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Traveling Players at a Glance

Jeanne E. Harrison founded Traveling Players in 2003 as a nurturing, challenging, educational theatrical community to bring great theatre into the great outdoors.  In our first year, we had 18 students and toured our plays to Shenandoah National Park, where we performed As You Like It while backpacking off the Appalachian Trail.  That is probably the quintessential Traveling Players play – you escape into the woods and return transformed.

Transformation is at the heart of what we do.  We limit the ensembles to only 13 students so that we can give every student the attention they deserve.  We only work with students (in grades 1-12) who are literally transforming before our eyes as they grow up, become the next best version of themselves, and, on stage, take on bold roles in our plays.  All of this is to help them on their way to adulthood, when they will impact our world.

The basic formula remains the same, but many details have changed since our founding in 2003.  We serve over 1000 students a year, offering programs year-round in our Studio in Tysons Corner Center, a major shopping center.  We have won national awards for our comprehensive and intensive curricula, and we have seen our alums perform on Broadway and in the West End, serve as Artistic Directors, have their plays published, and become theatre professors.  We still tour our plays to the community in our signature purple school buses.

I always knew I could form student ensembles that could create wonderful art while challenging themselves and each other.  What I didn’t know was that I was creating friendships that would last a lifetime – the people who will be your “maid of honor/best man” at your wedding.  Traveling Players’ friendships endured well beyond summer, through college and adulthood.  As an alum said, “Most adults don’t name their summer camp as a central part of their identity.”  Traveling Players do.

 

Traveling Players students are highly collaborative young artists. They strive to challenge themselves artistically on stage and are kind, inclusive friends off stage. They know that a cohesive and effective ensemble needs a mix of experiences and backgrounds – performers with different skill sets and growth opportunities — all of whom are eager to support and challenge each other to do their best work.

We accept actors into our auditioned programs who are a good fit for our ensembles and our community – and they tend to stick around!  Our retention rate is about 70%, and on average, they stick with us for 4 years.

Most of our students don’t stay in the arts – they have eclectic interests and are multi-talented.  (Although those who have stayed in the arts have received impressive success.)  Probably the most surprising discovery is that 20+ years on, this community remains in the heart of our students.

Traveling Players faculty are a mix of professional educators, theatre artists and aspiring educators and theatre artists.

Each ensemble and technical theatre shop is led by an experienced educator-director, who carefully mentors our students through the creative process from rehearsals to the final performance.  They excel at supporting and challenging each student, crafting a summer of discoveries and growth.

Our residential advisors, assistant directors, and technical artisans are a mix of professional educators, theatre artists, and college students who have completed at least two years of an undergraduate degree, generally in theatre or education.

Traveling Players has two distinct reputations.

Called a top “25 summer school for the arts” by the National Endowment for the Arts, Traveling Players is known and nationally awarded for our artistic excellence.  Our curriculum is rigorous, and the Shakespeare Troupe in particular has been noted for offering artistic challenges “unlike any other pre-college theatre program in the country.”  You can read more about our awards and the excellent work of our students and alumni here.

However, if you asked a Traveling Players student, parent, or alum to describe us, they wouldn’t start by talking about the awards we’ve won, or the best show they were in or had seen from us.  They would talk about our community.

With a 70% retention rate, our community is vibrant, connected, and kind.  Our curriculum is intentionally designed to promote artistic collaboration.  We limit our ensembles to just 13 students to ensure that everyone receives individualized training and attention.  We select scripts that offer a wide range of roles and cast to maximize each student’s artistic growth.  We help foster friendships both in and across ensembles through theatre games, low ropes challenge courses, and structured fun.  The result is a community that remains thriving – and always welcoming.  You can read more about why parents choose Traveling Players here.

 

 

Traveling Players is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization.  100% of your tuition supports your students’ experience.  As a nonprofit, we are mission-driven – designing our programs for access. We want every dedicated performer to be able to join us.  We charge parents only 70% of the true cost of a Traveling Players summer.  (Donations and grants cover the remainder.)

We also have the most generous artistic financial aid program in the area, with no annual or lifetime caps (read more about financial aid below).  Our approach ensures a vital ensemble that is diverse in every way.

 

Choosing an Ensemble

We use your CURRENT grade.

You should audition for the ensemble you would most like to be in this summer.

