Shea's Performing Arts Center teaching local kids how to make, perform their own musicals

Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Shea's Performing Arts Center enters the final week of its two-week Summer Musical Theatre Intensive on Monday, which teaches 80 local kids ages 9-17 how to master the art of writing, singing and performing in their very own musicals.

"The camp, essentially, takes the emphasis of the power of storytelling and puts it in the hands of the campers," said Alejandro Gomez, a camp director and leader of the writer's room. "We start the camp by announcing the theme and the title of the camp. From there, we develop six original one act musicals that we develop them from scratch."

The theme this year for the summer campers showcase this Friday is "Creature Chronicles," with casts assaigned different types of animal groups to get their stories started.

Gomez emphasized that everything the kids do are their own ideas and notes how every year, he is constantly impressed with the amount of creativity the kids bring to the table.

"You're constantly reminded just how brilliant all the kids are. You ask one question and it takes them in a direction that maybe you didn't even think of and it's so cool to see what an uninhibited, young mind can really bring to the table."

Everyday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, kids rotate between choreography classes, music classes, writing classes and all the other classes needed to perfect a musical.

A few kids, including 13-year-old Tessa from Hamburg, shared with WBEN what they were doing last Friday when we visited both Shea's Buffalo Theatre and the nearby Shea's 710.

"Today, we finished writing the script, we also practice the choreography for the song that we were in. Also, at the end of the day, we're going to announce the final cast list," said Tessa.

Tessa says she is a Shea's summer camp first timer, however she notes she's been performing on stage since she was just 8-years-old.

"I've done four of these camps," says 12-year-old Olivia from Buffalo, who adds that what she enjoys most about the camps is showcasing her creativity and drawing inspiration from her fellow cast members and camp directors.

So when Friday ends with the big showcase, what will the campers do next?

Shea's will host students for two additional camps this summer, The Actor's Edge, which runs from July 22 through Aug. 2, and Comedy on Cue, during the week of Aug. 5 through Aug. 9. Find more details here.