Theater Camp - Testimonials

“This is Srihari’s 4th year in Theater Camp and he enjoys every bit of it. Srihari has been a late talker and since his speech came late his social skills and his auditory and receptive comprehension skills have been delayed. We decided to introduce him to Theater as a series of studies on the arts and education revealed a close link between Theater and the improvement of a variety of verbal skills, including significant increases in story recall and understanding of written materials. First time when he came to the Theater Camp, he was shy, anxious and lonely. Today, he wants to audition for every role. Theater has helped Srihari gain highly effective experiences in developing speaking and listening skills. This is one place where he is never judged. Success and pride and camaraderie, often so very illusive to kids with learning delays, are among the many benefits Srihari found in the Theater Camp. A dream come true perhaps for a lonely child who ached to be part of something wonderful and realized his potential. Thank you for giving Srihari the love, encouragement and a belief that “if he tries hard, he can do anything in life”.
Regards,

“I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye and thank you in person on the last day of camp, but I just wanted you to know what a wonderful time my daughters had this year. Between Covid, and the change in venue, we’d expected camp to be different this year, but within a few days it was clear that the magic of Theater Camp was the same as it’s always been. The performances were delightful as always, but more importantly I’ve watched each of my daughters grow throughout the summer. My youngest daughter was a bit scared to join camp at first, but winning a gold coin for “yelling really loud” during The Legend of Bully Jo gave her confidence. My middle child has never wanted to be in the spotlight, but quickly found friends this summer, and I was happy to see her stick with performing (and consider trying out for bigger parts, even though she opted not to). She can’t wait to return next year as a 5th grader, and display her artistic talents in Tech. My oldest daughter loves Theater camp most of all my girls, so also had the most concerns about the new location. But she thrived under the tent, enjoyed the bigger roles she got to play, and most importantly, for me, grew as a leader among her friends and at camp more widely. Theater Camp was my “happy place” for eight years, and I’m so glad it can be the same for my daughters.
Thank you so much, and we’re looking forward to next season.”

“Michael is an extraordinary guy who has a genuine passion for arts education and the betterment of young people's lives through artistic channels. I worked under Michael for several years when I was in High School and College at his theater camp. The kids and my coworkers all shared a great admiration and respect for Michael. Through Michael's camp and direction, I saw kids significantly enhance their social skills and artistic talents. Many of those kids went on to further their arts education and now pursue professional artistic careers, myself included. I can easily say that Michael had a huge part in my artistic confidence and development as a young man. His passion has encouraged me to continue to work with young kids today. I highly recommend Michael, his camp, his theater week, or any other contribution he can give you or your work.”

“I began attending Michael Taubenslag's Theater Camp in 1996 when I was just 6 years old. I was a camper every single summer until I was old enough to become a counselor in 2006. The eleven summers I spent at Theater Camp are still to this day some of my fondest childhood memories. I not only established lifelong friendships at camp, but also learned the value of teamwork. Michael's camp was the first place that I was able to work together with children my own age towards a common goal and experience the fabulous feeling of success and accomplishment every Friday morning as we performed our shows for full houses of cheering children and parents. The summer that I served as a member of the staff, I really grew to understand how much I was influenced by my summers at Theater Camp. As I watched my campers discover the joy of performing, forge relationships and begin to grow and find themselves, I realized that is precisely what my eleven summers had done for me.
I credit my passion for theater to Michael Taubenslag and the wonderful program that the Taubenslag family has been offering the community for decades. As a professional actress now living in NYC and pursuing theater as a career, I can safely say that my summers with Michael at Theater Camp instilled in me a love for theater and performing that I will never be without. THANK YOU, MICHAEL!

“This summer, like the last two summers, my children will be attending your summer Theater Camp. The program that you put together is incredible. My kids love performing in a different show every week. Unlike a traditional day camp, getting the kids on stage does something amazing for them. I have seen their confidence and self-esteem grow. They have also learned how to work together to complete their weekly show. The Staff is also awesome with the kids. The experience of getting up in front of an audience will translate into a life skill that will absolutely benefit them for a lifetime. Besides being in the show, they love swimming in the pool and playing all the fun camp games you have come to expect from a day camp. They have already bonded with lots of other kids and developed friendships. As a kid myself, I attended your dad’s summer theater in East Brunswick. Some if my best memories are from that program. Mike – thanks for continuing the magic with you and your staff. This is an endorsement for your program, simply because it rocks! See you in the summer.”

