Playmakers

Ages 8-10

Stages & Studios is where your child’s journey to explore the world begins.

Throughout the summer, campers embark on a thrilling adventure as they select from a variety of 1 and 2-week programs, each offering a diverse range of experiences.

Here’s what makes Stages & Studios the perfect choice for your child:

Unleash Creativity:

Dive into the world of theatrical techniques through engaging performances, music, and dance. It’s a place where your child can explore their interests, celebrate their talents, gain new skills, and collaborate with peers and experienced professionals.

A Journey of Variety:

Your child will have the freedom to craft their summer adventure by choosing from a selection of exciting programs, each tailored to their unique interests and passions.

Creative Collaboration:

Our integrated arts program offers a daily rotation through various creative components, fostering collaboration on a creative showcase that combines all of your child’s artistic experiences.

Balanced Fun:

Our schedule strikes the perfect balance between indoor and outdoor activities, ensuring a well-rounded and age-appropriate experience that captivates and engages your child.

Expert Guidance:

Your child’s journey is guided by a team of dedicated counselors, all with a deep background and passion for youth development. They’re here to inspire and mentor, providing your child with a safe and nurturing environment.

Professional Insights:

A unique aspect of our program is the chance for your child to work alongside a choreographer, art director, and music director. Their invaluable knowledge and years of experience add depth to the creative components of the camp.

Full-Day Adventure:

Our program operates from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM daily, ensuring your child enjoys ample time to immerse themselves in their artistic passions.

Convenient Transportation:

We offer bus transportation, making it easy and convenient for your child to be a part of this unforgettable summer experience.

Join us this summer and watch your child’s creativity come to life at Brooks!

Page to Stage: No role is too small in our immersive journey through the world of theater! Join us as you become the writer, actor, and producer of your very own short play. From conceptualizing the script to bringing it to life on stage, this fast-paced two-week program guides you through the entire process of play creation. Collaborating with fellow participants, you’ll breathe new life into a cherished printed work. Each student will not only feature prominently in the performance but also have the opportunity to explore their skills and interests as directors and designers. The program concludes with an exciting workshop performance, inviting fellow Brooks campers, friends, and family to attend and enjoy the culmination of your hard work. See the daily schedule.

Shrek the Musical Jr.: This program is a unique opportunity for young participants to enhance their artistic skills, with a focus on honing their technique under the guidance of our experienced and diverse team. Held in the state-of-the-art theater at Brooks School, our instructors are industry professionals with a wealth of knowledge and years of hands-on experience in the field, ensuring an enriching and enduring summer experience for our students.

Every student will be personally challenged and leave with valuable skills in performing, public speaking, and social interaction. It’s important to note that our emphasis is on the theatrical process itself, rather than solely on the final product. The program concludes with an engaging workshop performance, open to fellow Brooks campers, friends, and family, offering a platform for the young talents to showcase their newfound skills.

Join our cast as we bring the heartwarming hit to life on the Brooks Stage. Through this experience, children will not only grasp the art of storytelling but also develop their stage presence and forge friendships that may last a lifetime. Being a part of Shrek Jr. isn’t just about putting on a show; it’s about discovering the joy of performance, self-expression, and the thrill of breathing life into beloved characters. In the process, children will build valuable life skills that will serve them well in the future. See the daily schedule.

Brooks TV Remix: Step into the world of filmmaking and become the screenwriter, director, and leading star of your very own short film! From mastering camera angles to crafting memorable cameos and from capturing b-roll to relishing in delightful bloopers, this program offers you an authentic ‘on-set’ experience. Working as a team, you’ll seize the opportunity to leave your mark on the big screen. Beyond the set, participants will engage in outdoor day-camp activities, striking a balance between creative film work and active outdoor fun. The fruits of your labor will be shared in a showcase for friends and family, and the final films will be conveniently distributed via email. If you’ve already had the pleasure of experiencing BrooksTV before and want to join us again, you’re in luck! This class is designed to be repeated, as each new session brings the chance to explore different areas of focus, ensuring that no two films are alike. See the daily schedule.

About the Space

The Brooks Studios and Stages Program provides participants with a variety of activities and spaces that no other local camp can equal. There is plenty of room to run and play, from tennis courts and fields to an archery range and gymnastics center. This program also includes swimming fin our two outdoor pools. In addition to taking full advantage of our 270-acre campus on the shore of Lake Cochichewick, the Center for the Arts building houses the creative components.

The newly constructed Center for the Arts opened its doors to students, faculty, and staff for use on October 30, 2018. The $28 million facility has transformed the school, bonding the visual, musical, and performing arts together and placing them on display at the center of campus.

Performances, teaching, and community gatherings have a spacious, comfortable home in the theater, with 387 seats. Its stage connects to a scene shop and a 1,200-square-foot Black Box theater, which provides flexible teaching space and an additional performance venue. A costume shop, changing room, and green room are also included.

A Typical Day

Campers rotate through a schedule that changes daily and will ensure your child looks forward to camp every day. In these time blocks, students collaborate with one another, professional instructors, and counselors. There are outdoor breaks built into the day to allow students to expand their minds and stretch their bodies. Outdoor activities complement and balance the creative components to provide a well-rounded, immersive, and fun experience.

