Comedy Ensemble (Touchstones)

Join Team Comedy!

Residential Conservatory for 
Grades 8-12

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!

AUDITION
COMEDY ENSEMBLE (TOUCHSTONES)
Camp Length:
3 weeks
Camp Cost:
$5700 ($6,000 after Jan 31)
Current Grades:
8 - 12
This Summer:
Improv, Stand-Up, Sketches
AUDITION
2025 SESSION DATES
Session 1:
Jun 22 - Jul 11
AUDITION DATES
-Thurs, Nov 21, 6:00 - 8:00 pm
-Sun, Dec 22, 1:00 - 3:00 pm
-Thurs, Jan 23, 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Explore a Typical Day at Campimage of young actor traveling players
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.

Questions

and Answers

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.
Traveling Players FAQs>>

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.  There’s a space for everyone here.  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!  This camp is designed to release and hone the creativity of each performer.  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!

Who will love it here?  For example, students who . . .

  • are natural-born storytellers
  • bring high energy to theatre
  • have a quirky perspective
  • can provide calm in the chaos by playing the “straight man”
  • are ready to burst! out! into! song!
  • want to learn slapstick, stand-up, and the art of hamming it up

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!

Audition!

3 weeks | $5,700

$6,000 after Jan 31

Improvised Games & Plays, Stand-Up

by You!

Comedy Ensemble is open to students currently in grades 8 - 12.
Limited Space - Audition Soon!
2025 Session Dates:

Session 1: June 22 - July 11

Audition Dates:

-Thurs, Nov 21, 6:00 - 8:00 pm
-Sun, Dec 22, 1:00 - 3:00 pm
-Thurs, Jan 23, 6:00 - 8:00 pm

image of young actor traveling players
"[Our daughter] is gaining confidence, not only as an actor, but as a person."
Jeffrey
Parent

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.

The Traveling Players Difference

Designed for Each Child to Thrive

Personalized Attention

Your child will flourish with our unusually small 1:4 faculty:student ratio.  We ensure each performer gets the attention they deserve rather than waiting in the wings for their cue.  We make sure they get a chance to shine on stage – and off stage, too. 

Unplugged to Connect

We are phone-free.  Children enjoy camp with open eyes and hearts – not hunched over a screen.  Unplugged from the stress of social media, they can forge real friendships with their peers, making connections that last a lifetime!

Real Growth from Ensemble Support

We affirm each student’s strengths – and then challenge them to keep growing beyond their comfort zone.  Our staff invest in each actor, helping them earn self-confidence.  We train our students to be not only great actors, but also great people.

Experiencing the Great Outdoors

Theatre began as stories told around the campfire. We continue this tradition with a summer camp that feels like summer, teaching our campers outdoor skills like fire-building, campfire cooking, and sleeping in tents!

Questions

and Answers

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.
More Traveling Players FAQs>>
Didn't get your question answered? No worries! Please contact our team by email (info@travelingplayers.org) or phone (703-987-1712).

What happens at auditions?

You will perform the "non-ologue" that you memorized (choose from the options sent when you register), but that is just one section of the auditions. You will be given lots of opportunities to display your skills through improvisation, readings from scripts, and group discussions. The audition is an opportunity for the director to get to know you and to see how you work and play with other potential members of the ensemble. It is also an opportunity for you to get to know your potential castmates. You will have your best audition if you relax, have fun, and connect with your fellow performers! We have been told that our auditions are significantly more fun than the average audition. We plan to keep it that way.

Can my child attend therapy virtually while at camp?

Of course! We have found that the most effective way for campers to attend therapy while at camp is by phone call – that way they are not distracted by notifications from their personal devices when they log on for their appointments. We will provide phones for campers to use – and a hammock might be available, too! If possible, 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.

What is the food like?

Campers eat a delicious, diverse, and healthy menu. Every meal will offer a vegetarian and non-vegetarian entree.

Learn more about the food for Summer 2025.

How are the campers divided in the dorm?

The three floors are divided by grade. The exact ages change every year depending on the breakout of camp, but typically they are grades 4-7, 7-9, & 9-12. Campers are then divided by gender into separate rooms.

Where do the campers rehearse/do tech work?

We’ll be rehearsing outdoors all day, enjoying everything Mother Nature has to offer! All our theatrical spaces are complete with shade and nearby restrooms.

Indoor and outdoor rain spaces keep students safe and rehearsing all day long – no matter the weather!
Both the Costume & Scene shops have AC and large windows which let in natural light – keeping everyone comfortable while working.

Christchurch's Maker's Space allows our technical students to push the bounds of their creativity. A plethora of machines and tools exist in the space including a 3D printer!

What if I can't audition in person?

Unable to audition/interview in person? We still want to see you!

If you live outside the DC-metro area, you can still apply for our summer programs – and we hope you do! Here’s what you do: email Emma Mearns (programassistant@travelingplayers.org) for a registration link. Once we have received your registration, we will organize a time to meet with you via Zoom. You may be scheduled to audition with other students or you may be solo. Technical Theatre Interviews will be solo.

In the audition Zoom room, you will perform your "non-ologue", play theatre games, and discuss what the summer will look like for you if accepted. For the interview, 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!

Is there Financial Aid?

Yes! We offer need-based financial aid for all programs. You can find more information here or by emailing Emma Mearns (programassistant@travelingplayers.org).

I will be coming alone. Do all the campers bring a friend?

Most kids don’t bring a friend to camp with them—but it’s great if they do! We make sure they have time together while also meeting new people. 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.

Look through our

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WHY TRAVELING PLAYERSBROWSE SUMMER CAMPS
Studio

Traveling Players Studio
Tysons Corner Center – DL01
1961 Chain Bridge Road, Tysons, VA 22102

Mailing

P.O. Box 1315
Great Falls, VA 22066

Traveling Players Ensemble is funded in part by ArtsFairfax and the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
Photo Credits Include: Jess Wallach - The Body is Good, Isaiah Brown - Pint Sized Productions, Jillian Skara, Lloyd Wolfe, Eleanor Tucker, and Morgan Shotwell
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