Children looking to get away from parents Christmas shopping had the perfect opportunity with A Broadway Holiday theater and music camp.
Veterans of children’s camp at the Wetumpka Depot returned for the short holiday respite to create a short Christmas program. Michaela Bird and Brooke Carrico have been around the stage for years. Bird is the daughter of Tallassee High School choral director Michael Bird. She is also the theater director at Sylacauga High School. Carrico has been on the stage at the Depot since the age of 6 and is currently majoring in marketing and music business at Nashville’s Belmont University.
“We started working together last summer with the summer Broadway camp,” Bird said. “We did two of those.”
The pair saw interests in another camp and decided they could pull together a short production. It includes five songs, one poem and five dances. There is also a quick performance of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.
“We have 21 hours over three days to pull it all together,” Bird said. “They have three days to learn the music, learn the dances and learn the show.”
Carrico is a Wetumpka native and has been helping the Depot with children’s music programs over the years.
Bird calls herself ancient at 26 years old. She appreciates the differences in the younger children compared to the older ones in her high school theater program.
“It is always nice to shift working with ages 14-18 to 7 to 14,” Bird said. “It presents different challenges. It is different in how to approach them.”
Friday morning the young instructors were working with the campers on “We wish you a Merry Little Christmas. Currico was playing the piano. Bird was directing. To help the campers, the music was stopped at a point where it was to slow down.
“This should make it easier,” Bird told the campers. “Also remember not to drop the have. Let’s make it clean.”
Bird said the show should be fun.
“They have been bouncing all around,” she said. “We will get all put together for a fun little performance that everyone can enjoy.”