SUMMER CAMP

summer 2026

You’ve been asking, and the time is finally here. We’re thrilled to share our 2026 Summer Camp Lineup!

Alice in Wonderland, JR.: Entering grades 1–8 | June 15 - July 11 (NO CAMP: June 19th and July 4th)
Alice by Heart: Entering grade 9 - graduated 12 | July 13 - August 1
Play Production: Beware the Jabberwock: Entering grades 4-8 | July 13 - 24
Creative Drama: Mirrors and Make-Believe: Entering grades K-3 | August 3 - 7

Preregistration will open on Monday, January 19th for returning PVTC families, and on Monday, January 26th, registration will open to the general public.

summer in wonderland

Get ready for a summer filled with imagination, curiosity, and wonder, as we explore Lewis Carroll’s enduring, clever creations and their relevance in our modern world. We’ll play with poetry, craft larger-than-life characters, and celebrate the unique ability of young people to reveal (and resist) the absurdities of adulthood. And we’ll do it all while lunching among the redwoods, playing camp-favorite games, building new friendships, and strengthening old ones. Join us at PVTC for a summer to remember!

Alice in wonderland, jr. (Grades 1-8)

Fall down the rabbit hole with Alice as she navigates the curious world of Wonderland on a journey of self-discovery.

Dates: June 15 - July 11 (No camp June 19, July 3)
Times: 9am-3pm, Half day on July 10 (12pm dismissal)
Grades: Grades 1-8
Tuition: $2,890 for grades 1-8 full day
Performances:
Access Performance: Thursday, July 9 at 10 am
Evening Performance #1: Thursday, July 9 at 7 pm
Evening Performance #2: Friday, July 10 at 7 pm
Performance #3: Saturday, July 11 at 12 pm followed by a cast pizza party
Financial Aid: Apply Here
Fall down the rabbit hole with Alice as she navigates the curious world of Wonderland on a journey of self-discovery. As she travels through Wonderland, she encounters all of the iconic characters that audiences have come to love: including the ever-tardy White Rabbit, the grinning Cheshire Cat, a cool Caterpillar, the wacky Mad Hatter, and the hot-tempered Queen of Hearts.
Alice in Wonderland JR. features Disney favorites such as “The Golden Afternoon,” “The Unbirthday Song,” and “Painting the Roses Red” along with brand-new songs, including music from the 2010 live-action film. Whether this is your first experience with Alice or your hundredth, you’ll fall in love all over again with this timeless story of adventure, imagination, and pure fun!
Get ready for an acting adventure focused on creating larger-than-life characters using your voice, body, and imagination. While some characters might be played by a single actor, many more may need the help of our ensemble. Picture a giant caterpillar, formed out of you and some of your best friends, winding down the aisle. Picture multiple versions of Alice— at different sizes— played by different actors. This show will be fun, zany, and above all, a team effort.
You can also expect to work on set, prop, and costume projects that help bring our colorful world to life, practice challenging choreography, and learn fun new songs! And you’ll do it all surrounded by new and old friends, teaching artists and interns, there to help you succeed, and our typical PVTC camp spirit—think playing games, devouring frozen treats, dressing up for Spirit Days, and lunching in the Redwood Grove. There’s nothing else quite like a summer at PVTC.
Auditions - April 27th and 28th, 3:30 - 4:45 pm and 5:00 pm - 6:15 pm on both days.
Students will be assigned to a specific audition slot by the beginning of April.
Participants will attend a group audition slot. All actors will be asked to prepare a song and acting piece. We will play some theatre games and will learn a short dance combination at the dance audition, too!
PREPARING FOR YOUR AUDITION
We want you to have fun! Please prepare:
- An introduction: Tell us your name, age, and what you’ll be performing today!
- A poem or monologue (1 minute or less): We prefer this to be a memorized piece and encourage comedy since our show is funny! We encourage you to make vocal and physical choices to show off a character.
- A vocal audition: 30-60 seconds of you singing to an instrumental karaoke track, preferably a song from a different musical than Alice in Wonderland, Jr. Pick something that shows off your voice and lets you get into character. You’re welcome to make up dance moves and make acting choices while you sing.
Callbacks - Saturday, May 2, 11 am - 2 pm.
After auditions, we may need to see a few actors again. In that case, actors should plan to attend callbacks. Callbacks are a fun opportunity to meet your fellow cast members, work with your director, and take a stab at acting scenes from the show. Callbacks will start with theatre warm-ups and games. Students will learn simple choreography from the show. Students interested in speaking and solo roles will also have the opportunity to sing music from Alice in Wonderland, Jr. and read sides (short scenes) from the script. Music and sides will be provided before callbacks so students can prepare.