Students can audition to perform in more than one ensemble, offering them different experiences.  However, you can only be in one Ensemble at a time, as some run simultaneously.

You only need to audition once – for the program that you are more interested in.  We will take your preferences into consideration when assigning ensembles, but will place you in the ensemble we feel is most appropriate for your growth as a performer.  Most students who are accepted are placed in their first-choice program.

Still not sure?  Call us (703-987-1712) or send us an email (outreach@travelingplayers.org).  We love talking with families and crafting the best summer for your child.

 

Day Camps

Nope!  No audition for day campers.  Just register!

 

Yes!  And yes!

Day Camp: Show off what you’ve learned in a 30-minute showcase on your final Camp Day right in the Studio.  Family, friends, and fans are welcome!

Sleepaway Camps & Conservatories: Your ensemble will mount a fully produced play.  The final performance will be open to the public.

  • Act: FIVE & Mythology Ensemble campers leave with their parents after their performance. All other campers return to Christchurch School for one last night – and to pack up all their stuff!
  • Thespian, Comedy & Shakespeare Ensembles: Perform on the final Thursday.
    • Families, friends, and fans of our Technicians should attend the show they worked on the most (we’ll email you and let you know).
  • Shakespeare Troupe: Your week-long performance tour will feature several public performances.

Traveling Players faculty are a mix of professional educators, theatre artists and aspiring educators and theatre artists.

For summer 2026 our Day Camps will once again be helmed by EJ Fultz – read her bio here!

 

Our day camps use plays originally commissioned for our Mythology Ensemble by award-winning playwright Judith Walsh White. Some of these plays have gone on to be published with Traveling Players Students listed as the original actors!

You can read more about the plays here.

 

Traveling Players Rehearsal Studio

The Traveling Players Rehearsal Studio is tucked into a quiet corner of Tysons Corner Center (2nd level near Nordstrom), giving us a private, secure space that’s entirely our own, complete with dedicated bathrooms and water fountains for students and faculty. It’s a convenient spot for families: you’re welcome to shop or grab a bite while your child is in class or camp.

Address:
Traveling Players Rehearsal Studio
Tysons Corner Center
1961 Chain Bridge Road
Tysons, VA 22102

Read more about our Studio here. 

 

Auditions & Interviews

We accept students who we think will be a good fit for our community – socially and artistically.

We ask students to audition because we’re interested in how you play with others – on stage and off – and with whom you play particularly well.  Collaboration, chemistry, dedication, kindness, joy, and imagination are the qualities that allow our ensembles and all our students to thrive.

For Shakespeare Troupe: We accept actors into Troupe by considering the needs of the individuals and the play.  Since Troupe is going on a professional performance tour, we have to cast the play with actors who are right (or can stretch into) the roles.  We must also have roles that challenge the accepted actors.

The learning opportunities in Troupe, however, are only partly reflected in an actor’s role.  The demands of mounting a full-length Shakespeare play on a professional rehearsal schedule are awesome and daunting.  It’s the experience of a lifetime!

For Technical Theatre Apprentices: We accept technicians while considering the technical aspects of the season’s plays.  We need to ensure each technician has a challenging project to work on so they can grow their skills.

 

Day Camp: Nope!  No audition for day campers.  Just register!

Sleepaway Camps & Residential Conservatories: Yes, most of our residential programs are by audition or interview only.

Act: FIVE – Nope!  This is the only sleepaway program that does not require an audition.  Go ahead and register!

 

You can audition virtually or in person (at our Studio in Tysons, VA). Either way, you must register for an audition. Some sessions are already full, so don’t delay!

Technical theatre interviews are held on a rolling basis and can be virtual or in person.

 

No, sorry. We accept a very limited number of campers, meaning every spot must be filled by someone who is committed, so as not to take away an opportunity from someone else.

If, after the audition/interview, you realize this is not the community for you, simply email us within 48 hours, and we will not follow up with your results.

Actors can be particularly strong at movement, improv, emotional journeys, heightened language, comedy, tragedy, and all the tones in between.  We want to give you opportunities to show us the ways YOU shine. We have designed our auditions to give you as many ways to shine as possible.

Your monologue (or “non-ologue” for our Comedy Ensembles) is a memorized performance when you fully embody a character without a script in front of you.  The monologue, however, is only a few minutes of your audition.  We want to get to know you a bit better!

