By Maya Rosenzweig ‘27
Although school is not in session, over the summer, you may see Germantown Academy’s (GA) campus crawling with kids of all ages. This is due to the wide range of summer camps that GA offers.
One of these camps in particular draws a large crowd of counselors from GA. Belfry Mainstage Theatre Camp, an extension of GA’s own Belfry Club, attracts many student volunteers and staff who return each summer to share their passion for the performing arts with the next generation.
The Belfry Mainstage Theater Camp runs from late June to late July, and is open for campers in grades 2-9. This camp serves as an opportunity for aspiring performers to put up a show in four weeks and experience the thrill of performing in a full-stage production at GA’s Art Center.
All campers have the automatic opportunity to contribute to the Ensemble, but larger roles require auditions. Some of the main roles of counselors include helping with these auditions, organizing costumes and props for the musical, and providing backstage support during performances.
Some counselors got involved within the camp due to their passion for musical theater, while others applied with persuasion from their friends and ended up coming back year after year.
“Since I perform in Belfry shows during the year, this is an opportunity to get to do some of the roles like costume and props that I wouldn’t get to do while performing,” Kiera McRae ‘26 said.
McRae was also a camper at the Belfry Mainstage Theater Camp growing up and participated in four shows.
“I loved it a lot. It’s what got me into many years and styles of dance as an after-school activity,” McRae said. “I wanted to bring the same love for theater and joy that the counselors did when I was a camper.”
Working as a counselor at Belfry Theater Camp proved to be as rewarding for many students as it was enjoyable, offering students hands-on experience while keeping the fun at the forefront.
“Through this experience, I learned how to balance how to have fun while also being in a leadership position where I sometimes have to be more strict and responsible,” said Alex Ortiz ‘26. “Working with younger kids helped me see how important collaboration and encouragement areis.”
Both McRae and Ortiz agreed on the value of working at the Belfry camp and emphasized the lessons that working there taught them.
“It’s been super rewarding to do something fun with my friends while making an impact on younger students and helping them to love theater, too,” Ortiz said.
“I have learned how to be very organized and learn how to manage and really take authority over a large group of people,” McRae said. “I’ve also learned how to be creative because we are using all old costumes and figuring out what can work for what roles.”
This summer, the Belfry Mainstage Theater Camp will be putting on a production of Roald Dahl’s “Matilda the Musical JR,” giving campers a chance to step into one of musical theater’s most beloved shows. For the counselors, the reward goes beyond the final performance.
“It’s really nice seeing them grow during the camp – whether it’s on the stage, in their confidence, or in leadership, seeing the older kids look after the younger kids in the camp,” Ortiz said.
For counselors, watching that happen is reason enough to come back summer after summer.