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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260727T093000
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DTSTAMP:20260419T102952
CREATED:20260120T200834Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260129T201435Z
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SUMMARY:Sewing Camp: Taylor Swift Theme
DESCRIPTION:Camp registration opens on Monday\, February 2 at 10 am\nCalling all Swifties! In this Taylor Swift–inspired sewing camp\, kids will stitch\, design\, bead friendship bracelets and create projects inspired by the music\, colors\, and eras they love—while learning real sewing skills in a fun\, creative environment. Campers will sew Taylor Swift themed PJ Pants\, trendy bags using Taylor Swift fabric\,a Taylor Swift Pillow and Skirt. We will use combinations of Taylor Swift fabrics and embellishments! This camp will be led by Ciao Bella Sewing. All supplies\, including fabric\, sewing machines\, and sewing notions are provided. \nIt is SEW much fun to sew and create. Students can bring their own sewing machine or use the provided sewing machines. Students should bring a water bottle and healthy snack everyday. *New and returning students are welcome! \nAges 7 – 13 YO
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/sewing-camp-taylor-swift/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Camps,Classes,Sewing,Youth
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260727T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260727T130000
DTSTAMP:20260419T102952
CREATED:20260128T180119Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260206T213338Z
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SUMMARY:Lunch Bunch
DESCRIPTION:Join Gorton Center’s Lunch Bunch!\nLooking to give your child a full day of summer fun\, learning\, and creativity? Gorton Center’s customizable camps offer the perfect solution for busy families and curious kids! With engaging camp sessions available in both the morning and afternoon\, you can mix and match programs to fit your child’s interests and create a dynamic full-day experience. \nTo make things even easier\, Gorton offers a supervised lunchtime option for campers attending both a morning and afternoon session. Our friendly and attentive staff will oversee campers during lunch from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM (or until 1:30 PM\, depending on the camp schedule)\, providing a safe and relaxed environment where kids can unwind\, eat\, and socialize with friends between activities. This convenient lunchtime care is available for just $20 per week. \nPlease note that lunch is not provided. Campers must bring their own sack lunch and drink each day.  \nImportant Registration Information:\nYou must pre-register for all camps and lunchtime supervision. Registration closes the Friday before the camp week begins (each Monday)\, so don’t wait to reserve your child’s spot! Spaces may be limited\, and early registration is highly recommended. \nJoin us this summer and let your child enjoy a fun-filled\, structured day at Gorton Center with plenty of opportunities to learn\, grow\, and make new friends. Whether they’re discovering a new hobby or diving deeper into a favorite activity\, Gorton’s full-day camp experience is sure to be a highlight of their summer! Please notify Libby Johnson with any food allergies.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/lunch-bunch-july-27/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Camps,Classes,Youth
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260727T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260727T160000
DTSTAMP:20260419T102952
CREATED:20260120T183905Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T184945Z
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SUMMARY:RoboThink Camp: Amusement Park Tycoon
DESCRIPTION:Become an Amusement Park Tycoon!\nWelcome to RoboThink Land! as the newest roller coaster engineer\, kids will help build the best amusement park possible! This program has students using motors\, axles\, gears and more to create a wide variety of theme park rides\, including the iconic Ferris Wheel and a thrilling roller coaster. Be prepared for a world of fun! \nAges 7 – 12
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/robothink-camp-amusement-park-tycoon/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Camps,Classes,STEM,Youth
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260728
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260801
DTSTAMP:20260419T102952
CREATED:20260311T160306Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260401T152258Z
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SUMMARY:Cinderella 4-week Camp Performances
DESCRIPTION:Cinderella\nA Gorton Drama Studio Original Production\nJoin us for a lively\, original take on Cinderella. Our advanced young performers from Gorton Drama Studio’s Four-Week Musical Theater Camp bring it to life on stage. \nCatch a performance July 28 and 29 at 11 am or July 30 and 31 at 6 pm. \nOver four fast-paced weeks\, these students trained like pros. They built skills in acting\, singing and dancing. They learned discipline\, teamwork and how to bring a full production together. Now they’re ready to perform. \nExpect all the magic you love. The pumpkin and carriage. The fairy godmother. The royal ball. The glass slipper. Plus original music\, comedy and heart. Every performer plays an important role\, creating a vibrant ensemble from start to finish. \nThis production marks the culmination of their work. It’s their moment to take the stage at the John & Nancy Hughes Theater and perform for a live audience. \nKids ages 7 to 14 can keep the fun going. Stay after the show for a post-show acting workshop.  Learn more and sign up here! \nCreative Team\nJeremy Kruse – Producer & Playwright\nMadison Kisst – Director\nCarla Garippo – Choreographer\nMatt Mueller – Songwriter\nMatteo Picchietti – Production Assistant  \nMeet The Gorton Drama Studio Creative Team\n \nJeremy Kruse\, Artistic Director of Gorton Drama Studio is the author of “The Young Actor’s Handbook” (Applause Acting Series\, 2017).The book was published in Korean and Chinese in 2022. 