8:30-9:00	Drop-Off
9:00-9:10	Morning Meeting
9:10-9:45	Creative Block 1
9:50-10:25	Creative Block 2
10:25-10:30	Snack
10:30-11:05	Free Swim
11:10-11:45	Creative Block 3
11:50-12:20	Lunch
12:30-1:05	Skateboarding
1:10-1:45	Gymnastics
1:45-1:50	Snack
1:50-2:25	Creative Block 4
2:30-3:05	Explorations
3:10-3:45	Creative Block 5
3:45-4:00	Afternoon Meeting
4:00-4:30	Pick-Up

Program Team

Meghan Hill

Producing Artistic Director

Megan grew up training horses on a farm in southern Mississippi before graduating magna cum laude with her BA in Theatre Studies and Dance from Wheaton College in Norton, MA where she was recognized for Excellence in Acting and awarded a Fulbright Scholarship. Hill also received a Certificate in Performance Studies and Movement from the Moscow Art Theatre School in Moscow, Russia. As a freelance director, actress and coach, she spent several years teaching communication and performance skills to young artists across America and then traveled to Istanbul, Turkey for five summers where she created and managed the performance arts portion of the Robert College Summer Program. Prior to joining Brooks School, Hill served as the producing artistic director of Watertown Children’s Theatre and the Mosesian Center for the Arts youth programs, where she developed educational theater programming and high-quality productions. When she’s not in the theater, Hill enjoys spending time with her family, giving new life to old furniture, and learning about holistic healing modalities.

Sarah Spollett

Art Technical Director

Sarah Spollett grew up in the neighboring town of Andover, doing hobby carpentry with her dad and community theater with her mom. She combined her love of both when she attended Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BA in Fine and Performing Arts, Music, and Theatre. Sarah then spent numerous years doing freelance carpentry for many regional theaters, including stints at the Weston Playhouse, Barnstormers Theatre, Tufts University, and the Watertown Children’s Theatre. She was a carpenter and then shop foreperson at the Tony Award-winning Huntington Theatre Company in Boston, before turning to education. Most recently, Sarah taught technical theatre and carpentry at Emerson College. When she’s not in the theater, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children in Cambridge, Mass., where they live, and working on their service project: making meals for people experiencing homelessness.

Peter Moccia

Aquatics Supervisor

Peter Moccia grew up in Haverhill and studied chemistry at the University of Connecticut. Pete Moccia is a science teacher at Brooks School and lives on campus with his family. Pete oversees the aquatics programs during the summer. He has a vast knowledge of swimming pools and lifeguarding, having been working in pools since he was 16 years old. Pete is lifeguard certified as well as a Certified Pool Operator (CPO). Pete works closely with the facilities team to ensure the pools operate safely. Pete loves seeing how the campus transforms in the summer into a vibrant camp community.

Kenya Jones

Activities Supervisor

Kenya leads the sixteen activity teams to ensure a welcoming, positive camp environment focused on the development of independence, leadership, healthy risk-taking. For over twenty years, Kenya has been actively involved with the Brooks School Summer Programs as an activity counselor and LIT 1st and 2nd-year Coordinator. Kenya has been part of the Brooks School faculty since 2007, where he has held several roles, including form dean, psychology teacher, and coach, and now serves as the Director of Multicultural Affairs and Assistant Director of Admission. Kenya holds a B.S. from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell with a concentration in Psychology and a minor in Legal Studies. When not on campus, Kenya enjoys traveling, cooking, playing trivia, and rooting for all New York teams.

Nicole Belisle

Logistics Supervisor

Nicole has a passion for the food service industry. As part of the Brooks School Summer Programs, Nicole supervises the logistics team to ensure all programs remain in compliance with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and North Andover Board of Health. For almost twenty years, Nicole has been involved in school-based nutritional services. She holds industry certifications in ServSafe, Allergy Awareness, CPR, and First Aid. During the academic year, Nicole leads a team of youth development professionals in North Andover’s after-school program. Her hobbies include softball, tennis, and gamming. Nicole lives in North Andover with her husband, two dogs, and a cat.

Melissa Donais

Health Care Consultant

Melissa Donais, RN, FNP-BC, joined Brooks in the fall of 2021 as the Director of Health and Wellness. She is also an assistant coach for the Brooks boys and girls cross country teams. She is a 2002 graduate of Phillips Academy Andover and 2006 graduate with distinction from Yale University, where she was awarded the Lily Rosen Prize in Women’s Health for her senior thesis on the Female Athlete Triad, now known as RED-S syndrome. In 2010, Donais obtained her master’s degree in nursing at Boston College. For eleven years, she worked as a primary care family nurse practitioner at North Reading Medical Associates, affiliated with Winchester Hospital. An accomplished runner, she competed in cross country and track in high school and college, and continues to enjoy competing in local and regional events. Donais lives in North Andover, Mass., with her husband Nate, two young children Brennan and Audrey, and her brittany spaniel Uta.

Alison Cambridge

Health Services Supervisor

Alison directs all aspects of the health center’s operation in accordance with state and local regulations and collaborates with our Health Care Consultant. Alsion strives to ensure that all participants have a healthy and safe experience. She is committed to community health and health care equity. Alison has worked as a pediatric nurse for 17 years and has been a member of the Brooks School Summer Programs since 2018. During the school year, she works with local pediatrician’s offices and as a school nurse. Alison is the mother of three children who enjoy the outdoors. Her family is passionate about camping and boating in the summer and skiing and snowboarding in the winter.

Juli Morse

Camp Nurse

Juli Morse has spent ten years in the field of healthcare administration. After graduating from Providence College in 2011, she spent ten years working in healthcare administration. Juli returned to school to pursue a degree in Nursing and currently works as a medical-surgical RN at a local community hospital and Brooks School. During camp, Juli creates a welcoming environment focused on wellness and safety. In her free time, Juli loves to explore the outdoors with her husband, their two kids, and their golden retriever. She especially loves to swim, play tennis and go camping!

Core Programs