A cast of young Bermudians is preparing to take the stage tonight as the Actin’ Up! Theatre Camp celebrates its fifth year.

Sanzia Pearman said that this year the camp attendees have been hard at work bringing Dare to Dream Jr, a Disney musical revue, to life at the Ruth Seaton James Auditorium.

She said: “The last four weeks have been a wild ride. These kids really work so hard. We jam-packed every day throughout.

“Our campers have poured their hearts into auditions, callbacks, rehearsals, vocal coaching, choreography and character work, while also taking part in costume design and special workshops.

“They even had the opportunity to learn from Soleil Richardson, a Bermudian professional NBA dancer, who brought her expertise and energy to camp.

“Now we’ve officially moved into tech week, where we begin adding the final layers, costumes, lighting, sound, sets and all the little details that bring the Disney magic to life.”

The Actin’ Up! Theatre Camp was launched by Mhya Bridgewater and Sanzia Pearman in 2022 with the goal of giving young people an opportunity to build confidence, creativity and community.

While Ms Bridgewater is now a working actor based in Chicago and Ms Pearman works in the arts in New York, the pair return to Bermuda every summer to produce the camp and help to develop the next generation of Bermudian performers.

Ms Bridgewater said: “One of the goals we set out for was to show Bermuda’s youth that the arts is a possible career to pursue professionally. The skills you learn in the rehearsal room can be transferred to the classroom and all other walks of life.

“In Bermuda, this is more important than ever. We demand students get off their couches and their phones, trading the ‘normal summer activities’ for a chance to authentically connect with others, express themselves and showcase their talent.”