Production class will perform ‘Willy Wonka’ on July 22

ASHLAND, Ky. — Summer arts camp has resumed at the Paramount Arts Center.

After taking a break for the July 4 holiday week, a batch of classes were offered at the center starting on Monday.

On Tuesday morning, children were gathered in the marquis room, taking part in a one-week drawing class, offered by Nancy Adams, a visual arts teacher in Boyd County Schools and year-round instructor at the Paramount.

“It’s a drawing boot camp,” Adams said. “They learning drawing, and drawing in color.”

She said the premise of the class is that anyone can learn to draw, and that she uses the philosophy of author Betty Edwards, whose book “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain,” which teaches artists to disregard perceptual information and focus on the visual when processing reality.

Adams said the students get an intense session when taking the class.

“It’s 15 hours of concentrated drawing,” she said.

She said that, next week, she will be teaching a mixed media arts class, for which sign-ups are still open for children 8-13. Students enrolled in the course will get a chance to work with clay, basketry, painting and jewelry making.

Meanwhile, on the main stage of the theater, students were rehearsing as part of a two-week theater production class, taught by Michael Guida, a professional actor and in-house artist at the Paramount, and Matt Hammond a music education student for Morehead State University.

The students learn all of the aspects of putting on a musical, from auditions to full performance with costumes.

Next Friday, at 6:30 p.m., the public will get a chance to see the fruits of their work when they stage a performance of “Willy Wonka Kids,” based on the book “Charlie and Chocolate factory by British author Roald Dahl. Admission will be free.

While the performance camp is already under way and enrollment is closed, there are still many classes beginning next week open for students.

In addition the mixed media class, “Fun with Fairy Tales” will offer preschoolers the chance to explore storytelling, “To the Moon and Back” will use arts to teach children 6-10 about astronomy, “Hand Up for Singing and Signing,” for ages 6-13, will teach music and sign language and “Ashland’s Junior Master Chef,” for ages 8-15, will teach the basics of cooking and nutrition.

For more information about the classes, visit www.paramountartscenter.com or call 606-324-4452. Classes are open to residents of all states.