February 2025
There’s nothing quite like that moment when the house lights go down and you’re sitting there in the audience, holding your breath while you wait for your child to come to the stage. Then all of a sudden they’re up there, performing the lines or songs or movements they’ve been practicing—and for a moment it’s like seeing into the future. They’re no longer the baby they once were, wholly dependent on you. Your child has become a person who can stand on their own, confident and focused, and let their hard work shine.
That’s what a theater camp does. It helps, of course, that they’re not just working hard, but making friends and having a ton of fun along the way. Between acting, singing, dancing, costumes, sets, props, and more, theater offers so much silliness and creativity for a kid to enjoy!
Theater isn’t just for kids who crave the spotlight. Putting on a production is truly a team effort, where supporting each other is just as important as doing your own part well. Learning to follow directions, work collaboratively, and build confidence through theater can help kids in school, friendships, and throughout life.
So, check out these great children’s theater camps around the Triangle and give your child their chance to shine. Don’t worry, nobody will notice you tearing up in the audience while you see your baby in a whole new light. 🥹
1. Center Theater Company
| Location: | Downtown Carrboro 300 G E. Main St., Carrboro, NC |
| Ages: | 6 – 18 depending on session |
| Hours: | 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM |
Center Theater Company offers a full lineup of summer theater camps for kids and teens along with classes and theatrical productions throughout the year. One-week camps feature mini-shows performed at the end of the week, while two- and three-week conservatory camps offer a more intensive experience culminating in full-scale productions with costumes, lighting, and sets. Productions include kid-friendly adaptations of popular shows like Moana, Jungle Book, Aladdin, Annie, and more.
The summer camp 2025 schedule is posted and open for registration. As of mid-February, availability was already quite limited.
2. Vault Theatre
| Locations: | West Durham, at the Duke School 3716 Erwin Rd., Durham, NC South Durham, at the Montessori School of Durham 2800 Pickett Rd., Durham, NC |
| Ages: | 6 – 16 for camps held at Duke School location 8 – 14 for camps held at Montessori School of Durham location |
| Hours: | 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM for camps held at Duke School location 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM for camps held at Montessori School of Durham location |
Vault Theatre unlocks the imagination through summer camps, year-round classes, productions, and professional training for young artists ages 5-18. This summer, young performers can dive into favorites like Moana, The Jungle Book, The Wizard of Oz, and Frozen in musical theater camps (held at Duke School), or create bold original stories at creative drama camps (held at Montessori School of Durham). Campers build confidence, creativity, and collaboration skills through a summer of storytelling and adventure. All camps culminate in a final performance, giving every child their moment in the spotlight.
The summer camp 2025 schedule is posted and open for registration.
3. Theatre Academy Productions
Summer Camp | Track Out Camp | Website
| Location: | Cary 3761 NW Cary Parkway, Cary, NC |
| Ages: | 5 – 18 depending on session |
| Hours: | 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM for full day camp, with half-day options available |
Theatre Academy Productions (TAP) offers performance-based summer and track out camps designed to cultivate a passion for theater in young performers. With half-day, full-day, and evening class options spanning one to multiple weeks, there are plenty of options for your child to build a variety of skills from improv and stage production fundamentals to Broadway dance and acting for film and television. TAP’s mission is to empower children through self-exploration, teamwork, and creative play, fostering valuable life skills alongside theatrical training.
The summer camp 2025 and track out camp schedules are posted and most are open for registration. Registration for the summer 2025 performance session camp opens February 22.
4. The Justice Theater Project
| Locations: | Northwest Raleigh, at Clare Hall within St. Francis of Assisi 11401 Leesville Rd., Raleigh, NC Durham, at the Emily K Center 904 W. Chapel Hill St., Durham, NC |
| Ages: | 8 – 14 (rising 3rd – 9th grade) |
| Hours: | 8:45 AM – 4:00 PM |
With a mission to produce compelling theater experiences that create community dialogue and give voice to social concerns, The Justice Theater Project gives children and teens the chance to build confidence and make friends while connecting with core values of inclusion, dignity, and respect for all. Its summer camp productions offer a two-week immersive experience with professional direction and coaching in a fun, supportive environment at two locations in the Triangle. No prior theater experience is required and the all-inclusive fee covers rehearsals, materials, a pre-show pizza dinner, and tickets to the final performance. The Justice Theater Project also has needs-based scholarships available for their camps.
Registration is open for the Raleigh location and already full at the Durham location. Find registration details on their Summer Camps page.
5. Theatre Raleigh ACT
Summer Camp | Track Out Camp | Website
| Location: | North Raleigh 7319 Six Forks Rd., Raleigh, NC |
| Ages: | 6 – 13 (up to rising 8th grade) |
| Hours: | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM with option for extended care up to 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM |
Theatre Raleigh ACT offers summer and track out camps along with year-round classes where students can discover and develop their talents in an encouraging and accepting atmosphere. Campers participate in all aspects of a show, from learning music and choreography to developing characters, creating sets and props, and ultimately performing on the final Friday of each session. Summer camp sessions are grouped by age so children bond with their peers as they play games, learn, and perform together.
The summer camp 2025 and track out camp schedules are posted and open for registration. As of mid-February, availability was already quite limited.
6. Raleigh Little Theatre
| Location: | West Raleigh 301 Pogue St., Raleigh, NC |
| Ages: | 4 – 14 (up to rising 9th grade) |
| Hours: | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM with extended care options up to 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM |
Raleigh Little Theatre offers one- and two-week theater camps laying the foundation for a lifelong love of the arts. Guided by experienced teaching artists in a supportive environment, campers explore, create, and collaborate through acting, playwriting, and design. Options range from puppetry and creative play for the youngest campers to full-scale play productions for older campers. Campers share their creations with an audience on the last day of each session.
The summer camp 2025 schedule is posted and open for registration.
7. Burning Coal Theatre Company
| Location: | Downtown Raleigh 224 Polk St., Raleigh, NC |
| Ages: | 12 – 19 |
| Hours: | 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (M-F) with drop-off starting at 9:30 AM and pick-up ending at 4:30 PM |
Burning Coal Theatre offers a Summer Theatre Conservatory for teens ages 12-19 interested in professional theater training. During the intensive three-week program, morning master classes cover a variety of theatrical techniques, while students spend afternoons rehearsing a play culminating in two public performances of this year’s play, Godspell, Jr. Every student is guaranteed a role, regardless of prior experience, and technical theater opportunities are also available. Students learn, grow, and have fun with a supportive “theater family.”
The Summer Theatre Conservatory is now accepting applications.
8. Durant Road Musical Theatre
Summer Camp (scroll to bottom) | Website
| Location: | North Raleigh 8471 Garvey Dr. Suite #111, Raleigh, NC |
| Ages: | 9 – 17 (rising 4th – 12th grade) |
| Hours: | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
Durant Road Musical Theatre offers four sessions of summer musical theater workshops in addition to several workshops throughout the year. Campers develop their choreography, singing, and acting abilities along with other important theater skills like quick costume changes and prop handling. Each two-week summer session culminates in a full musical production with roles for all campers.
Registration opens February 15; find details on the Durant Road Musical Theatre website.
Know more theater camps that deserve a round of applause? Share ‘em in the comments to help others find awesome camps!
Camp photo credits: 1. Center Theater Company, 2. Vault Theatre, 3. Theatre Academy Productions, 4. The Justice Theater Project, 5. Theatre Raleigh ACT, 6. Raleigh Little Theatre, 7. Burning Coal Theatre, 8. Durant Road Musical Theatre.
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