Where Creativity, Community and Summer Fun Take Center Stage.
Improv Playhouse® Performing Arts Camps are designed to give young artists something special: a summer experience where creativity, friendship, laughter, and performance all belong in the same room. For more than two decades, IP has created camps that balance meaningful arts training with the simple joy of being a kid in summer. Yes, campers learn. Yes, they perform. Yes, they create. But just as importantly, they make friends, build confidence, find their people, and become part of a community. At IP, the experience is never only about the final project or showcase. It is about everything that happens along the way.
ACA ACCREDITED · PROFESSIONAL STAFF · 25+ YEARS · COMMUNITY-CENTERED · BEGINNERS WELCOME
Improv Playhouse Performing Arts Camps are accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA) and meet the standards and criteria associated with excellence in camp programming, safety, staff preparation, and operations. Recognized by Newsweek as one of America’s top summer camps, IP brings national-caliber standards to a distinctly personal, community-centered experience. Our program has also drawn interest from leaders in the entertainment and arts community, including a visit from representatives of Disney. We take that credibility seriously. But we never want camp to feel serious all the time. Summer should still feel like summer.
SERIOUS TRAINING. LIGHTHEARTED SUMMER.
Our camps are intentionally designed to balance artistic growth with fun, play, friendships, and downtime. Campers are encouraged to explore acting, improvisation, musical theater, filmmaking, and other creative disciplines in a welcoming, non-competitive environment. They are also encouraged to laugh. To be silly. To make new friends. To take creative risks without fear of getting everything “right.” To enjoy being part of something. That balance matters to us. We want campers to grow as young artists without losing the lightness, joy, and spontaneity that make summer memorable.
CREATE · PERFORM · LAUGH · CONNECT · BELONG
Explore Improv Playhouse Performing Arts Camps and find the right summer experience for your young artist.
2-Week Musical Theater Camps: Create. Perform. Collaborate. Shine.
IP-Summer’s 2-Week Musical Theater Camps combine excellent instruction with the joy of creating, performing, and spending summer together. Campers build skills in acting, voice, choreography, dance, and ensemble work while rehearsing toward a final showcase at the end of each session. Families are often surprised by the production value achieved in just two weeks, but the performance is only part of what makes the experience special. What families value most is the process: the friendships, confidence, teamwork, laughter, discipline, and sense of accomplishment that develop along the way.
Full-Day Musical Theater Camps are designed primarily for students entering grades 4–8. Our younger Broadway Bound campers, entering grades 1–3, receive age-appropriate instruction within their own group while remaining an important part of the larger camp community.
Throughout the session, campers come together for shared activities, selected rehearsals, field trips into town, visits to local ice cream shops, and other lighthearted summer experiences. Broadway Bound campers also join the larger ensemble for portions of the final showcase, giving everyone a chance to contribute to the excitement of the production. Camps are hosted at one of our local school district partner facilities, providing an inviting and familiar setting for a balanced summer experience. Join IP-Summer Camps and experience the energy, creativity, and community of musical theater.
CAMP STRUCTURE AND PRICING
Musical Theatre Camp registers for incoming grades 1st – 8th. Rising 9th graders are accepted. Camp runs Monday-Friday.
- $395 Two-Week Half-Day Camps; Noon – 3 pm (Showstoppers and Broadway Bound)
- $795 Two-Week Full-Day Camps; 9 am – 3 pm (Showstoppers and Broadway Bound)
2027 REGISTRATION COMING SOON
Improv & Comedy Camps: Laugh More. Think Faster. Play Together.
Get ready for a summer filled with laughter, creativity, and quick thinking. IP-Summer’s Improv & Comedy Camp introduces campers to the fundamentals of improvisation through games, scenes, ensemble work, and plenty of spontaneous fun. Our instructors are experienced teaching artists and active performers in the Chicago comedy and improv scene, bringing real-world performance experience into a welcoming camp environment. Along the way, campers build more than comedy skills. Improv helps strengthen confidence, listening, communication, creativity, teamwork, adaptability, and the ability to think on their feet. The atmosphere is lighthearted, supportive, and highly interactive. Campers learn to take creative risks, support one another, and discover just how funny they can be when they trust the moment and the ensemble. The session wraps with a lively final showcase for family and friends — a chance to celebrate the laughter, growth, and creativity developed throughout camp.
CAMP STRUCTURE AND PRICING:
Improv Camp registers for incoming grades 4th – 8th. Camp runs Monday-Friday.
- $365 1-Week Camp Option (Full or Half-Day Available. Call to register)
- $395 Two-Week Half-Day Camps; Noon – 3pm
- $795 Two-Week Full-Day Camps; 9am – 3pm
2027 REGISTRATION COMING SOON
Filmmaking Camps: Write It. Shoot It. Edit It. Share It.
Step behind the camera and discover how stories are brought to life on screen. IP-Summer’s Filmmaking Camp gives campers hands-on experience with the full filmmaking process — from pre-production and story development to shooting, editing, and final presentation. Our camp directors are selected from strong film-school and professional backgrounds, bringing practical industry knowledge into an engaging, age-appropriate learning environment. Campers explore: Storyboarding · Shot Lists · Casting · Camera Work · Directing · Acting for Film · Editing · Post-Production
Using digital technology and professional editing tools, campers learn how creative ideas become finished films while working both in front of and behind the camera. This is more than social media content creation. It’s real filmmaking — collaborative, imaginative, hands-on, and a lot of fun.
CAMP STRUCTURE AND PRICING:
Film Camp registers for incoming grades 4th – 8th. Camp runs Monday-Friday.