We have been told that our auditions are significantly more fun than the average audition.  We plan to keep it that way.

 

Yes. We select new actors and technicians each year. Usually, this means returning members will be re-accepted, but not always. The audition/interview isn’t just to determine whether we’ll accept you, but also how we could cast you. It’s important for us to see how you’ve grown or changed over the year.

 

AUDITIONS: You will perform your monologue/“non-ologue” and then play theatre games and/or read from the script.  Plus, we’ll discuss what the summer will look like for you if accepted.  The audition is an opportunity for the director to get to know you. You’ll have a chance to ask us questions, too!

You will have your best audition if you relax and have fun.  We have been told that our auditions are significantly more fun than the average audition.  We plan to keep it that way.

INTERVIEWS: We’ll discuss your portfolio, interests, current skills, what you want to learn, and how summer can help you achieve your goals.  You’ll have a chance to ask us questions, too!

 

For all auditioned programs, you will need to prepare a monologue.  You can find the required material below.  Please choose ONE (1) monologue/“non-ologue” to perform at your audition.

Please bring a portfolio to your interview to discuss. You can find the guidelines below:

Yes, you can!  However, you can’t participate in both if they overlap.  But auditioning for more than one program will allow you to be placed in the program that will give you the most challenge.  Here’s how it works:

Figure out which program you’d prefer, since we will take that into consideration.  We genuinely care about what you’re interested in learning.

  1. Audition/Interview for your first choice as early as possible. If you are interested in two acting programs, then you only need to audition once.  We will initially consider you for your first-choice program and endeavor to accept you into the program with the most significant challenge for you as an actor.
  2. If you are interested in Shakespeare Troupe, then you must attend a Shakespeare Troupe audition to be considered.
  3. If you are interested in the Technical Theatre Apprenticeship in addition to acting, then you must both interview and audition.

 

Location – Sleepaway Camps & Conservatories

Christchurch Boarding School

  • Historic boarding school in Virginia’s “Northern Neck,” close to Williamsburg, Richmond, and Norfolk
  • Scenic, waterfront campus overlooks the Rappahannock River, complete with private dock and beach access
  • Private and secure property (125 acres), includes state-of-the-art facilities
  • 5 hours from Traveling Players’ Studio in Tysons Corner Center

Address for Directions:
49 Seahorse Lane, Christchurch, VA 23031

Mailing Address:
<Camper’s Name>
Traveling Players
c/o Christchurch School
49 Seahorse Lane
Christchurch, Virginia 23031

 Read more about our campus and food here. 

 

Yes!  We have an Open House on April 25, 2026, from 1:00 – 3:30 pm for families and friends to tour our campus before camp starts.

Campus tours are also available to parents/families on the first day of each session as part of drop-off; however, the Open House is your only chance to see the dormitories where the campers live.

 

Our campers live in Murrell Hall – a three-story modern dormitory that keeps our community nestled together while still giving campers ample privacy and space.  The halls are divided by grade – building friendships with near-age peers across ensembles!

The exact breakout changes every year, but typically they are:

  • Grades 3-7 – Orchestra (1st floor)
  • Grades 7-9 – Mezzanine (2nd floor)
  • Grades 9-12 – Balcony (3rd floor)

Campers are divided into dorm rooms by gender.  We do not accept roommate requests, but we carefully craft rooms that we think will be joyful, maintain old friendships and build new ones.

Campers live in triples with 2 close-age roommates.  Each dorm room has three twin beds, three dressers, closets, and desks.

Each floor’s Lounge is the center of its community.  With big, comfy couches for relaxing, memorizing lines, and hanging out with your friends, it’s the perfect spot to hang out after rehearsal.  Each floor also has a study/craft/game room where you can leave out a puzzle, card game, or board game.

Also in Murrell Hall: the cafeteria, the laundromat, and the infirmary.

Four to six members of faculty live on each floor – including two Residential Advisors.  Our Faculty live in private rooms so that they are always nearby, attentive, and available, while still allowing campers an appropriate level of privacy.

 

As stated in a 2007 Washington Post article about Traveling Players, “Many kids’ first spiritual encounters take place in nature, where they discover something larger than themselves.”  Therefore, we link theatrical work to nature by rehearsing and performing outdoors.

