Kids will explore the fundamentals of modern clown and performance art that make the Elysian the buzzing center of Los Angeles’ underground comedy scene. Guided by teaching artists who actively create and perform at the theater, campers will be empowered to make their own work for the stage, trying out different genres of comedy to devise unique bits, invent new characters, and experiment with solo and ensemble performances. The camp celebrates creative curiosity, innovation, collaboration, and unabashed play.
Mornings begin with group exercises and games focused on an essential tenet of comedic performance. Improvisation, character building, stand-up, and sketch writing will be taught and modeled, all with a clown edge. This isn’t your grandfather’s clown–there will be no red noses here (well, maybe one will get snuck in). After lunch, we’ll apply the themes of the day to help students craft their new material. They will be encouraged to experiment, connect with each other and their audience, and unleash their wild imagination to find the funniest parts of themselves as they create new material.
To inspire the work of the week, the first day of camp includes a special kids-geared performance of our in-house show Bizarre Bazaar, starring a cast of Elysian’s favorite comics and clowns!
As a bookend, the camp will culminate with an Elysian-style variety show, feat. L.A.’s freshest and weirdest young comics (your children).
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Monday - Friday
July 27th, July 28th, July 29th, July 30th, July 31st
9am-12pm Morning Session (with two 10-minute breaks)
12pm-12:45pm Lunch – please bring a packed lunch
12:45pm-2:30pm Afternoon Session (with one 10-minute break)
in the Mainstage
Led by the renowned, Natasha Mercado, and the teaching artists of the Elysian!
More about Natasha:
Natasha Mercado is a performer, writer, and director whose work lives where vulnerability and absurdity meet. A first-generation mixed-Latina artist, she creates worlds that are intimate, strange, and unapologetically alive.
Her work centers the intelligence of the body and the audience relationship, building comedy through presence and invitation. David Shiner, co-creator of Cirque du Soleil, once called her “fearless and completely out of her mind.”
Natasha’s practice spans solo performance, immersive theater, and film. Her award-winning solo works Tree and #1 Son have toured internationally from Hollywood to the Edinburgh Fringe, earning sold-out runs, critical acclaim, and extensive recognition. Across her work as a performer and director, she has received over 50 award nominations, winning more than half.
On screen, Natasha has appeared on HBO, Adult Swim, Broadway Video and TBS, and was named an Emerging Content Creator by the National Association of Latino Independent Producers.
Natasha is the creator of Soft Clown, a performance philosophy that treats sensitivity as a strength and pleasure as a compositional tool. As a director and teacher, she leads workshops in the U.S. and internationally, working both in-person and virtually with artists across borders.
Class cancellation policy: No refunds, exchanges, or transfers.