Journey On
Our program builds strong characters onstage and off. High-energy theatre games and activities build relationships and excellent performance skills. Campers practice collaboration, communication, critical thinking, creativity, confidence, and citizenship. Theatrical performance provides the vehicle for campers to “rehearse” these skills in a fun and extremely hands-on way.
Campers collaborate under diverse circumstances, from playing fast-paced, physical games that prioritize strategy and cooperation to finding consensus on the story that they will devise, develop, rehearse, and perform at the week’s end.
Thinkers, Makers, Performers, and Leaders -- this is where your journey begins!
Elementary School Play
Live! From the George Daily Youth Theatre
BOTS: A New Children's Musical
40 elementary students perform in "Bots" a new musical from Beat by Beat Press.
Welcome to the BOTS Robotics Competition where teams and their (singing and dancing) robots are all vying for the top prize! Amidst the coding, building, and fierce competition, two members from rival teams befriend one another and throw everything off-balance. Will their collaborative spirit sabotage their teams’ chances of winning? This STEM musical invites humans and robots alike to discover the power of technology and teamwork!
Middle School Play
Live! From the George Daily Youth Theatre
"Puffs"
36 middle school students perform "Puffs or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic." One-act Edition by Matt Cox
For seven years, a certain boy wizard went to a certain Wizard School and conquered evil. This, however, is not his story. This is the story of the Puffs... who just happened to be there too. A tale for anyone who has never been destined to save the world.
2025 Summer Theatre Camps
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Camps run Monday-Friday, 9 AM – 4 PM with new themes every week.
- Enroll your camper in the grade level they will be entering in Fall 2025, or their “rising grade.”
- Every week ends with a final showcase. Most Friday showcases start with a Shout Out Ceremony at 4 PM and an informal performance at 4:30 PM. Check your camp week for more details.
- Yonder Sessions: Supervised before and after care is available every day of the week except for Friday afternoons. Morning Yonder starts at 8 A.M. and Afternoon Yonder ends at 5 P.M. A week-long Morning or Afternoon Yonder is $20 per family. The rate for both sessions is $40 per family. Single-sessions are $10 per session per family. Please schedule all Yonder Sessions with our Community Engagement and Education Director after you’ve registered for camp at allison@georgedaily.org.
Scholarships & Discounts
We are committed to keeping our programs accessible to anyone who would like to participate. We encourage families to make use of the discounts and financial aid available.
Registration fees should never be a barrier to attending camp, and options should always be discussed on a case-by-case basis with the Community Engagement & Education Director. Contact Allison McGuire with questions or to request scholarship funds for your student.
Contact our staff to make a tax-deductible donation to support Youth Theatre scholarships!
The Story Telling Experience
By Grace Richardson
Summer is the time for storytelling! The George Daily Community Auditorium in Oskaloosa hosts 10 weeks of summer theatre camps for students every year. These camps range from learning technical skills and writing to singing and dancing with musical theatre. Kids get to hone their performance skills and develop teamwork, communication, and confidence.
Each day starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. During those hours students can expect to play theatre games, create characters, practice lines and blocking, and tell stories. Some campers have been spending extra time at the George Daily Auditorium by also being involved with The Hobbit, which is being put on August 1-4 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the George Daily Youth Theatre.
Theatre games can build a wide variety of skills for campers and are a “big hit” among kids. “These are games that kids have definitely not played before”, says camp teacher, Hailey Smith. Another teacher, Lindy Slocum, points out how the games “give a very good physical explanation of why teamwork is important and why it’s okay to rely on your friends.”
These summer camps also give students a space to be their authentic selves. “They don’t consciously view it as a ‘safe space,’ but they feel it.” Says Lindy. Campers don’t make fun of each other for being silly, they just do silly things. Speaking directly with some of the kids gave more insight on how they felt about theatre camp:
“I feel like I can be myself because everyone else is doing it.” – Jayda
“It’s like this world where you can express your feelings, express what you wanna do, perform for people, and be yourself.” – Emelia
“I’d describe it as extremely fun and you’re never bored…You can just show who you are.” -Laurel
When asked to describe theatre camp, students used words such as, “exciting”, “detailed”, “fun”, and “brainy”. Kids involve themselves in theatre for a variety of reasons. For many it’s an important outlet for self-expression. Others put emphasis on their appreciation for a space to socialize other than school and home. They enjoy spending more time moving and less time on their screens. The skills that students develop in theatre camp transfer further than the stage – they can also be implemented in other aspects of students’ lives:
“I think in a lot of the games and things that we do, it can teach you really good life lessons that you can use in the future” – Jayda
“It makes you more creative, to use your imagination more, and it helps you find new friends” -Emelia
“You have to speak really loud when you’re talking (on stage) and I don’t talk very loud, so that’s been helping me.” -Emma
“It widens your mind” -Laurel
As someone who personally grew up doing summer and after school theatre camps, I’m grateful for the skills I developed, friends I made, and opportunities that came my way. The environment at the George Daily Auditorium is supportive, collaborative, inclusive, and motivating. I’m excited to watch these students continue to grow as performers, and to see how the George Daily Youth Theatre program grows with them.
