by Morgan Yeatts   Summers at the Academy Center of the Arts are filled with excellent opportunities for the community to experience and participate in the arts, whether that be through concerts, classes, or camps.   For years, the Academy has offered a summer theatre camp for high schoolers, Encore!, which gives campers the chance to spend entire days participating in master classes while building a product from the ground up, all in one month’s time.   The camp is always a community favorite, and this year is no exception. The 29 enrolled students are currently finishing up rehearsals for their 2018 production of Once On This Island, a Broadway musical from 1990, whose 2017 revival was met with rave reviews and Tony Award nominations, winning Best Revival of a Musical.   Michelle Velastegui, 7-year director of Encore!, relishes the experience to work with high schoolers from the community who share her love and passion for theatre. Her desire is for the campers to leave this experience with a better knowledge of all aspects of the theatre. “I hope they learn confidence and team building and that it’s more than just a performance,” she says.     When asked why […]