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  \n  \n  \n  \nMadison Kisst is a professional actor\, director\, and educator with extensive training in physical and classical theatre\, voice and movement\, and devising. Recently\, she has served as the Fight/Intimacy director for Middle Tennessee State University’s production of Clue: On Stage and Nashville Repertory Theatre’s production of Sister Act. She has her BA in Theatre Arts from California State University Chico and Master of Fine Arts in Performance from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Madison is a member of the performance faculty in the Department of Theatre and Dance at Middle Tennessee State University. \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \nMatt Mueller is an actor\, musician\, former pirate\, and part-time wizard. Outside GDS his most recent credits include Harry Potter and Cursed Child\, and he’s excited to be back with the wonderful storytellers of Gorton Drama Studio after last summer in Neverland!!\n \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \nCarla 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.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/cinderella-performance-july-28-2026-2/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Camps,Classes,Events,Gorton Drama Studio,Performing Arts,Youth
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260728
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260730
DTSTAMP:20260419T102952
CREATED:20260319T202848Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260401T152255Z
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SUMMARY:Cinderella: Performance & Acting Workshop Experience
DESCRIPTION:Cinderella: Performance & Acting Workshop Experience\nMake your theater visit even more memorable. Stay after the show for a hands-on acting workshop. \nJoin us for Cinderella on July 28 or 29 at 11 am\, then stick around for a one-hour workshop at 12:15 pm. \nOur experienced instructors lead fun improv games and engaging exercises. Kids build creativity\, grow confidence and connect with others. Beginners and experienced actors are all welcome. \nDetails:\n\nDates: July 28 or 29\nWorkshop Time: 12:15 PM (immediately following the show)\nDuration: 1 hour\nPrice: $5\nAges: 7 to 14\n\nMeet The Gorton Drama Studio Creative Team\n \nJeremy Kruse\, Artistic Director of Gorton Drama Studio is the author of “The Young Actor’s Handbook” (Applause Acting Series\, 2017).The book was published in Korean and Chinese in 2022. 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  \n  \n  \n  \nMadison Kisst is a professional actor\, director\, and educator with extensive training in physical and classical theatre\, voice and movement\, and devising. Recently\, she has served as the Fight/Intimacy director for Middle Tennessee State University’s production of Clue: On Stage and Nashville Repertory Theatre’s production of Sister Act. She has her BA in Theatre Arts from California State University Chico and Master of Fine Arts in Performance from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Madison is a member of the performance faculty in the Department of Theatre and Dance at Middle Tennessee State University. \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \nMatt Mueller is an actor\, musician\, former pirate\, and part-time wizard. Outside GDS his most recent credits include Harry Potter and Cursed Child\, and he’s excited to be back with the wonderful storytellers of Gorton Drama Studio after last summer in Neverland!!\n \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \nCarla 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.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/cinderella-performance-and-acting-workshop-experience/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Camps,Classes,Events,Gorton Drama Studio,Performing Arts,Youth
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260801T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260801T113000
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CREATED:20260410T180455Z
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SUMMARY:Youth Creative Writing
DESCRIPTION:Have you always wanted to write a story or have a character come to life on a blank page?  Writing is like a magic portal where adventures begin and creativity can take flight. \nIn a supportive and encouraging environment\, you’ll be gently guided into the world of your own words and ideas. Through fun and engaging exercises\, you’ll see how making ideas come to life is exciting\, fun and just a blank page away. \nHarry Potter\, The Wild Robot\, Magic Tree House were all ideas that came to life through telling a story.  Turning your very own words into your very own story is a wonderful feeling and\, in this class\, you will write yours. \nWhat to Expect\n Come ready to have fun\, take creative risks\, and surprise yourself with what you create.  Enjoy learning about crafting a story and finding how your unique ideas can make a story come to life.  See your words take you on an adventure into your imagination. \nAges 5 – 8 Grades \nAbout Your Instructor – Melissa MacTaggart\nMelissa MacTaggart brings a multi-layered background in writing and the performing arts. She has worked as an actor\, producer\, director\, playwright\, theatre company creative director\, and drama teacher. With over 25 years as a freelance writer\, Melissa has experience in a wide range of genres. \nHer work includes: \n\nTwo original plays produced in Los Angeles during the Beverly Hills Livesummer season\nA bi-monthly column\, Urban Suburban\, for The Chicago Tribune Suburban Network\nNine years as a ghostwriter for an online magazine\, covering topics from gardening\, environmental awareness to sustainable living.\nArticles for the Daily Herald Chicagoand content creation for various websites\nSongwriting and lyric composition\nHer youth novel ‘The Wren and the Dream Maker’ was published in October 2025\nShe a judge on the panel of authors for The Lake Bluff Library’s ‘Phyllis Fox Memorial Writing Contest’ for 2025.\n\nMelissa’s deep love for language and storytelling continues to shape her creative journey\, and she is excited to help you have fun finding the writer in you.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/youth-creative-writing/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Classes,Specialty,Wellness,Youth
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