Very Merry Theatre puts kids center stage

ALICIA WOLFRAM Community News Service

Imagine walking into a rustic barn on a rolling Charlotte hill and, instead of finding animals in stalls and hay strewn about, seeing kids busily rehearsing lines, building sets and assembling costumes. That’s a typical day at Very Merry Theatre’s summer camp.

What started almost two decades ago as simply a camp in a local barn has grown into a theater organization serving about 1,000 youths annually from northwestern Vermont.

Very Merry Theatre introduces young people to the art of theater by immersing them in all aspects of play production — acting, set design, touring and more. Parents can register their kids online for a variety of classes, programs and camps ranging in price and age group. The nonprofit welcomes participants 4 to 19 years old and offers financial aid.

Plays have included “Peter Pan,” “Alice in Wonderland,” “King Lear, the Western” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream: The 40s Musical,” among others.

The group wants kids to “develop a sense of belonging and a safe place to explore all the many theater arts,” said founder Don Wright.

He said the group wants to help kids overcome any obstacles to accessing the program by providing lunch or rides if needed. The organization also partners with schools to stage shows on campuses, rather than at the group’s studio or on the road. That way, Wright said, transportation and program costs do not limit participation.

Every child who wants a role in a play gets one. Wright makes sure of that — he adapts