Our scenic outdoor rehearsal spaces overlook the Rappahannock River.  They are all well-shaded to keep students cool on hot days and have easy access to restrooms and water fountains.

We also have ample indoor rehearsal space to keep our students safe and rehearsing all day long – no matter the weather!

Both our Costume & Scene shops have large windows which let in natural light – ideal for painting and sewing.  The Maker’s Space allows our technical students to push the bounds of their creativity.  Under the supervision of our Shop Faculty, students are trained to use a plethora of machines and tools, including a CNC Laser Cutting Machine and a 3D printer!

Nope! We are not associated with any religion. Campers of all religions are welcome to come make great theatre in the great outdoors!

Christchurch Boarding School, our summer location partner, is part of the progressive tradition of Episcopal schools.

Getting to Campus

We warmly accept students from all over the country – all the world is a stage! You can learn more about getting to camp from outside of the DC region here.

Day Camp:  No, we do not provide transportation, but we do offer aftercare.

Sleepaway Camps & Conservatories:  Yes, we offer the Purple Bus Express!  There are limited seats available, so make sure to get a ticket as soon as they are released.

 

 

Safety

Traveling Players maintains a 1:6 staff-to-student ratio.  That means our students are more than just in our sight.  They are receiving personalized training and attention.  Directors are master teachers with many years of experience in both professional theatre and theatre education.  In addition to their professional achievements, our faculty is trained in First Aid & CPR and in Leave No Trace outdoor ethics.  Every director is supported by one or two assistant directors, who are working on or have received their BA, BFA, or MFA in theatre.

Our Artistic Director personally interviews every member of our staff and selects them for their proven skills as educators, artists, and role models.

We do not employ Counselors-in-Training (CITs).  All employees of Traveling Players are rigorously background checked.  All staff attend 7-12 days of on-site orientation, depending on their position.

Our staff is our biggest asset — composed of talented artist-educators who work professionally in the DC metro area and around the world.  A significant number of our staff are alumni of our program, proof that the Traveling Players community remains dear to their hearts.

 

All our staff receive American Red Cross First Aid, CPR, and EpiPen training.  Several staff members are certified in Wilderness First Aid.

Our staff has a high level of physical competency.  Many of them have run marathons, hiked the Appalachian Trail, or are certified lifeguards.

If medical services are needed, Riverside Walter Reed Hospital is located less than 30 minutes from campus.

We dedicate a full day of staff orientation to practicing how to keep our students within safe boundaries with our on-call social worker.  Zena Carmel-Jessup is a Maryland-licensed clinical social worker with over 20 years of experience training staff and working with children and families.

If your child normally attends therapy, they can continue to do so virtually while at camp.  Please email campdirector@travelingplayers.org for more information.

 

We know how important it is to stay connected with family and friends while away from home. However, we also know that electronic devices, especially cellphones, can be a huge distraction and prevent kids and teens from making friends.

In general, cell phones, iPods, Kindles, smartwatches, fitness trackers, laptops, and other Bluetooth devices are NOT allowed at camp.

Almost all sleepaway/residential camps strictly forbid cell phones and electronics, and we agree with their stance.  The reasons for this are many:

  • According to S. News and NPR, smartphone-mediated communication interferes with the positive educational and developmental impact of camp on children of all ages.
    • A 2014 UCLA study of sixth graders at an outdoor camp found that in just 5 days without a screen, students were better able to pick up on nonverbal emotional cues.
  • The rough-and-tumble environment of summer camp is hard on delicate and expensive electronics, which are particularly vulnerable to loss and breakage.

Unplugged doesn’t mean disconnected.

Our Camp Office is available 24/7 at 703-987-1712 or campdirector@travelingplayers.org.

  • You can send your camper letters & care packages (we recommend limiting yourself to 1 care package in a 3-week stay, but you can send letters every day if you’d like!)
    • <Camper’s Name>
      Traveling Players
      c/o Christchurch School
      49 Seahorse Lane
      Christchurch, Virginia 23031
    • No food in care packages, please!
  • You can also email your camper!

If something comes up during camp (a family emergency on your end or a camper not feeling well on our end), please call the Camp Office (or expect a call from the camp office).  Our camp director will make sure your child and their faculty are up to date on anything that’s going on.  By keeping us in the loop, you help us better care for your child.

