Young masked marvels perform at Orcas Center

Ten young participants of the 2009 Theatre Camp will perform on Friday, July 3 at 6:30 p.m., showcasing their original hand-made masks and newly learned performance skills.

Each June, Orcas Center and the Orcas Island Recreation Program team up to offer Theatre Camp, a 10-day performing arts course. Past offerings have included circus skills, puppetry and clowning.

The 2009 Theatre Camp participants, children ranging in age from 6 to 12, have been meeting daily since June 22 to work with teaching artists Diane Trapp and Mik Kuhlman. Trapp, whose Orcas residency included workshops with both children and adults, has been a master mask maker for over 30 years. She regularly creates masks and make-up for major opera, ballet and theatre companies, and she teaches frequently in universities and conservatories. Kuhlman is a veteran stage performer, whose artistic associations includes Seattle Mime Theatre, Umo Ensemble, Teatro Zinzanni in both Seattle and San Francisco, Bumbershoot and WOMAD USA.

During the course of the 10-day Theatre Camp, participants have learned the crafts of mask-making and physical performance. On Friday evening, they will demonstrate the elements of performance and will use their own, original masks. The participants are: Peter Kamin, Mathew Laslo-White, Cierra Lutz, Hazel Moe, Henry Moe, Eamon Morris, Fiona Morris, Claire Orser, Ronan Rankin and Paris Wilson; Brigid Ehrmantraut is the teaching assistant.

Tickets for the 6:30 p.m. performance are $8. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.orcascenter.org or call or 376-2281 ext 1 during box office hours, Thursday-Saturday, noon to 4 p.m.