Stepp Stewart’s DeKalb County summer campers visit the Big Apple

NEW YORK CITY—A group of students enrolled in the “2022 Summer Camp Spotlight with Stepp Stewart” in DeKalb County are in New York this weekend enjoying Broadway theater plays, performing arts workshops and experiencing the Big Apple.

“We’re here! We’re here!” said an ecstatic Stewart, founder of the performing arts camp, which is open to youths ages 7 to 17 who have an interest in theatre. The trip to New York is the highlight of the three-week camp, which runs July 5-22 at the Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center in DeKalb.

DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson is thrilled about the youths having the opportunity to travel to New York and represent DeKalb and arranged an interview with Stewart by cell phone.

Stewart told On Common Ground News that he and the group of 17 kids and their parent chaperones had just arrived in New York on Friday and were excited to be in the vibrant city. As soon as the group got off the plane, the kids were snapping selfies and bubbling over with excitement.

Stewart said he and staffers have planned an action-packed weekend, which included attending Broadway plays, visiting Central Park and other tourists’ spots, as well as  workshops and classes for the students.

“They are going to be standing in line to purchase their tickets in Times Square. I want them to experience every aspect of going to see a play. We are going to a pizza party at Pearl Studios, where they will be meeting people. They’ll be attending an Alvin Alley dance workshop. We just have so much planned,” Stewart said.

Stewart said he has wanted to provide the budding actresses and actors who enrolled in his summer camp the chance to experience New York ever since he founded the program in 2019.

“Taking the kids to New York—this s is the dream that I have had ever since I started the camp six years ago,” said Stewart, whose web site describes the musical theatre summer camp as a “magical three-week experience” for students.

Daily classes, physical fitness workouts, movies, nutrition workshops, parties, contests, games and rehearsals give the camp its signature style of operation. Stewart’s first-hand involvement in show business fuels the camp’s opportunity and growth. Acting, singing, dance, costumes, wigs, make-up, and Backstage Crew are some of the concentrated areas of study.

The students will demonstrate what they have learned during a musical stage performance, “Steptacular,” on Friday, July 22, 7 p.m. at the Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur. Ticket sales help support the camp. For more information, visit steppstewart.com.  For more photos of the trip:

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