There are a few exceptions to our no electronics policy. All internet-capable devices will be stored in the camp office when not in use. Please contact the camp office before your session begins if you plan to bring an electronic device – campdirector@travelingplayers.org

  • Single-function electronics, such as a white-noise generator or an MP3 player without internet connectivity, may be acceptable for use at camp.
  • Campers who are starting college in the fall may bring their cell phone or laptop for the purposes of registering for classes, filling out their paperwork, et cetera.
  • Students in the Technical Theatre program need a laptop, tablet, or other internet-connected device for classwork.
  • Students in Shakespeare Troupe can bring their phones after the Mid-Summer Vacation and will have access to them during selected times while on tour.

We really appreciate your compliance with this policy and hope your camper can “disconnect to reconnect”!

Yes! We take field trips and travel to our performance venues.

Our bus drivers and fleet of five purple buses have a spotless safety record.  All of our buses are professionally maintained by our experienced on-call diesel mechanic.  We employ a commercial driver trainer to personally train all our drivers.  All our bus drivers are drug-tested before the summer begins and are randomly tested throughout the summer.  A bus counselor engages students in games (a mobile improv class!) while the driver focuses on the road.

What to Pack

We recommend that you pack sheets,  a blanket, and a sleeping bag.  The kids will spend a couple of nights in tents, so the sleeping bag will be good for that, and the dorm will have AC, so sheets and blankets will be good then.

Pro tip: The sleeping bag can be used as a blanket if it unzips completely.

Download the Packing List

 

 

Nope! The beds are lofted like in college dorms.

However, storage space in your dorm room is limited.  Please do your best to pack efficiently.  Standard-sized luggage or a trunk that fits underneath your bunk is highly preferred, as it will be easier to store.

 

Yes, everyone needs a small daypack to carry their script, pencils, water bottle, camera, etc., but only Shakespeare Troupe needs a framed camping backpack.

At Camp

Ensembles will do their laundry once a session, so please pack about 12 days’ worth of clothes. Students can bring powdered laundry pods or purchase detergent at the camp store. Please do not send liquid detergent, as it could cause a huge mess.

Act: FIVE and Mythology Ensemble campers will NOT do their laundry – they are with us for 12 days or less.

We will do extra laundry as needed ( a big rainstorm, a surprise period, etc.).

 

Please do NOT send food in your care packages.  We like to keep nature in the natural environment, and food invites critters into the dorm.

Please also refrain from sending items such as electronics and medications (over-the-counter or prescription).  These items should be handed over to camp staff on move-in day.

Students eat a delicious, diverse, and healthy menu.  Every meal will offer a vegetarian and a non-vegetarian entree.  They eat 3 balanced meals a day, plus can grab a snack in the afternoon and evening.

Our health form asks about food allergies or intolerances, and we can accommodate most common issues, such as gluten-free and dairy-free options.  Christchurch is a nut-free campus.

Learn more about the food for Summer 2026.

Of course!  We will provide devices for campers to use – and a private study room in the library.  Please move their appointment time to between 4:00 – 6:00 pm on a weekday, which is during their free time.  Please email campdirector@travelingplayers.org with the appointment time and doctor’s phone number, and any access information.

 

Students who are starting college in the fall will have limited access to their computers and phones for class registration, completing paperwork, advisor meetings, etc.  Please contact the camp director in advance for further information.  We’ll make sure they don’t miss any deadlines during their stay with us!

Final Performances

Yes!  And yes!

Day Camp: Show off what you’ve learned in a 30-minute showcase on your final Camp Day right in the Studio.  Family, friends, and fans are welcome!

Sleepaway Camps & Conservatories: Your ensemble will mount a fully produced play.  The final performance will be open to the public.

  • Act: FIVE & Mythology Ensemble campers leave with their parents after their performance. All other campers return to Christchurch School for one last night – and to pack up all their stuff!
  • Thespian, Comedy & Shakespeare Ensembles: Perform on the final Thursday.
    • Families, friends, and fans of our Technicians should attend the show they worked on the most (we’ll email you and let you know).
  • Shakespeare Troupe: Your week-long performance tour will feature several public performances.

Our shows are open to the public and we encourage all who want to support our campers to attend.

Day Camp: Nope!

Sleepaway Camps: This depends on the venue and weather.