- $395 Two-Week Half-Day Camps; Noon – 3pm
- $795 Two-Week Full-Day Camps; 9am – 3pm
2027 REGISTRATION COMING SOON
Acting Camps: Take the Stage. Build the Story. Have a Blast.
IP-Summer Acting Camp gives young performers the chance to develop acting skills while bringing a full play to life over the course of two fun-filled weeks. Comedy! Drama! Fun! Campers explore character development, scene work, stage movement, voice, ensemble skills, and storytelling while rehearsing toward a final performance for family and friends. But this is summer camp — not just rehearsal. The experience is balanced with games, outdoor time, park visits, special treat days, creative activities, and plenty of opportunities to laugh, connect, and make new friends. Our staff creates a supportive environment where campers can take creative risks, build confidence, and discover what makes live theater so exciting. Whether a camper is stepping onto the stage for the first time or already loves performing, there is room to grow, contribute, and be part of the ensemble.
CAMP STRUCTURE AND PRICING:
Acting Camp registers for incoming grades 4th – 8th. Camp runs Monday-Friday.
- $395 Two-Week Half-Day Camps; Noon – 3pm
- $795 Two-Week Full-Day Camps; 9am – 3pm
2027 REGISTRATION COMING SOON
Game Design & Playtesting Camp: Design. Build. Playtest.
Design It. Test It. Make It Better. Ever wondered what it takes to create a video game from the ground up? In this hands-on two-week camp, students explore the creative process behind game design — from the first spark of an idea to a playable prototype. Campers will dive into storytelling, character creation, level design, gameplay mechanics, visual design, and introductory game development while learning how real game creators brainstorm, build, test, revise, and improve their work. Along the way, campers strengthen creative thinking, collaboration, communication, problem-solving, and design skills through hands-on projects and playtesting with their peers. Whether they are drawn to programming, art, storytelling, world-building, or simply love games, this camp gives students an exciting introduction to the world of interactive design. The session concludes with a Game Design Showcase, where campers can share their projects and demonstrate what they created for family and friends.
CAMP STRUCTURE AND PRICING:
Design & Playtesting Camp registers for incoming grades 5th – 8th. Camp runs Monday-Friday.
- $395 Two-Week Half-Day Camps; Noon – 3pm
- $795 Two-Week Full-Day Camps; 9am – 3pm
2027 REGISTRATION COMING SOON
CAMP TO YOU®: Your Home. Your Friends. Your Camp!
Improv Playhouse® Brings Camp to Your Neighborhood!
Turn your home, backyard, or neighborhood into an Improv Playhouse summer camp! Camp To You® is a private, small-group camp experience designed for families who want the creativity, energy, and enrichment of an IP camp—with the convenience of having us come to you. Gather a group of 4–6 campers, choose a Host Home, select your camp theme, and we’ll bring the creative leadership and programming. Perfect for neighborhood friends, siblings, cousins, homeschool groups, school breaks, or families looking for a more personalized camp experience.
Improv Playhouse® Camp To You® brings the fun and adventure right to your neighborhood. Enroll today and create lifelong memories filled with laughter, learning, and joy!
HALF-DAY CAMP (Monday–Friday)
Morning: 9:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Afternoon: 1:00–3:30 p.m.
Host Home Camper: $195/week
Second Sibling: $175/week
Third Sibling: $160/week
Guest Campers: $195/week per camper
FULL-DAY CAMP (Monday- Friday)
Monday–Friday: 9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Includes lunch period.
Host Home Camper: $320/week
Regularly $350
Guest Campers: $350/week per camper
Regularly $390
Extended Time: $20 per camper/per additional hour.
CHOOSE YOUR CAMP ADVENTURE
- Theater & Musical Theater Camp: Act, sing, create characters, explore theater games, develop scenes and stories, and discover the excitement of putting on a show. Depending upon the group, campers may work toward an informal final performance for family and friends.
- Puppet Pals Camp: Campers create their own puppets, characters, voices, stories, and theatrical world using accessible craft materials and plenty of imagination. The week can culminate in an original puppet performance.
- Disney-Inspired Theater Camp: Step into a theatrical world of heroes, villains, princes, princesses, music, movement, costumes, crafts, and imaginative play. Campers create their own magical adventure and may conclude the week with a family showcase.
- Improv Comedy Camp: Think fast. Play together. Make people laugh! Campers learn age-appropriate improvisation games emphasizing creativity, listening, teamwork, confidence, and spontaneity—with the possibility of a final family improv showcase.
- Digi-Filmmaking Camp: Lights. Camera. Create! Campers develop an idea, storyboard scenes, write scripts, perform, shoot footage using accessible digital technology, and work toward completing their own short digital film.
- Activity Arts Camp: A high-energy combination of arts and crafts, creative movement, theater games, outdoor activities, and imaginative challenges designed to keep campers creating, moving, laughing, and working together.
- Science & Environment Camp: Explore the world right outside your door! Campers investigate science, wildlife, ecology, trees, soil, recycling, mapping, weather, geology, and environmental stewardship through age-appropriate experiments and outdoor exploration.
SMALL GROUP. BIG EXPERIENCE.
Camp To You® is intentionally limited to just 4–6 campers, allowing our instructors to provide a highly interactive and personalized experience.One Host Home per camp session. The Host Home provides the agreed-upon indoor/outdoor activity space and access to appropriate restroom facilities. Improv Playhouse® provides the instructor, curriculum, creative leadership, and an unforgettable week of activities. Camp can be scheduled during the summer, selected school breaks, or at other mutually available times throughout the year.
LIMITED REGISTRATION: 1 Host Home. Minimum 4 Campers – Maximum 6 Campers.
CLICK HERE FOR CAMP TO YOU REGISTRATION
