Summer Camp 2026

Go on a theatrical quest!

Please email camp@nationalchildrenstheatre.org with any questions.

Each session campers will explore and perform fantastical stories of courage, friendship, and perseverance that show us we can do hard things. Families are invited to a performance on the last day of each session. 

Daily Activities: Creative drama exercises, theatre games, art projects, lessons in performance fundamentals, and play rehearsals that are designed to inspire The Eight Acting Habits of Mind: Body Awareness and Control, Release Inhibitions and Be Playful, Imagine and Envision, Consider Others, Think Collaboratively, Be Flexible, Commit to Choices, and Reflect and Think Metacognitively. Further session details will be emailed to registered campers by June 1. Please note that guardians should provide their camper with a non-perishable lunch and snacks.

Safety: Your camper’s safety is our top priority. There will be two Teaching Artists who have passed a background check and are trained and certified in First Aid and CPR with each age-group. There will also be student teachers and volunteers assisting campers. Each age-group has a maximum of 16 campers.

Location: Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church 201 4th Street SE, Washington, DC 20003

Age Groups: 6-8, 9-11, and 12-15

Hours: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

Tuition: $450 for one-week sessions; $895 for two-week sessions (that’s just $15 per hour!). Full tuition is due at registration. There is a non-refundable deposit of $100 per registration. If you need to withdraw your registration, refunds (minus the deposit) will be available through June 15. After June 15, tuition is non-refundable. A limited number of need-based scholarships will be awarded on a rolling basis. Please email camp@nationalchildrenstheatre.org to request a scholarship application.

After-Care: is available from 3-5 p.m. for an additional $150 per week.

  • SOLD OUT: Aesop's Fables

    Email camp@nationalchildrenstheatre.org to join the waitlist.

    Dates: July 27-31, 2026 (Monday through Friday)

    Performance: 3:30 p.m. on Friday, July 31

    Stories from Aesop’s Fables

    Perform a collection of these famous, bite-sized lessons in life, starring a wild cast of characters: foxes, lions, tortoises, even the wind! 

    Register for: After-Care

    SOLD OUT: The Jungle Book

    Email camp@nationalchildrenstheatre.org to join the waitlist.

    Dates: August 3-14, 2026 (Monday through Friday)

    Performance: 3:30 p.m. on Friday, August 14

    by Ashley Griffin

    based on the story by Rudyard Kipling

    Produced by special arrangement with Plays for New Audiences

    Mowgli, a human cub, lives peacefully in the jungle with all the animals as his primary caretakers. That is until Shere Khan the tiger comes back to their part of the jungle and threatens the life of Mowgli. Now, Mowgli's entire future is at jeopardy! Bagheera and Mowgli must venture through the jungle to reunite Mowgli with his human pack but they must face many obstacles throughout their journey. Will Mowgli ever find a place to call home?

    Register for: After-Care

    SOLD OUT: Adventurers and Magical Creatures

    Email camp@nationalchildrenstheatre.org to join the waitlist.

    Dates: August 17-21, 2026 (Monday through Friday)

    Performance: 3:30 p.m. on Friday, August 21

    Imagine your own story (inspired by Dungeons and Dragons)

    Create your own character and collaborate with friends as you protect your fantasy world from dragons, fairies, and trolls.

    Register for: After-Care

  • Register for: Heroes and Mythical Beasts

    Dates: July 13-24, 2026 (Monday through Friday)

    Performance: 3:30 p.m. on Friday, July 24

    Stories from World Mythology

    Team up with ancient icons from around the world as they encounter mermaids, serpents, and fierce flyers. 

    Register for: After-Care

    Register for: Aesop's Fables

    Dates: July 27-31, 2026 (Monday through Friday)

    Performance: 3:30 p.m. on Friday, July 31

    Stories from Aesop’s Fables

    Perform a collection of these famous, bite-sized lessons in life, starring a wild cast of characters: foxes, lions, tortoises, even the wind! 

    Register for: After-Care

    Register for: The Jungle Book

    Dates: August 3-14, 2026 (Monday through Friday)

    Performance: 3:30 p.m. on Friday, August 14

    by Ashley Griffin

    based on the story by Rudyard Kipling

    Produced by special arrangement with Plays for New Audiences

    Mowgli, a human cub, lives peacefully in the jungle with all the animals as his primary caretakers. That is until Shere Khan the tiger comes back to their part of the jungle and threatens the life of Mowgli. Now, Mowgli's entire future is at jeopardy! Bagheera and Mowgli must venture through the jungle to reunite Mowgli with his human pack but they must face many obstacles throughout their journey. Will Mowgli ever find a place to call home?

    Register for: After-Care

    Register for: Adventurers and Magical Creatures

    Dates: August 17-21, 2026 (Monday through Friday)

    Performance: 3:30 p.m. on Friday, August 21

    Imagine your own story (inspired by Dungeons and Dragons)

    Create your own character and collaborate with friends as you protect your fantasy world from dragons, fairies, and trolls.

    Register for: After-Care

  • Register for: The Odyssey

    Dates: July 13-24, 2026 (Monday through Friday)

    Hours: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

    Performance: 4 p.m. on Friday, July 24

    by Don Fleming

    based on the story by Homer

    Produced by special arrangement with Plays for New Audiences

    A bold retelling of Homer’s epic, The Odyssey catapults ancient myth into a modern world of war, memory, and survival. With sharp humor and high-stakes drama, this fast-paced adaptation follows Odysseus’ perilous journey home through monsters, magic, and the underworld.

    Register for: After-Care

Photo of Summer Camp 2025 by Randall Pike