  • In our Studio (Mythology Ensemble, and everyone in case of inclement weather): Yes! Tickets are $16 in advance and $20 at the door. All campers receive two comps for their performance.
  • On PenFed Plaza at Tysons Corner Center (All ensembles except Mythology): Nope! However, Rain Tickets are available for purchase ahead of time.
    • Rain Tickets: These can be bought for insurance in the event the show is moved indoors, as inside we have a much smaller capacity. These tickets are nonrefundable.
  • Various Tour Venues: Likely. Please see tour schedule.

 

Day Camp: Yes!  (If they are enrolled in aftercare, you can choose to leave them for one final day with their newfound friends, or take them home to celebrate with family and friends.)

Sleepaway Camps & Conservatories:

  • Mythology Ensemble & Act: FIVE – Yes! Act: FIVE campers can return for the Festival of 3 plays later that day, if they like.  They’re fun!  You’ll know the performers!
  • All other Ensembles: Nope! After the show, you can hug and praise for about 15 minutes, then we will need to take them to continue our programs (transition to next show, dinner, ride back to campus, etc.).  On the final Friday of camp, you will come back to Christchurch Boarding School to retrieve your camper and their stuff!  (Unless you reserved a ticket on the Purple Bus Express.)

 

Thespian, Comedy, and Shakespeare Ensembles, as well as Technical Theatre Apprentices, all have final performances on Thursday in Tysons and Pick-up the following day in Saluda.  We recommend staying in the Tysons area the night of the performance, then driving down to Saluda the next day for pick-up.  There are many options in Tysons.

Want to spend the night in Saluda as well?  Christchurch has several options on its website here.

Carpools are another great way to save energy.  If you need a carpool, please reach out to us, and we will connect you to others in your ensemble.

Purple Bus Express: Don’t want to make the drive down?  You can add on bus fare to your registration for Drop-Off and/or Pick-Up!  Dates of service: June 28, July 17, July 19, and August 7.  $135 one-way, $270 round trip.

 

Performance Tours

A tour is when we take a play to a new venue for each performance.  Those venues will vary each day of the tour, ranging from private performances at retirement homes to public performances on professional stages.

 

Since our very first summer in 2003, when we performed As You Like It in Shenandoah National Park.  That’s why we’re called Traveling Players!

Since that first summer, we have brought more than 150 productions to more than 100 venues – connecting our students with a highly diverse audience spanning the state of Virginia and the wider DC metro area.  We are lucky to receive offers to return to our performance venues year after year, giving us longstanding relationships with our extended community.

 

We tour because we think it is an invaluable tool for training young actors.

Touring is a huge artistic challenge that teaches adaptability.  When touring, you can’t just perform the play you’ve rehearsed in the same space for months on end – you have to make adjustments to suit the venue and the audience in front of you.  Touring teaches our actors to respond to the gifts each audience gives.  Through touring, actors become bolder, more generous storytellers, and technicians become more adaptable and resourceful.

In addition to their responsibilities onstage (actors) or backstage (technicians), all of our students take on an additional tour job.  They might be the person who packs the costumes, or on a team that sets up the sound system.  These tour jobs are vital in making the tour run smoothly.  They teach our students to work collaboratively and take ownership of a piece of a project.

Plus, touring is a TON of fun!  Every Traveling Players alum has a favorite memory from tour.  We are the only educational theatre program in the nation that gives students the challenge of touring, and it is a core part of our artistic identity.  (And it doesn’t hurt that touring gives you great material for college essays).

 

Summer – Comedy Ensembles and Shakespeare Troupe

Due to rehearsal time constraints, only two of our programs tour during the summer.

Our Comedy Ensembles bring an improvised show to local audiences in the Northern Neck.  At the end of the session, students in the Comedy Ensemble will take day trips to perform 1-2 times before the final performance for friends and families.  Many improv skills are built by responding to a live audience, and the tour gives our Comedy Ensemble students the opportunity to really stretch those muscles.

Our premiere summer conservatory, Shakespeare Troupe, mounts a full-length production of one of the Bard’s greatest works and takes it to professional stages all over Virginia in a week-long tour.  Students in this program travel by bus and by backpack – going on an outdoor adventure in the morning, setting up at a new venue in the afternoon, performing in the evening, and camping out at night.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) distinguished Shakespeare Troupe as a nationally unique program that “offers challenges unlike any other pre-college conservatory.”

