The camp is centred on acting skills, including stage combat (with swords), voice work, singing, using the acting clues in Shakespeare's first folio, commedia dell'arte and more!
No acting or Shakespeare experience is necessary. The play is a great introduction for beginners.
For those with experience, this is a chance to be challenged and to bring your work to the next level, while having a lot of fun.
Hi Rosemary… You do not know me, but I had the pleasure of meeting you briefly on Thursday afternoon during the dress rehearsal of your Shakespeare Performance…. I am Will’s uncle. I have heard so much about the camp and the plays over the past 3 years and this time I got to see it live. I am a teacher in Burlington for almost 30 years and I must say that I was completely blown away by the calibre of this performance. I cannot even imagine how you are capable of pulling of such a polished performance in 3 short weeks… It completely blew my mind!! I was so impressed that I am telling everyone about it already. . You are so talented and I wanted you to know I know the work that goes into something like this. My nephew is so lucky to have worked with you and I was honestly in tears watching parts of this performance. On top of it, I never been a fan of Shakespeare in my life. Your performance changed me. I was captivated, intrigued, on the edge of my seat and left me wanting more.. You made it real and alive. Thank you so much for all of your hard work. I also believe you are making a lifetime difference in the lives of these young people.. I could feel and sense it. Enjoy the rest of your summer—Sincerely, John Highley
My daughter had a wonderful time at Shakespeare camp. She was intimidated at first, and a bit daunted by the memorization, but she persevered and ended up having a great time. She made some new friends and enjoyed the teamwork, and learned that it’s worth it to keep trying. Such a confidence builder and the performances were amazingly polished given the short time they had to pull it together. I’m proud of my daughter and all the kids in the group, and really grateful to the camp directors for believing that kids between age 10 and 16 can learn difficult material and work together to make something lovely. Summer camps like this one are so valuable for exposing kids to new things and challenging them to find their inner resources. —Janice Schroeder, Associate Professor, Carleton University
Thank you for an amazing time at camp. It was a blast— Gloria
Thank you for giving us an amazing time—Anousha
Thank you for all you do for us, as well as everything you put up with. Look forward to these three weeks all year—Naomi
This is honestly the best three weeks of my year. I’ve honestly learned so much and met so many friends. Thank you so much—Rowan
I have enjoyed the summer and every hour spent at Billings Estate and will always treasure these memories. Thanks for two wonderful years—Gabe
Thank you for giving us all such an amazing experience here. It’s been so special and I’ve learned so much and had so much fun—Adira
Thanks for organizing this. It’s been fun—Sarah
Best performance experience I’ve ever had—Benson
Thanks for a great first year—Neil
What an amazing camp—Hugo
Thanks for all your help and support—Will
Thank you so much! This was an amazing camp and I will definitely be back—Anna
Seriously, this camp has changed my life for the better in too many ways. I wouldn’t be able to fit them all here, even on this giant card. I hope I’ll be back. Love you all—Isabelle
Thank you for everything. My first year was amazing!!! And I am going to come back here next year—Katia
Thank you for two great years of three great weeks of fun. I have learned a lot, eaten many scones and am very thankful—Lukas
The camp is held outside, on the beautiful grounds of the Billings Estate Museum, Ottawa. We do have access to some indoor space in case of rain, but the majority of camp is outside in the fresh air among the trees.
It's at 2100 Cabot Street Ottawa, Ontario K1H 6K1.
Read more about the Estate here.
RJ Mayo (they/them) is an actor, director, and writer. In 2022 they graduated from Centennial College’s Theatre Arts and Performance Program.
They attended Shakespeare Camp for seven years as a camper, and they've been with the camp as staff since 2017.
Recent credits as an actor include Stage Manager in Our Town (Centennial College), Ad Announcements in The Space Between (Worlds Elsewhere Theatre Company), Ganymede in CRUNCH (Centennial College), Nikothiki in Lysistrata (Worlds Elsewhere Theatre Company).
Rosemary Nolan (she/her) is a teacher, director, actor and playwright. She has a BA in Theatre and Mathematics from Queen's University, and a Bachelor of Education.
Her play Transcript has toured the Ottawa area, and she directed Benjamin Britten's Noye's Fludde.
The Winter's Tale
Though I am not naturally honest, I am sometimes so by chance.
Here's a brief animated summary of the play, from The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. There's more material on thier website here.
• A healthy lunch to get you though an active day. Probably more food than you pack for a regular school day.
• Sunscreen and a hat.
• Extra layers in case of rain or cold.
• Your script (which you will get on the first day of camp) No acting or Shakespeare experience is necessary.