Act One After School
Handbook
This Handbook is also available for download HERE
Act One After School
Online at
Camp Director: Joshua Evans
Assistant Camp Director: Chloe Sherwood
Camp Phone
Camp Director Joshua Evans, (818) 749-0103
(not available during After School hours)
Camp Email
Table of Contents
Welcome!
Fall Dates
Fall Hours
Groups
Final Movie
What Should I Wear to Class?
Parent Emails
Discipline
Credit Card Charges
Refund Policy
Disclosure, Liability, and Photo Release
Contact Us
FAQs
Welcome!
Welcome to Act One After School! We're excited to offer a fun, dynamic, entertaining, and interactive theater experience for children and teens online at www.actonetheatrecamp.com. Our program is staffed by energetic theater industry professionals, with years and years of experience working with kids. All students will enjoy the opportunity to spend each and every day working in three different classes: Improv Comedy, Superstar Studio, and Acting Class! Watch their creativity come to life within an after-school program that is held every Tuesday for eight weeks, from 3:00pm-4:30pm PST. And be sure not to miss our Final Movie, an originally written full length movie that is based upon the themes and characters of William Shakespeare's work. The students will learn how to create and film their own portion of the Final Movie at home, with the teachers stitching it all together to create the final product. This Final Movie will have a YouTube Premiere, where all the students can watch the big show with their friends and family online, all from the safety and comfort of you own home.
Please take a moment to read through this informative Handbook, where we hope to answer all your questions about the basics of how our after-school program operates. If you have any questions that are not addressed here, please feel free to Contact Us.
Fall Dates
“Shattered Shakespeare” will be on Tuesdays, September 14th – November 2nd
Final Performance on Sunday, November 7th at 5:15pm PST
Fall Hours
Tuesdays, 3:00pm-4:30pm PST
Groups
Students will be placed in groups before the first day of classes. These groups will be determined based upon age and/or grade. We try to avoid tears!! So if your student really really really wants to be in a group with their friend(s), let us know beforehand! There is a spot on the Online Registration to note this, or you can Contact Us. Groups will have a cap of 15 students.
Final Movie
At the end of our eight week session, we will offer a Final Movie for all the students to help create. This performance will be an edited video of performances that the students have recorded during and/or outside of the classroom.
Much of what is taught and rehearsed on a daily basis in our program is geared towards this Final Movie. Because of this, it's very important that your student miss as little class time as possible. If excessive tardiness and/or absences become too much, students will run the risk of not being able to participate in the Final Movie due to their lack of knowledge or preparation of the performance's material.
What Should I Wear to Class?
Wear clothing that they'll feel comfortable moving around in. Whether it be dancing for a silly camera game, or rolling around on the ground in improv class, our students move!
Parent Emails
We will be using the Parent Emails that you provided on your Registration to inform you of up-to-date program news throughout the session. This will be 99% of our communication to you, and it's important that you receive it! If you'd like a different or additional email to be used, please let us know! And if you haven't received an email from us by the end of the first week of the session, then we have the wrong email for you, or our emails to you are being auto-filtered to your Spam Folder. Contact us immediately!
Discipline
Every student wants to have a good time in extracurricular activities. Help us to make this happen! Take a moment to make sure that your student understands the expectations that you, and we at Act One Theatre Camp, have of them. Students may not share the same beliefs or opinions on a wide variety of topics, however they are required to be respectful of everyone's differences. Disrespectful behavior or comments are not welcome in our program.
If problems arise, our staff will do all that we can to help address it in an appropriate and positive manner. If continued warnings and/or actions become ineffective with offending students, then contact with parents might be needed, with the possibility of expulsion from the camp. Refunds are not available for campers who are dismissed from camp due to discipline issues.
Credit Card Charges
All credit card charges and receipts for Act One After School will show as a charge to either “Wix” (our website host), or “Act One Theatre Camp”. If you have any questions about your credit card charges, you can contact our Camp Director, Joshua Evans, at info@actonetheatrecamp.com
Refund Policy
If you decide to remove your student from Act One After School within the first two (2) classes, a prorated refund will be issued to you, based upon your registration paid and the number of days passed, regardless of the student's attendance during those first two classes. There is a non-refundable 3% Booking Fee, charged by our website provider, Wix. Any refund, regardless of the timing or reason for the refund, will not include this 3% Booking Fee. No refunds are available after the second day of classes. No refunds are available for any student dismissed due to misconduct or discipline issues. By registering your child for Act One After School, you understand and agree to this Refund Policy.
Disclosure, Liability, and Photo Release
Parents, Guardians, and/or Students are required to inform Camp Director Joshua Evans of any and all physical or behavioral accommodations that may be required for that student, so that we help them to have the best experience possible within our program. It is the responsibility of the Parent/Guardian to ensure that this information is fully received by the Camp Director.
