Winter Wonderland

Celebrate the magic of the season with a joyful day of music, movement, and storytelling! Winter Wonderland brings kids together to explore snowy settings, holiday adventures, and cozy traditions through musical theater.

In acting class, students will create original scenes inspired by stories like The Grinch, Frozen, A Christmas Carol, Elf, or their own made-up winter tales. Whether it’s a trip to the North Pole or a snowball-fueled mystery, kids will bring their ideas to life with improvisation, group collaboration, and character-building exercises.

In singing and dancing, they’ll learn festive songs and choreography from holiday musicals and winter-themed favorites—always age-appropriate and inclusive of all traditions.

Open to all experience levels, this mini camp meets each child where they are. Our teaching artists assess skills in a low-pressure way and help each student grow at their own pace. The day wraps up with a relaxed sharing of scenes, songs, and dances that will leave everyone feeling warm and inspired.

NOTE: Kids will be divided up according to age.

• Friday, November 7, 2025 – Institute Day
• Ages 7 to 14
• Time: 9am to 3pm 
• Price = $110

Instructors: Jeremy Kruse, Emmy Bjerre-Jensen and Carla Garippo

Jeremy Kruse, acting teacher/director/Artistic Director of Gorton Drama Studio, is the author of “The Young Actor’s Handbook” (Applause Acting Series, 2017). Jeremy is a professional actor, published playwright, award-winning screenwriter, and award-winning filmmaker. Some of the classes he taught at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York include Method Acting, Comedic Improvisation, Sketch Comedy Writing, and Acting for Film and TV. He graduated from The Strasberg Institute at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts where he majored in drama. Jeremy also teaches privately, one on one. www.jeremykruse.com and www.jeremykruseactingtraining.com 

Emmy Bjerre-Jensen is an experienced teacher in the classroom and on the stage. She has a bachelor’s in digital cinema and a master’s of education from DePaul University. A lifelong singer and performer, Emmy has studied voice in a variety of styles and has helped students of all ages develop healthy, confident singing techniques. Emmy has served as musical director on numerous musical theater productions and she is thrilled to be sharing her love of music, theater, and vocal performance with students of all ages and experience levels.

Carla Garippo, dance teacher/choreographer, received her professional dance training from Ruth Page Center for the Arts and was a principal dancer of The Ruth Page Civic Ballet Company of Chicago. She is fluent in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop, Modern, Lyrical, Contemporary, Poms, Pointe, Musical Theatre, Stretch/Conditioning and Character. Some of Carla’s credits include: The Chicago Tribune Charities production of “The Nutcracker ” at The Arie Crown Theatre, Dirty Dancing, Carnaval at The Victor Hotel, Dance Chicago, MTVs Sweet 16, as well as various music videos and concerts nationwide. Carla teaches dancers of all ages and levels and is excited to be a staff member at Gorton Drama Studio.