alice by heart (Entering grade 9-recently graduated 12)

In the rubble of the London Blitz of World War II, Alice Spencer’s budding teen life is turned upside down, and she and her dear friend Alfred are forced to take shelter in an underground tube station.

Dates: July 13 - August 1
Times: 9am-3pm, half day on July 31 (12pm dismissal)
Grades: Grade 9 - recently graduated 12th
Tuition: $2,425
Performances:
Access Performance: Thursday, July 30 at 10am
Evening Performance #1: Thursday, July 30 at 7pm
Evening Performance #2: Friday, July 31 at 7 pm
Matinee Performance: Saturday, August 1 at 12 pm followed by a cast pizza party
Financial Aid: Apply Here
From the Tony® and Grammy® award-winning creators of Spring Awakening, Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik, and co-written by Jessie Nelson (Waitress), Alice by Heart is a touching musical inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
In the rubble of the London Blitz of World War II, Alice Spencer’s budding teen life is turned upside down, and she and her dear friend Alfred are forced to take shelter in an underground tube station. When the ailing Alfred is quarantined, Alice encourages him to escape with her into their cherished book and journey down the rabbit hole to Wonderland.

As they travel through the tale, Alice by Heart explores the poignancy of first love, coming to terms with loss, and finding the courage to move forward. This world premiere musical encourages us all to celebrate the transformational power of the imagination, even in the harshest of times.
Get ready to tackle layered characters, poetic language, and a contemporary musical score that blends pop, folk, and musical theatre styles, complete with challenging harmonies and emotionally rich moments. At the same time, plan on embracing imagination and play, working intimately with your ensemble, and freely exploring a surreal, story-within-a-story world. Alice by Heart is your chance to stretch as an artist while still having fun experimenting, collaborating, and bringing a meaningful piece of theatre to life.
Dates TBA
Participants will attend a group audition slot. All actors will be asked to prepare a song and acting piece. We will play some theatre games and will learn a short dance combination at the dance audition, too!
PREPARING FOR YOUR AUDITION
We want you to have fun! Please prepare:
- An introduction: Tell us your name, age, and what you’ll be performing today!
- A poem or monologue (1 minute or less): We prefer this to be a memorized piece and encourage comedy! We encourage you to make vocal and physical choices to show off a character.
- A vocal audition: 30-60 seconds of you singing to an instrumental karaoke track, preferably a song from a different musical than Alice by Heart. Pick something that shows off your voice and lets you get into character. You’re welcome to make up dance moves and make acting choices while you sing.
Callbacks TBA
After auditions, we may need to see a few actors again. In that case, actors should plan to attend callbacks. Callbacks are a fun opportunity to meet your fellow cast members, work with your director, and take a stab at acting scenes from the show. Callbacks will start with theatre warm-ups and games. Students will learn simple choreography from the show. Students interested in speaking and solo roles will also have the opportunity to sing music from Alice by Heart and read sides (short scenes) from the script. Music and sides will be provided before callbacks so students can prepare.

play creation camp: beware the jabberwock (Entering grades 4-8)

Create a bold, ensemble-driven theatre piece inspired by Lewis Carroll’s “Jabberwocky,” set in PVTC’s beautiful redwood grove.