By registering their child with Act One After School, Parents and Guardians hereby release and agree to indemnify and hold harmless Act One Theatre Camp and all their officers, directors, employees, agents, and representatives whatsoever from any and all losses, claim, damages, liabilities, cost and expense (including, but not limited to attorney's fees) which they, or any of them, or student/camper may sustain or incur in any way arising out of or in conjunction with the student's/camper's participation in any Act One Theatre Camp activities. It is also understood that such conditions and terms also relate to acts of nature.
Upon registering your young actor for Act One After School, both a Video and Image Release and an Online Liability Release will need to be signed by a parent or guardian and emailed to info@actonetheatrecamp.com. The Video and Image Release will give us to permission to record and/or use any student-recorded material for our Final Movie. Students will not be allowed to participate in Act One After School until we have these signed documents. Signed forms can be emailed to info@actonetheatrecamp.com.
Contact Us
Phone:
Camp Director Joshua Evans, (818) 749-0103
*Will not be available for calls during class hours
Email:
Website:
Online Registration Questions:
Joshua Evans
Frequently Asked Questions
• Where is the webpage for the After School program?
You can find links to the webpage for Act One After School on our homepage. There is a link at the top of the page labeled "Act One After School". You can also click here. Please note, this page is password protected.
• Is my internet speed fast enough for these Zoom classes?
All of our classes will be online and you'll need fairly reliable internet access to attend them. And while everyone's internet speed capabilities are unique to their location, most homes will be well equipped to handle these classes. If you would like further specifics, you can check out Zoom's answers here.
• What kind of online protections are there for these classes?
Access to the session web page is password protected. Without access to this page, no one will be able to gain access to the Zoom classes. Additionally, every Zoom class is also password protected through their website.
• It's the first day of classes... what do I do?
Hooray! Welcome to Act One After School! Log on to our website, then click on Act One After School in the top banner to access the after school program. Once prompted, enter the password that was emailed to you, and BOOM! you've arrived at Act One After School. Have your student click on the Daily Crew Call to join us for our program-wide daily meeting. If you already have Zoom downloaded on your computer (which you'll need to do beforehand), then a Zoom meeting window should pop up. That's about it! You can take a TOUR of the Act One After School webpage here.
• What if I don't have, or I lost, the password?
Email us and we'll get it to you right away.
• How will this new online format work? How will they attend class?
Once your student has logged onto the session's webpage, they'll be in charge of entering and exiting their different classes, based upon their group's schedule. For quick reference, both the groups' schedules and the group lists are posted on the session's webpage, and are super easy to find. (So nobody will ever not know what group their in, or what class they're supposed to go to next!) The teachers will not travel with the students from class to class, but will instead be waiting for them in their own specialized classroom. It's rather similar to high school in this respect. You can take a TOUR of the Act One After School webpage here.
• Where are the Zoom links for my child to attend classes?
All of the links can be found on the session's webpage. They are embedded into the names of the classes, as well as the black and red pictures that are associated with each one. All you have to do is click on the name or picture and you're good to go! You can take a TOUR of the Act One After School webpage here.
• Will they need to switch from class to class themselves, or will the teacher do it?
The students will need to enter and exit the virtual classrooms themselves.
• Will there be passwords that they'll need to enter for every class?
Yes, there will be passwords, but the students won't need to input them. The passwords are embedded into the Zoom links for added security. All they'll need to do is click on the class and they're in!
• What kind of space inside my home will my child need for these classes?
They'll need a space that can accommodate three main factors:
1. A place where they can sit comfortably for an extended period of time
2. An environment that is relatively quiet. Not only for them to hear the classroom, but also so that they're not distracting other students with a large amount of background noise.
3. A space that they can get out of their seat and move! Many times the classes will need some space to move, and still see the virtual classroom.
*It would be a good idea to take some time before the first day of class to find the best space for them, and give it a test run on Zoom.
• What if my child only wants to do one or two classes per day?
Our program is geared towards creating fun and exciting content for the Final Movie. If students don't attend all their classes, then it becomes increasingly difficult for the teachers to write, stage, or plan for their movie scenes that incorporate all of the students on their class list. We ask that all students attend all their classes, just as they would if they were dropped off at a physical program site.
• How big will each class/group be?
In an effort to make the experience more enjoyable for all of our students, we're limiting the size of the classes/groups to 15 students per group. We will hold true to this enrollment cap.
• What happens if my child is late to a class?
It's okay! We understand that things might pop up here and there, and that students might be late. All we ask is that you join the class as soon as you can and keep the fun rolling!
• Why are there 5 minute breaks between classes?
We built in these 5 minute breaks for a few reasons:
1. Instead of using valuable class time, these breaks would be the perfect opportunity for students to use the bathroom or grab a snack.
2. A quick little moment for the students' eyes, brains, and body to take a break from the computer.
3. It's a chance to stand up and move their body! Get up and wiggle around and use that awesome energy of theirs!
• What kind of equipment does my child need?
In order to attend Act One After School, they'll need a computer/laptop/tablet/phone that has a camera and a microphone. Steady internet access is also needed. And although it's not required, headphones can be a big bonus, and ear buds with a built-in microphone (that ones that you would use for your phone, cord or no cord) are awesome! Whatever combination of these you decide is best for your student, a trial run with Zoom is highly recommended.
