Published: July 06, 2009 12:15 pm      

Fun with flicks | Movie-themed classes at arts center

BY RUTH RICE

RRICE@TRIBDEM.COM

Elements from popular films will figure into a movie-themed special events package for children at a local arts center.

In conjunction with its summer camps, Community Arts Center of Cambria County, 1217 Menoher Blvd., Westmont, will hold an extra class zeroing in on a kid-friendly flick at the end of each day.

Movie classes will be held from July 14 through Aug. 13, and children do not have to attend the arts camp to come to the special events, said Lida Hood, education coordinator for the arts center.

All special events will be held from 1:30 to 3 p.m.

For “Another Night at Another Museum,” which will be held July 14-16, Stephanie Waddell will lead participants through the “museum” at the arts center.

“Two years ago, we did the first one. This time it’s “Night at the Museum: The Battle of the Smithsonian,” Hood said.

“They will get to watch parts of the movie and make clay bobble heads of Einstein or other characters from the movie.”

Participants also will design and paint a model airplane similar to the one Amelia Earhart would have flown in 1928.

There will be tours of other museums around the world, and participants will get to paint their own rendition of DaVinci’s “Mona Lisa,” using their own smile.

Captain Kirk and Hannah Montana will join forces on July 21-23, when two special events will be held simultaneously.

Bill McClelland will lead Star Trek fans as they design their own spaceship and a Starfleet uniform made from a black T-shirt using glow-in-the-dark paints.

Trekkers should bring a prewashed black T-shirt to class.

“Astronomer Steve Lindberg will talk about stars and constellations and bring telescopes for the class to use on the third day,” Hood said.

“They also will construct a star and planet finder to take home.”

For Hannah Montana’s class, Alexis Sobecky will lead wannabe rock ’n’ roll stars as they design their own glitzy T-shirt, do shoe art, make jewelry and sing karaoke.

“Girls also will get a mini-makeover from Claire’s Boutique in The Galleria and have their own fashion show,” Hood said.

Rock stars in training should bring a white or colored prewashed T-shirt to class.

“Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs,” which will be held Aug. 4-6, is taken from a children’s book and will give participants a sneak peek at the movie, which will be released later this summer.

Campers will travel to the town of Chewandswallow, where breakfast, lunch and dinner literally fall from the sky.

Lauren Kuhne will guide children as they create weather-related paintings using food images, such as mashed potatoes for snow, soup for rain and storms of hamburgers.

“On the last day, they’ll cook up spaghetti and stuffed meatballs to eat,” Hood said.

Participants will get a lift from “Up, Up and Away,” which spotlights the film “Up.”

On Aug. 11-13, Ryan Rovida will lead campers as they draw cartoons of the movie’s characters and make an animated flip book, construct a bird puppet, paint balloons, create balloon animals and build a mini hot air balloon.



Kids classes

What: Movie-themed special events.

Where: Community Arts Center of Cambria County, 1217 Menoher Blvd., Westmont.

When: 1:30 to 3 p.m. July 14 through Aug. 13.

Classes: “Another Night at Another Museum,” July 14-16; “Star Trek: The Movie,” July 21-23; “Hannah Montana: The Movie,” July 21-23; “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs,” Aug. 4-6; and “Up, Up and Away,” Aug. 11-13.

Cost: $29 each for arts center members and $32 for nonmembers.

Information: 255-6515.