Dates: July 13 - July 24
Times: 9 am-3 pm
Grades: Grades 4-8
Tuition: $1650
Performances:
Access Performance: Thursday, July 23 at 10am
Afternoon Performance #1: Thursday, July 23 at 2 pm
Afternoon Performance #2: Friday, July 24 at 2 pm
Financial Aid: Apply Here
‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
Create a bold, ensemble-driven theatre piece inspired by Lewis Carroll’s “Jabberwocky,” set in PVTC’s beautiful redwood grove. Use this natural environment as part of your storytelling. Bring invented language, vivid imagery, and playful danger to life through movement, sound, and original text. Turn nonsense words into characters. Shout warnings through the trees. Invite audiences into a world where imagination runs wild and facing your fears is just part of the adventure.
In this two-week camp, campers will develop an immersive, Jabberwocky-inspired play for their friends and family, site-specific to PVTC’s Redwood Grove. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to grow as theatre artists within a supportive ensemble of peers and expert teaching artists.

creative drama: Mirrors and Make-believe (Grades k-3)

On the first day of camp, students will meet Agatha, of the famous Agatha’s Antique Emporium. She’ll need their help to solve a problem.

Dates: August 3 - August 7
Times: 9 am-12 pm
Grades: Grades K-3
Tuition: $450
Financial Aid: Apply Here
In this creative drama camp, campers will use their voices, bodies, and imaginations to improvise through a 5-chapter story they create together! When campers aren’t improvising, they’ll be creating crafts, playing on the playground, and making friendships that will last long after summer ends. Unlike our other camps, Mirrors and Make-Believe will not culminate in a performance. Instead, we’ll invite friends and family to join us on the last chapter of our adventure.
On the first day of camp, students will meet Agatha, of the famous Agatha’s Antique Emporium. She’ll need their help to solve a problem: she’s just received a new antique Lookingglass, but when she looks into it, she sees more than just her reflection peering back from the other side. Could this be the Lookingglass from Alice’s Adventures? And if so, what’s to stop the world behind the glass from crossing over into this one, causing all sorts of chaos? She’ll need our campers’ help to solve the mystery and set things right. And who knows? Maybe our campers will help Agatha turn this problem into an opportunity.
Each day, campers will have two rotations in small groups: one where they act out the next chapter in their story and one where they complete a related hands-on craft activity. In between, campers will eat a snack and play on the playground. There will also be all-camp gatherings at the beginning and end of each day.

frequently asked questions

945 Portola Road, Portola Valley, CA 94028
Our refund policy for 2026 as follows:
- 25% nonrefundable deposit at time of registration
- 50% of tuition is non-refundable after March 1
- 75% of tuition is non-refundable after April 5
No refunds will be offered after May 1
PVTC cares deeply about the development of each child and dedicates significant energy to building strong relationships between students and their peers, interns, and staff. From the teaching artists who work with students to the producers who connect the dots between artistic departments to the student services team who communicates with families, there is a dedicated team at work aiming to give students a memorable growth experience.
This summer, three of our camps (our production camps) culminate in fully-realized performances: Alice in Wonderland Jr., Alice by Heart, and Beware the Jabberwock. Our creative drama camp, Mirrors and Make-Believe, is a process-oriented camp that focuses on developing each child’s innate creativity rather than rehearsing for a production.
All camps include specialized instruction in:
- Generative theatre making (playwriting, devising original theatre, improvisation, and character development)
- Special student activities (collaborative group creations, co-curricular projects, community building, creation of virtual or physical archival materials, and ensemble games)
- Discovery of wide-lens theatre concepts (history, dramaturgy, collaboration, ensemble)
- Exploration of the world of IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility) through hands-on workshops
- Production camps only: Performance (acting, singing, dance, physical acting, and stage combat)
- Production camps only: Design elements (costumes, hair, makeup, props, backdrops, and visual art)
Absolutely! There is a place for every student who wants to participate in PVTC, regardless of financial need. Questions? Email info@pvtc-ca.org or apply for financial aid HERE.
PVTC is committed to making our programming accessible for students of all abilities! If you are interested in having your child with a disability participate in a camp experience, feel free to reach out to us to start a conversation. Our performances will also be accessible to audiences with a variety of physical and sensory needs. Contact info@pvtc-ca.org for more information.
Yes! We encourage all entering 9th grade - recently graduated 12th-grade students to apply to serve as interns for our camps. Learn more and apply on our High School Leadership Page.

Interested in applying for financial aid? Click here for more information and an application.

We encourage all entering 9th grade - recently graduated 12th-grade students to apply to serve as interns for our camps. Learn more and apply on our High School Leadership Page.