Each year that our daughter has attended a Traveling Players program (3 summers and 2 winters), I have been so impressed not only by the wonderful and professional nature of the programs, but by the genuine camaraderie developed between the cast and the directors. No other program or experience has been more challenging or meaningful for my daughter.
Comedy Ensemble - Touchstones
Current Grades 8-12
Saluda Campus
Join Team Comedy!
Become part of a tight-knit ensemble where you can stretch your imagination and grow your skills. Comedy Ensemble – Touchstones is one of three performing options (along with Shakespeare Ensemble & Troupe) in our vibrant cohort of high school actors. This camp is designed to release and hone the creativity of each performer. Learn foundational skills for theater (and life): clarity of thought and action, mental agility, spontaneity, active listening & responding, leading & following, and creative problem-solving. Then advance to long-form improv: creating stories as an ensemble from a simple prompt, or out of thin air! Improvisation is the most important tool in the actor’s toolbox—and the best part is that you’re only doing it right if you’re having fun!
Daily rehearsals progress from bonding the ensemble into a well-oiled machine to theatre games to longer improvisations and group storytelling. At the end of your adventure, your ensemble will use suggestions from a live audience to create an original show and make theatrical magic on the spot. You’ll perform an improvised masterpiece – never seen before or again!
Real Skills, Joyful Environment
At Traveling Players, we believe the best way to learn is by having fun. Our staff are professional teaching artists with many years of experience in theatre, teaching, and joy! Staff are supportive of each individual’s growth and are masters at ensuring that each student can shine.
With a return rate of 70%, our community has been forming life-long friendships for over two decades. Those friendships are grounded in kindness, and we are proud of our exceedingly welcoming students, who make sure that no one is left out of the ensemble—right from the start.
What Families Are Saying
Lisa, Parent
Traveling Players is perfect for children who want to nurture their creativity, build confidence and make life long friends.
Rachel, Parent
I’m not sure what kind of magic you worked, but [my son] left more excited and jazzed about something than we’ve seen him be in years! He said tonight was incredibly fun, and it awoke a new passion in him for acting! Thank you for being such an inspiration to him. It was great to see that sparkle in his eye!
Jody, Parent
Frequently Asked Questions
For over 20 years we’ve been creating great theatre in the great outdoors with teens and pre-teens. Our team will happily walk you through any one of our carefully crafted programs.
How do I know which ensemble is right for me?
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.
What is the food like?
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.
Who founded Traveling Players? Why?
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.
Who are your students?
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.
How is Traveling Players known?
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 alumn 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.
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