Past tour venues for Shakespeare Troupe include The Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, The Kimball Theatre in Colonial Williamsburg, Lime Kiln Theater in Lexington, and the historic Agecroft Hall in Richmond.

Discounts

You bet!

  • Multiweek – $25
  • Sibling Discount – $25
  • Referral Rebate – $25
  • Early Bird (enroll by Jan 31) – $25

 

We do!

    • Multisession: $250 (off your 2nd session)
    • Sibling Discount – $250 (off the 2nd child registration)
    • Referral Rebate – $250 (on each accepted referral, not limited to your Ensemble – $50 when they audition, $200 if accepted & register for summer)
    • Early Bird (enroll by Jan 31) – ensemble dependent:
      • Act: FIVE – $100
      • Mythology Ensemble – $200
      • Thespian Ensemble – $250
      • Comedy Ensemble – $250
      • Shakespeare Ensemble – $250
      • Technical Theatre (3 wk) – $250
      • Technical Theatre (6 wk) – $350
      • Shakespeare Troupe – $350

In most cases, yes!  You can have one, two, or all the discounts, if applicable.  This also means if you have 3 children enrolled, you will receive the sibling discount twice.  If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call!

 

The sibling discount will be applied to the Day Camp enrollment.  For the referral rebate, it will be applied to the camp the referred student enrolls in (i.e., your friend enrolls in Sleepaway, we would apply the rebate to your Sleepaway reservation).

 

Financial Aid

  1. For Sleepaway Camps & Shakespeare Troupe: Register to audition/interview for the program that your child would like to attend.  Please submit the following materials before your audition/interview.
    The student writes a letter to Artistic Director Jeanne Harrison explaining why they want to be a member of Traveling Players’ summer programs or classes and what special qualities they would bring to the ensemble.
    The student asks a teacher or coach who knows them well to fill out a recommendation form:
    Recommendation for Financial Aid – Summer
    Recommendation for Financial Aid – Classes
    Parents complete the Financial Aid Application Form and provide a copy of their most recent federal tax return to verify eligibility for financial aid.
    Please block out your social security numbers; we don’t need those. Snail mail is the safest.  Send application and tax forms to:  Traveling Players, P.O. Box 1315, Great Falls, VA 22066
    ONLY Email through an encrypted email service, such as Encyro, https://www.encyro.com/.  Send application and tax forms to development@travelingplayers.org.
  2. If you are accepted into our programs, then your application for financial aid will be considered.
    Please contact outreach@travelingplayers.org or 703-987-1712 if you need audition fees waived.
  3. For Day Camps: Begin the process above. If your desired camp is about to fill, please call or email, and we can discuss holding a spot for you until the financial aid application is complete.

Financial Aid is considered on a rolling basis. This means we will be awarding summer aid as early as December. Please apply as early as possible to give yourself the best chance of receiving the funding you need.

Yes! Traveling Players is committed to making arts education accessible to everyone.  We are proud to offer need-based financial aid for all of our programs with no annual or lifetime caps.  Once approved for financial aid, you can be extended additional aid for a full calendar year before needing to reapply.

Anyone who believes they are in need is encouraged to apply, but those who typically receive significant amounts of aid are families with a combined annual income of $140,000 or less or those with extenuating circumstances (e.g., medical bills, parents/guardians on deployment, changing family circumstances).  Financial Aid is extended on a sliding scale – the more need demonstrated, the more aid granted.

 

 

Yes.  Financial Aid lasts for a full calendar year, then you must reapply.  For example, if you first applied for aid for Summer 2025, you would need to reapply for Summer 2026.

However, you will not need to provide a teacher recommendation or interview, as we already know you.

This varies from family to family and year to year.  We can offer anywhere between 10% – 95% of tuition as aid.  The amount offered will depend on funding from donations and grants, the number of applicants, and the needs of applicants from year to year.

 

 

Yes, but due to grant stipulations, we prioritize local students. If you live out of the area and would like to apply for financial aid, we recommend applying as early as possible.

 

Our Financial Aid committee meets once a month to review applications and make decisions.  You should find out about a month after your application is complete.  This includes program acceptance for Sleepaway Camps & Conservatories.  Once you have received your offer, you have a week to accept and pay a 30% deposit on your portion of the tuition.  You may then schedule payments as necessary, with the remaining amount being due April 15.