Camps in your neighbourhood and online too ! Founded in 1994. Our experienced, caring staff will introduce your kids to stage performance & guide them toward self-expression. Plays, monologues, mime, improvisation, theatre games, musical theatre, stagecraft. Weekly performances! Fun for all -- a great confidence-and-skill-building experience! One-week sessions, 45 locations

Choose the right programs and sessions for your child; currently 10 programs available; 6 TBD.

Filter activities :

• Arts & Crafts
• Drawing
• Jazz
• Musical Theatre
• Playwriting
• Set and costume design
• Theatre Arts
• Vocal training / singing

The Our Kids review of Great Big Theatre Company

The GBTC was founded by Lily Small and her husband Charles Small in Dundas in 1994. Then as now it was a non-profit organization based in a passion for the arts and in the knowledge of how, through both passive and active engagement, can transform the lives of young people. The program grew, to say the least, based in the quality of the programs and supported by a growing community of participants. There are now locations throughout the GTA, with a participation rate in the thousands. Each session is close-knit, bringing kids together around a clear set of challenges—improv, theatre games, stagecraft, and performance—and the joys of meeting them. While each session is a week in length, the experience can be significant, sparking fast friendships in a deceptively short period of time.

Charles Small, Executive Director

It's our 20th year !  Help us celebrate.  We're expecting another great year of summer fun, with our camp programs all across Toronto, the GTA and southwest Ontario.  Our goal is to build skills and confidence, create special camp memories, and ensure that each of our campers has an inspiring and enriching camp week. 

See you in the summer !

Accommodations:

Is Great Big Theatre Company technology free? Yes
Campers are not permitted to use cell phones, Ipads, Iphones, Ipods and similar electronics at the camp. The use of these devices is a distraction, it inhibits interaction with staff and other campers, and it is damaging to the camp environment as a whole. We strongly suggest that electronics be left at home. There is always a camp cell phone that can be used in the event of an emergency. Parents can also be put in contact with any of the camp locations, where needed, by calling our toll-free number. If electronic devices are brought to the camp, staff will ask that they be left at the camp table at the entrance; they will be returned at the end of the day.

• What they said (continued !)

  Fabulous camp and counsellors A great big thank you ! My daughter really enjoyed herself. You offered a nice variety of activities for the kids This is our third year ! Thanks for another great camp experience ! Totally enjoyable, keep up the good work ! Wonderful experience ! Thank you !! All I know is that my daughter had a great time. Everything I heard and saw was great ! Thanks to all of you ! My daughter has had a wonderful week ! See you next year ! Thank you ! My son loved the program. Thank you for all your efforts. Thanks great job ! Thanks for a great week. My son really enjoyed it Great show ! A great achievement in five days. Wonderful Well done ! And the kids had a blast ! This is my daughter's third year with GBTC and she loves it ! Great job with the kids ! My daughter had a fantastic time ! Thanks for a great experience ! Awesome ! Good job ! My daughter loved it ! My son had a blast he was always sad to see me when I picked him up ! They want to come againthey really enjoyed the week ! A definite boost to my children's confidence My daughter was very excited about the whole week I am more than pleased with this camp experience and the kids loved it ! Thank you ! Lots of fun ! My daughter wished the camp was longer They loved it Wonderful camp ! Thank you !! Confidence has soared ! Really enjoyed this experience. Thank you Great job ! My kids begged to do another week ! This was my son's first exposure to theatre -- and he loved it ! Great job ! My son loved the program. Thank you for all your efforts.

• What they said about the camps ...

  Wow I was so impressed with your day camp and the performance I was overwhelmed with the performance of my 'shy' son My son has never liked any kind of camp ! He had a wonderful week with your camp and the terrific counsellors. He has already asked where he can go to take acting classes. All around everything was done very well and I will not hesitate to recommend your camp to anyone ... Thank you for a terrific week ! Our daughter really enjoyed the camp ! My daughter had a great time. This was her first year and she can't wait to go back The performance was very impressive ! Direction and development without impatience or pressure !! My son really enjoyed himself FUN !!! WAY FUN - put 3 check marks there !! Every day my son said he had a GREAT day ! My son greatly enjoyed the camp My daughter has had a great week Excellent program - big confidence booster The kids loved it ! The kids had a great time ! She thoroughly enjoyed the experience My daughter loved it ! The camp is awesome. My daughter loves it. Thanks to all the staff. You're the best !

• What they said about our staff ...

  ...excellent group ! very personable They were all great Staff did a great job with the kids. I can't believe what they learned in only a week. Super job. Right away they got my [child] involved [so as] to get to know other campers. Very patient and compassionate. Great work ! Nice people. Excellent staff. My son really liked them. We were often given positive feedback at the end of the day. They were excellent with the children ! Excellent staff. All the counsellors were very impressive, energetic and very friendly, they made my child feel comfortable. Great counsellors I like how you worked with their level of comfort Great job Wow ! The counsellors were very caring -- instilled confidence gently and quietly directed, and shared the students' enthusiasm and joy. To mold and smoothly create a performance that included such a variety of performers is a feather in their cap and shows directional skill. Thank you ! My son talked every day about how great the camp leaders are ! Exceptional. They are friendly, warm, competent, capable, well-rounded young adults. They are great role models for my son. Thank you ! You couldn't find more wonderful staff.

• From summer evaluations ...

  My children ... have been participating in the programs run by the Great Big Theatre Company for over three years now ... My initial interest in the program was for my oldest son who was a little shy. I felt the acting may help with his self-esteem and the results were astounding. The instructors were great and by the end of the week-long camp, [he] ... was one of the hits of the performance. Since then the kids haven't missed a session ... All of the instructors have been great with the kids and are knowledgeable in their craft. I have referrred a number of people ... and those that participate have had good experiences as well. I highly recommend this program to children to help them overcome any fear of public performance and build self-esteem. My children will continue to participate in the program and camps for as long as they are offered.