Thank you for giving Alana the best summer of her life. I’ve never seen her enjoy a camp experience like she did this one! You do an unbelievable job with the kids. My husband and I were so impressed. Alana will absolutely see you next summer! Love,

Don’t know whether you receive many thank yous but if you don’t, you really should. My son absolutely loves theater camp. And it is because of the wonderful group of people you have working with/for you. I notice that you have quite a strong presence about you which sets the tone for the actors, counselors and also for the audience. I have enjoyed all of the shows (there is an incredible amount of talent up there on stage) and he has looked forward to every single one of them – I have too. Thank you for selecting him to receive an award for a well-behaved and conscientious child. I am blessed w/2 wonderful children and my son really, really has a good heart. And while I realize that this award could have been given to any number of these children, I need to tell you that being recognized meant the world to him and is something he will undoubtedly remember for the rest of this life. You’re a good man! Thank you again. Take Care,

My daughter is generally a shy and studious person who practically transformed before our eyes into this confident and more outgoing person than I’ve ever known her to be. Your Theater Camp helped facilitate that transformation as it did for many other kids in the experience. She has been going these last three years and loving it but never more than this year. Your magic is beyond description – and my child is already talking about being a CIT next year. I know I speak for countless people who witnessed the performances and stood applauding. Thank you making such a memorable contribution to our daughter’s life,

“I started going to Theater Camp when I was 8 years old and immediately fell in love! I remember coming home every day singing new songs and talking to my parents about how much fun my group had with our counselors! I loved everything about camp; the plays, lunch time, recess, the competitions and of course color war! The colorful and friendly atmosphere at Theater Camp allowed me to break out of my shell as a performer and person. Before I went to camp, I was a very shy girl who didn’t really like meeting new people, however after one summer at Theater Camp I turned into a social butterfly. I’ve met some of my best friends at camp and some of the best moments of my life happened there. I remember the summer that my mom passed away my entire group made me a card and sang me a song to help me cope with her loss. I remember being so happy knowing that I had an amazing support system at camp and that no matter what happened, my counselors and fellow group members would always be there for me! Other amazing memories include when I got my first singing solo at age 9, when I played my first lead role as Princess Kookamunga at age 12 and when got my first real job as a counselor when I was 16! I loved being a counselor because I got to see children go through the same sort of social metamorphosis that I did when I was camper. I was able to celebrate with the kids who got their first lead role, practice with kids who were auditioning for their first time and most importantly I got to teach kids that they can be whoever they want to be and do whatever they want to do if they try their best! By far the greatest moment of my camp experience was my last summer when I saw the children who were my first group of campers excel as counselors in training! Seeing them grow from the little kids who made “Alphabet Soup” for their carnival booth & played “Munchkins” in the Wizard of Oz to the young adults who were leading their groups and playing was magical to see! I am so glad that my mom signed me up for Theater Camp because it truly has made me a brighter, happier and better person! Thanks to Michael and all of my friends, counselors and campers for an amazing 14 years!!!” Love,

I want to thank you for another wonderful summer! This is my daughter’s 2nd summer with your program. She has truly blossomed and gained self-confidence thanks to all of your hard work. You have a wonderful staff that is devoted to making each child feel special. It is a comfort to know that Marissa is well taken care of each day. We’re looking forward to next summer!

There are not enough words to express my gratitude and joy! This is my daughters’ first year of camp and they wished it would never end! Thank you for your hard work, passion and dedication as well as your awesome staff! We hope to see you next year and many more! Thanks for such a memorable summer!

Just wanted to pass on some interesting nice news. A friend of mine works at Sacred Heart School in South Amboy. She told me a story about this young boy who was in a school play recently. He’s very cute, shy and not at all forward. Apparently he was the hit of the play and everyone was surprised! She said after the play everyone wanted to know how he pulled it off and the father said all the credit needs to go to Theater Camp and Michael. He sent him here to the summer camp last year to help him over his shyness and to gain confidence in himself, apparently it worked.

As a parent, I am very involved with how my son spends his time. The time my son has spent at the Michael Taubenslag Theater Camp has been wonderful. I am thrilled with how the camp is run and the way the children are handled. Michael and the counselors are terrific with the kids! I am very impressed with the way they keep so many kids well behaved and at the same time so involved and excited! Anyone who has seen a production cannot believe how such a show can be pulled together in less than a week. More important than that, however, is the camaraderie between the children and the instructors. It was such a good experience that my son was signed up for the whole summer, even though he began with only session 1. I want to thank you for offering such a program at your college where children are free to express themselves in such a safe and nurturing environment. How nice to look forward to summer as a time when my son can be together with other children in such an enriching way! We will be seeing you next summer and spreading the word in the meantime! Sincerely,

Thank you so much for providing a safe and fun experience this summer. The boys had a BLAST and it was especially joyful to witness after this crazy year.

What I learned at Theater Camp last year…

• That passion for the things you love will drive you to strive for excellence, especially if those around you are giving you unquestioning support and encouragement
• That you don’t have to swim everyday if you don’t want to, instead, you can sit with counselors and CITs and learn about leadership and kindness by simply observing them interact with each other’s and their campers
• That EVERYONE matters, because even the 55th dwarf can get a laugh!
• That at Theater Camp you can be yourself and be loved, encouraged, and celebrated by a group of people that will become lifelong allies and supporters of everything you do
• That whether you are performing in your local school, in regional theater or sailing the high seas on the cast of a Disney Cruise line… your lifeline and biggest fan base will always be the Theater Camp crew
• That even the smallest camper can have a big impact, taking away everyone’s breath as he bravely steps out onto a dark stage, alone… carrying a strike sign and singing “Open the gates and SEIZE THE DAY!”

As parents, we cannot think of better lessons our son Noah could have learned and taught us in his first year at Theater Camp. Like him, we have been looking forward all year to another summer of great experiences, fantastic performances and new lessons for all of us.