Ninety-three creative kids are winding down a week of Creative Drama Camp at Troy University and are looking forward to taking the stage of the Trojan Center Theater to showcase their talents on Friday.

The Mini-Spotlighters, four- and five-year-olds, will take center stage at 11 a.m. for their families. The Spotlighters, ages six through 13, will be in the spotlight at 7 p.m. when they will entertain their audience with “Jungle Book”

The Creative Drama Camp is the largest of the Summer Spotlight at Troy University camps each summer, said Tori Lee Averett, camp director.

“Creative drama is a term that applies to the free play of young children based on imagination and improvisation,” Averett said. “When we think of theater, we think of a show and an audience. But creative drama is experimentation and creative play.”

Averett said the Creative Drama Camp includes classes in drama, stagecraft and creative movement.

“The Creative Drama Camp is a chance for kids to do creative things,” Averett said. “It’s an opportunity for self-expression and it’s a positive social environment where the kids’ ideas are valued.”

Averett said the campers have opportunities to try things they would not normally try and do during the school day or school year.

“The kids are encouraged to use their imaginations, their talents and creativity,” she said. “In today’s world there are so many wonderful things and innovative things –technology wise – for entertainment. Parents often worry that children’s imaginations are waning but, after Creative Drama Camp this week, I can tell you that kids’ imaginations are alive and well.”

Averett said, in school, children are pressured to test well in science and math but they need a time to express their creativity and artistic talents.

“This week, we were powered-off and depended on our imaginations and creativity to have a good, productive time and we’ve had a great and fun time together.”