VoiceCamp marks 20 years in Laval with 'Return to Oz' production this week

Chroma Musica's VoiceCamp in Laval is celebrating its 20th anniversary with an original production called Return to Oz, a theatrical mashup of The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz, and Wicked performed by campers ages 6 to 14.

The 30-minute show brings Dorothy back to Oz to help her friends break a glitter-filled disco curse while rediscovering friendship, forgiveness, and teamwork. Camp participants created costumes and sets themselves while learning lines, choreography, and songs over the program's three weeks.

Cassyanna Ilceus, a 10-year-old camper playing Oz, said she's excited about the performance. "I love VoiceCamp because I'm a theater kid and I love singing and dancing. I love acting," she said. Fellow camper Thea Tsekeris, 11, added: "I definitely loved making our costumes and learning choreographies. Singing class was really fun too."

The camp's General Director, Dimitris Ilias, co-founded VoiceCamp with his wife 20 years ago. "I think it's going to be a superb show," he said, noting he's amazed each year by the students' talents. "It's going to be very interesting for them to see little kids perform like pros."

Adding a full-circle moment: the show's stage director and script writer, Juliana Theos, is a former VoiceCamp camper who graduated from Concordia University with a degree in theatre and has returned to inspire the next generation.

Performances are July 15 at 6 p.m. and July 16 at 1 p.m. at Laval's Palace Convention Center. Tickets are $5 and available at the door.