KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops Interior Summer School of Music has been tutoring young performers for 40 years.
During the three week summer camp students are inspired to follow their dreams as they learn from professional musicians and instructors.
KISSM is celebrating its 40th season with a showcase concert and three major musical productions, which includes a performance of Grease, a show that is also turning 40 this year.
“We are kind of at the last week before we jump into show week,” KISSM Technical Director, Sam Bregoliss said. “So, Tuesday we have the showcase concert at 7 p.m. at the Sagebrush, Wednesday we have High School Musical here at the Sagebrush, also at 7 p.m., and we have a sold out house of Grease on Thursday night.”
Every year, new students attend the camp for the first time. Others, like Rem Murray and Mandy Maher, who play Danny and Sandy in Grease, come back year after year.
“It’s always been a blast,” Murray said. “You get to know a lot of cool people, and you just have a lot of fun stumbling through the musical for the first bit, and then actually performing it and being awesome.”
“We see the same kids coming back since they were in kindergarten,” Maher said, “but yet we also see new kids every single year that always come in worried that they’re not going to be accepted, or they’re not going to fit in, and then in the next three moments of them being concerned there are people swarming them and so excited to meet them and just to incorporate them.”
Maher has been attending KISSM for six years. It’s a place where she feels comfortable exploring her passion for performing.
“I love KISSM,” Maher said. “It’s such a safe environment, but it’s very professional. So not only are we having fun, and we’re making friends, but we’re learning so much too.”
And next Thursday Maher and her cast mates will get to show a sold out theatre just how much they have learned over a three week period.
“It’s a really great opportunity,” Bregoliss said, “and it’s an opportunity that you don’t see a lot across Canada and even North America to give youth the opportunity to perform in a 700-seat theatre, and on this beautiful stage.”
