WEST HARTFORD – For more than 40 years, the West Hartford Summer Arts Festival has worked to empower young people to let their creativity shine during the summer months.
Sara Avery, who has been artistic director since 2010, said they cater to both young actors who want to start their careers and others who just want something fun to do when school is out.
“It’s a place for the summer where some kids are ready to start that career,” Avery said. “And some kids are here because they’re happiest in this room. They need that space.”
The cast and crew of this year’s festival are set to make their debut in the musical comedy Something Rotten!, set in the days of William Shakespeare. Performances begin July 27 at Conard High School.
Avery said it’s one of the newer shows they’ve brought to the stage in recent years, and full of winks and nods to other beloved musicals.
“It’s a huge tap dance show that’s always impressive,” Avery said. “The other thing that’s cool about it is the whole concept that this fortune teller is telling them that the future of theater is a musical. Because of this idea where you can look into the future, there are so many fun easter eggs to look for when it comes to musicals today. Some of them are written into the script and we tried to add as much as we could think of.
Aver said they spend a lot of time before the show giving participants more than just stage skills.
“We’re setting aside time to build relationships and understand how to relate in a world that’s getting tough,” Avery said. “We focus on mindfulness and skill development, not only on stage, but off stage as well – empathy and compassion and general communication skills. We really try as best we can to live those things and teach those things to the staff. That’s what makes us really special.”
Avery participated in her first show at the West Hartford Summer Art Festival in 1996 and returned as an adult to be on staff, which she says is very common for participants who return to take on a mentoring role.
“I tell kids all the time who are thinking about going to college that my best training ground was the West Hartford Summer Arts Festival because there’s nothing better than just doing it,” Avery said. “We were looking for ways for kids who are considering doing this and going to college to come home and do something really quality in their town, while giving young students a chance to learn from older students.”
According to Avery, new this year was the creation of their youth program for 10-15 year olds. The idea was an outgrowth of a program that retired Sedgwick High School teacher Tom Sullivan ran for nearly 50 years.
The program allows younger participants to focus and tell stories before they are ready for the main program for students entering ninth grade, which culminates in college graduation. It also allows their older participants to become leaders, Avery said.
“We’re working hard to make things bigger and better,” Avery said. “Wouldn’t it be great if our first show had kids who understood storytelling from the inside, not the outside?”
They also have a mini program for even younger children aged 8-11.
“We’re trying to expand our lifestyle and our family,” Avery said. “We’re trying to spread the good news that theater is inside you. It’s inside you. We couldn’t do it without kids and their hearts and their ability to tell a story.
Tickets are now on sale at westhartfordsaf.com for the West Hartford Summer Arts Festival’s performance of “Something Rotten!”, showing at Conard Middle School on July 27, 28, 29 and 30 at 7:00 p.m.
