For 34 years, Jo Nell Seifert has taught a summer theater camp in Poplar Bluff, and this year she had more than 80 children show up to participate. Friday afternoon, the children were able to perform and show off what they had learned.
“We have kids from all over,” Seifert remarked. “Not just from Poplar Bluff. We also have children from Greenville and Elsinore.”
Seifert explained that TRC President Dr. Wesley Payne made the decision to allow for two camps due to the fact that there were so many interested children.
“Unfortunately, last year we had to turn some kids away because there were just too many,” Seifert explained. “But this year we were fortunate to be able to offer two camps.”
Seifert praised the hard work and dedication of the children who participated in the camp.
“We read from scripts in this camp,” Seifert remarked. “We don’t use props or costumes, because we want the kids to get acquainted with reading and understanding the script in order to perform it.”
As parents and other relatives took their seats in the Tinnin Fine Arts Center auditorium, the children took their places on stage and immediately entertained the crowd with their performance of “Click, Clack, Moo.” That performance was followed by eight other small performances involving all of the children in various ways.
“This year, the kids were so good that I was able to add two additional stories to the performance,” Seifert explained.
The performance concluded with a choreographed musical number as the children danced to “I’m a believer” from the Shrek soundtrack.
Seifert thanked drama camp alumni Abby Murphy, Cooper Hornbeck and Katelyn Conover for their assistance in the camp.
“History was made with having more than 80 students participating this year,” Seifert said. “It’s wonderful to be able to do this.”