Philadelphia Parks & Recreation
Performing Arts Programs
2023 Summer Session
Unlike our campers, this website is old and particular. Please follow the written directions to assure your registration goes through.
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There are five separate camps available: (four Intro, one YPTC)
Intro Camps for 7 to 11 year olds: We have received approval to host four Introduction to Performing Art Camps at:
Holmesburg Rec (NE), Waterview Rec (NW), 48th & Woodland Plgd (SW), and Hawthorne Cultural Center (S)
You can now register for these four Introduction to Performing Arts camps at the Intro page.
We have scheduled a live show at the Dell Music Center on Monday, August 7, 2023.
We are able to offer aftercare till 5pm.
For information and to register, go to the bottom of this webpage, click the "forms" button under Performing Arts Camps,
then scroll to: Introduction to Performing Arts. Click.
Young Performer Theatre Camp for ages 10 to 18
Venice Island Performing Arts Center (VI) , located at 7 Lock Street, 19127 in the Manayunk section of Philadephia, will host our 2023 YPTC program which will present live performances on August 10th & 11th. This state of the art theatre nestles on the banks of the Schuylkill River and has entrances off Main Street at both Lock and Cotton Streets. Note: There is no playground bus transportation available this summer.
Hope you can join us! It's gonna be an awesome show.
To register for YPTC, go to the bottom of this webpage and under Performing Arts Camps, click "Forms".
Scroll to Young Performers Theatre Camp, Click.
Here's a chance for Philadelphia’s youth to become the next Kevin Hart, Tina Fey or Adam Goldberg with the Be Funny Philly Comedy Contest. The competition is open for children and teens from ages 9 to 18, and will be conducted virtually online. Contestants can submit videos from Memorial Day, May 25th until August 14th.
There will be two age groups -- ages 9 to 12 & ages 13 to 18 -- and performances must be two to three minutes in length. Kids/young adults get to create what funny means to them; they can do standup, video voiceovers, perform from a script, do an impression, present two or three tiktok videos, whatever tickles them. Funny can be so many different things, so each child is encouraged to find their own direction. Contestants will be judged solely on their video with the following criteria: Timing, Style, Presentation, Material, Likeability, Drive, Delivery, Originality, and mostly, Fun.
A panel of industry professionals and comedians will serve as celebrity judges including: Kathy O'Connell (WXPN's Kids Corner), Jen Childs, (1812 Productions), and comedians Vernon Keith Ruffin, Jr, (Philadelphia Comedy College), Jillian Markowitz and Michael “The Legendary Wid” Baldwin (Laff Factory host).
CLICK HERE
to watch a video featuring our judges offering suggestions for kids at:
All contestants will receive a Be Funny Philly T-shirt and the winners will receive medals, bragging rights and scholarships at its next encampment to the Young Performers Theatre Camp (YPTC), a 6-week performing arts summer camp which features musical theatre & dance performances. The grand prize winners will even get the opportunity to perform live as an opening act at a professional show to be announced. The decision of the judges is final. Judges will also pick the top 5 videos in each age group, and those videos will be published online for a "People's Choice" contest. Details will be announced at a later date at this website. Separate prizes are in store for those performers/directors.
All contestants will also be invited to attend a private virtual comedy master class hosted by our judges which will happen just before our People's Choice prize presentation, giving our young talent pointers and tips about writing, performing and the serious business of being funny.
If you have additional questions, please write to befunnyphilly@gmail.com
(Videos must be submitted by a parent or guardian email. Videos must be family friendly, no curses or off color topics with no copyright infringement. Each contestant may only enter one video for consideration. Videos must be ready to play & unlocked.)
To enter, parents/guardians please fill out this form and attach your child's video:
(By submitting parents consent to allow child's work to be judged as part of the PPR Kids Virtual Video Contest. )
CLICK HERE
to submit your child's video between May 25th & August 14, 2020.
Thank you for your participation.