Coastal Spotlight Theatre Camp Debuts in Orange Beach

Coastal Spotlight Theatre Camp Debuts in Orange Beach

Orange Beach City Schools and the City of Orange Beach have joined forces to launch Coastal Spotlight Theatre Camp, an immersive two-week theatre experience serving 70 young performers and technicians from across Baldwin County. Now wrapping up its second and final week, the inaugural camp has already proven to be an exciting addition to arts education on the Alabama Gulf Coast. Modeled after Troy University’s long-standing and successful Creative Drama Camp, Coastal Spotlight was created to allow students to experience every aspect of the theatrical process, from imagination and creative exploration to technical theatre and full-scale production. The camp is directed by Grace Stanton, Director of Theatre at Orange Beach Middle/High School, and Stacie Brane, Manager of the Orange Beach Performing Arts Center. Together, Stanton and Brane developed Coastal Spotlight as a collaborative experience, designed to connect young artists with educators, student leaders, and theatre professionals while providing meaningful, hands-on opportunities both onstage and behind the scenes. Each morning, campers participate in Creative Drama and Stagecraft classes designed to build confidence, encourage creativity, and introduce students to new areas of theatre. In the afternoons, the camp transforms into a working rehearsal and production environment as students prepare the musical Disney and Pixar’s Finding Nemo KIDS.
More than 40 staff members have helped make Coastal Spotlight’s inaugural year a reality. Together, high school student leaders, educators, theatre and art teachers, and working theatre professionals collaborate to create an engaging and meaningful experience for young artists. The camp takes place on the Orange Beach Middle/High School campus, providing students access
to exceptional facilities and the opportunity to learn and perform in a professional-quality theatrical
environment. The community was invited to see the culmination of two weeks of creativity, collaboration, and hard work of the campers of Coastal Spotlight on July 17 at the Orange Beach Performing Arts Center during the camp’s full production of Finding Nemo KIDS. For its inaugural year, Coastal Spotlight has brought together students, schools, city leadership, educators, and theatre pros around one shared goal: creating an unforgettable arts experience for young people.