A new summer arts program took center stage in Orange Beach as Orange Beach City Schools and the City of Orange Beach partnered to launch the inaugural Coastal Spotlight Theatre Camp, a two-week immersive theater experience that served 70 young performers and technicians from across Baldwin County.

Modeled after Troy University's long-running Creative Drama Camp, Coastal Spotlight was designed to introduce students to every aspect of the theatrical process, from creative exploration and imagination to technical theater and full-scale production.

The camp was directed by Grace Stanton, director of theater at Orange Beach Middle/High School, and Stacie Brane, manager of the Orange Beach Performing Arts Center. Stanton and Brane developed the program as a collaborative experience connecting young artists with educators, student leaders and theater professionals while providing hands-on opportunities both onstage and behind the scenes.

Held on the Orange Beach Middle/High School campus, the camp gave participants access to professional-quality facilities and performance spaces throughout the two-week program.

Each morning, campers participated in Creative Drama and Stagecraft classes aimed at building confidence, encouraging creativity and introducing students to new areas of theater. Afternoons shifted into a working rehearsal and production environment as students prepared a full staging of Disney and Pixar's "Finding Nemo KIDS."

More than 40 staff members helped bring the inaugural camp to life. High school student leaders, educators, theater and art teachers and working theater professionals collaborated throughout the program to create a meaningful and engaging experience for participants.

The camp concluded July 17 with a public showcase at the Orange Beach Performing Arts Center. The evening featured projects developed during the campers' Creative Drama and Stagecraft classes and culminated with a performance of Disney and Pixar's "Finding Nemo KIDS."