s name on it
- Their script (to be sent out prior to camp)
- A pencil with eraser to note lines and blocking
- A pre-made lunch (full day camps only) and snack (all camps). We will eat outside in our outdoor garden, weather permitting. No nuts please!
Costumes
Ovation will provide most costume elements, however we may ask you to send your child in a particular color “base layer” for their performance (ex. green top, black leggings). Parents/guardians will be informed of any costume recommendations with ample time to plan, and there is no expectation of having to purchase costume pieces. However, investing in a pair of black shoes (plain black sneakers or jazz shoes) is strongly encouraged! Open-toed shoes, flip-flops, and crocs are NOT permitted.
Camp T-Shirts
Camp t-shirts will be available for pre-purchase and pickup on the first day of camp. Returning campers are encouraged to wear their shirts from past years, and the choice of whether to purchase a new 2026 shirt is up to you!
Performances
All camps will culminate in at least one live, ticketed performance. Performance dates and times are listed above with each camp. Half-day camp shows are approximately 30 minutes in length. Full-day camp shows are 45-60 minutes in length.
Friends and family are welcome to attend performances! Tickets will go on sale a few weeks prior to each performance on the “Tickets” page of this website. All audience members, including parents, must purchase tickets to attend performances.
Cancellations
Camps fill up quickly, and in order to discourage “placeholder” enrollments, a $25.00 cancellation fee will be charged if a camper is unenrolled more than 30 days prior to camp starting, and a $50.00 cancellation fee will be charged if a camper is unenrolled 30 or fewer days prior to camp starting. Prepaid tuition, less fees, will be credited to your account for future use; no cash refunds will be provided. For more detailed information, please view our Policies page.
Once camp starts, tuition will not be refunded or prorated for campers who miss camp, regardless of the reason for their absence.
We’re Here to Help!
Please email teamovation at ovationacademy dot org, or call the office during camp hours 708.222.7564.
CAMP FAQs
Q: What does a typical day at full-day camp look like?
A:
8:50-9:00AM: Camper arrival
9:00-10:30AM: Games, warmups & small group rehearsals
10:30AM: Snack break
10:40-12:00PM: Theatre/Improv games
12:00-12:40 PM: Lunch break
12:40-2:00PM: Small Group Rehearsals
2:00PM: Snack break
2:10-3:00PM: Full ensemble rehearsal
3:00PM: Camper pickup
Q: Do you offer multiple class or sibling discounts?
A: Yes! If you sign a child up for multiple camps OR enroll multiple siblings in a single camp,
an automatic 10% discount will be applied to each additional child or camp’s tuition.
Q: Do you offer payment plans?
A: Yes! To opt into our payment plan, type “Yes” into the payment plan box during the enrollment process. 25% of tuition is due immediately on enrollment; the remainder will be divided into equal portions and charged on the 1st or 15th of each month until your camp starts. For instance, if you enroll February 20 for a camp that starts June 13, you’ll pay 25% on February 20, and 3 more equal payments, on March 15, April 15, and May 15. You’ll receive an emailed receipt each time a payment is processed.
Q: Is prior musical theater experience necessary?
A: Absolutely not! Our camps have a mix of beginners and pros, and everyone in between. Kids of all experience levels are welcomed and our instructors work hard to meet each child where they are to ensure a fun and rewarding time at camp!
Q: Will there be auditions?
A: All campers are encouraged to submit an audition video one week prior to each camp. This is an opportunity for the Directors to meet you. In-person auditions will take place on the first day of camp to determine roles in the show. Materials will be sent out prior to camp for performers to prepare. Preparation is strongly encouraged and will be very helpful! All campers will have ample opportunity to perform, regardless of their role.
Q: If I enroll my child in multiple camps with the same show, will it be a different experience?
A: Yes! Kids can play different roles, meet all new friends, and participate in different ways, even if the show is the same.