In order to create and submit footage for the Final Movie, most students use a camera phone to film everything. This works great! We highly recommend not using your built-in camera on your desktop computer or laptop, as the quality of these cameras is usually much much lower than that of a smartphone's camera. To see examples of what our summer camp kids created using their smartphone cameras, click here.
• Can they attend classes on their phone?
Yes, you can definitely use a smartphone for classes, but it's not recommended. The screen is very small, so viewing the teacher can sometimes be difficult. Also, for the class sizes that we'll have, you might not be able to see all of the other campers at the same time, as you would on a computer, laptop, or tablet.
• Will they need a special microphone and/or headphones?
No, they won't need anything special, as long as their device (computer/laptop/tablet/cell phone) has a built-in camera and microphone, which the vast majority of the devices out there do nowadays. Headphones or ear buds can be a great addition to their camp experience though. And headphones or ear buds with a built-in microphone (that ones that you would use for your phone, cord or no cord) are awesome! Whatever combination of these you decide is best for your student, a trial run with Zoom is highly recommended.
• What happens if I have more than one child signed up for the program? Can they share a computer for this new online format?
No. It would be better for their overall experience if they each had their own dedicated device, even if they're in the same group/class.
• How does the Final Movie work, now that all classes are online?
The Final Movie will be made available for a live viewing on the Sunday evening after the last day of camp. The Acting Class that they'll take during the eight week run of the program will be geared towards creating the content for this performance, and will be used to teach them simple, do-it-at-home filming techniques that they can utilize. All of the students will, at some point within the eight weeks of the program, need to spend time outside of class to film their parts for the movie. The teachers will then take that footage and edit it all together into a full-length film. This film will then be aired live on Sunday night for the campers, their family, and their friends to watch! You can watch some of our original pieces from our recent summer camp program here to give you an idea of what one of the scenes might look like.
• How can we watch the Final Movie?
On the Sunday after the last day of the program, we will air the pre-recorded Final Movie live on YouTube. This way, everyone will be able to watch the show for free and all at the same time! The link to watch the Final Movie is at the very bottom of the session's webpage, which you can tour here. You can also view samples of some of our summer camp scenes here.
• What if I pay for program, but I find that I don't have reliable enough internet for Zoom to work? Can I still get a refund?
Yes! It's disappointing that we won't be able to include your student on this new adventure, but we understand. We will happily reimburse you your enrollment fee, but it must be requested before the end of the second week of class. If this request is made within the first two days of the program, the refund will be prorated to reflect the time they spent in our program. There is a non-refundable 3% Booking Fee, charged by our website provider, Wix. Any refund, regardless of the timing or reason for the refund, will not include this 3% Booking Fee. Contact our Camp Director, Mr. Josh, (info@actonetheatrecamp.com) to start the refund process. Further questions about refunds are addressed in the Refund Policy section of our Act One After School Handbook here.
• What happens if we start the program, but my child doesn't like it and wants to quit? Can I still get a refund?
Yes! We're sorry that your student is not happy with this new format, but we completely understand and realize that it's just not for everyone. As long as it is before or within the first two weeks of the program starting, we can refund your enrollment fee. If this request is made within the first two days of classes, the refund will be prorated to reflect the time they spent at camp. There is a non-refundable 3% Booking Fee, charged by our website provider, Wix. Any refund, regardless of the timing or reason for the refund, will not include this 3% Booking Fee. Contact our Camp Director, Mr. Josh, (info@actonetheatrecamp.com) to start the refund process. Further questions about refunds are addressed in the Refund Policy section of our Act One After School Handbook here.
• What if my child misses a class (or an entire day), due to technical difficulties? Will I be refunded for this?
No. It will be up to the student (and parents) to make sure that they attend classes. And if they aren't in class, the teachers don't have the time to try and track them down (they need to teach the other fourteen kids!). Further questions about refunds are addressed in the Refund Policy section of our Act One After School Handbook here.
• How do I know what group my child is in?
The official group lists are easy to find on the Shattered Shakespeare webpage. You can view an example of these list's locations on the TOUR of our program here.
• Where is the schedule for my child's group?
The schedule is located on the Shattered Shakespeare webpage, and can also be viewed on the TOUR of the program here.
• Where can I find a document that my child needs to print out?
There will be many instances where the teacher will need the student to print something out at home. They will often say that these print-outs can be found on their "Documents Page". These individual pages can easily be accessed on the Shattered Shakespeare webpage, underneath the Group lists. There is a large blue button that reads, "Need to DOWNLOAD a document or video for a class? Click HERE!" This button will take you to a choice of which teacher you're looking for, which will then lead you to a list of pdfs available for download. You can also access the Documents Page here.
• How do I send in video footage to the teachers?
There will be many instances where the teacher will need the student to send in video or audio recordings. Instructions on how to do this can easily be accessed on the Shattered Shakespeare webpage, underneath the Group lists. There is a large black button that reads, "Need to SEND A VIDEO for a class? Click HERE!" This button will take you to further instructions. You can also access those instructions here.