My daughter first attended Performing Arts Workshop 7 years ago, when they were putting on The Wizard of Oz. She hadn't even entered kindergarten yet but was instantly hooked. We immediately signed her up for the remaining camps that summer and she has done multiple sessions each year ever since (minus the covid years). As a parent, seeing your kid find a place where they can be themselves and shine is invaluable, and PAW has been that. We are so excited that camp starts in just a few short weeks! The staff is top notch at teaching performing arts skills and making sure every single camper gets to shine. Can't recommend PAW highly enough! read more

I'm always looking for ways to make summer camp more affordable, and this year I signed up for the PAW Ambassador Scholarship with Performing Arts Workshops. It lets parents like me earn half-off camp sessions by volunteering a little time...mostly chatting with other parents and sharing PAW info online. It's flexible, easy, and honestly feels like a smart way to stretch our summer budget. If you've got multiple kids, need financial help, or want your child in camp all summer, this has been a really helpful option for us. If you're interested or have questions, PAW's office staff is really caring and will walk you through everything. You can call them at (310) 827-8827 or apply online at PerformingArtsWorkshops.com by clicking "Enroll Now" and selecting the PAW Ambassador Scholarship. Once you apply, they'll reach out and get you set up. read more

Writing this review to report that the office has been amazing with communicating with me! Our child will be attending the camp this summer and they have been extremely communicative about the events and how to participate in their Ambassador program to help us afford to send our child! So far we have loved the program and the people! Can't wait to send our child here this summer! read more

This performing arts summer camp is absolutely amazing! My daughter, Vasilisa, attended last year, and we were beyond impressed with the experience. She learned so much in just a short time, gained confidence, and completely overcame any fear of being on stage. The camp ended with a spectacular 2-hour showcase where the kids performed at least eight different acts--singing, dancing, and truly shining! What sets this camp apart is the variety of programs they offer. In addition to musical theater, they have guitar, debate, photography, actor's sizzle reel, stage makeup, choir, stand-up comedy, and more. There's something for every creative child to explore and enjoy! We were so happy with the results that I decided to become an ambassador this year! If you're looking for a fantastic summer camp experience, I highly recommend this one. read more

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Always wanted my daughter to try PAWS. Heard it is awesome for summer camp. Great customer service! Can't wait for this summer!

My kids took PAW after school this year and absolutely loved it. They are looking forward to taking the workshop again this summer. Highly recommended! read more

My daughter is so THRILLED to perform Matilda this summer! The many Westside locations make this camp super convenient (West LA, El Segundo, Redondo Beach and more). So many of her friends have raved about the program from previous years. It's nice that PAW summer camps have so many options for talented kids beyond typical sports camps. They also have an Ambassador Program where you can get HALF OFF a 2 week session, which makes each week of full day camp less than $225/week, super reasonable! read more

I found this organization online and am THRILLED that they offer a "Debate" summer camp for my 12 year old daughter. She's not the athletic type (despite all my attempts!) but good lord can the girl argue! I always look for scholarship opportunities and found this amazing opportunity when I called and spoke with the very friendly and kind PAWs liaison Colleen! I'm already working towards 50% off her tuition and she's thrilled to be going to a debate camp! Are you looking for a summer camp scholarship or a way to maximize your child's summer camp opportunities? Come volunteer as an ambassador for a summer camp called Performing Arts Workshops. PAW has created a scholarship program that gives you half off as many sessions of summer camp as you would want or need. It's called "The PAW Ambassador Scholarship" and it's a service-in-exchange for tuition program. For each 8 hours of time you volunteer, you will get half off a session of camp...of your choosing. The volunteer service consists of talking to and posting about PAW to other parents. You would just post about the camp, the scholarship program and their family discount offers! They'll even give you a pdf Gift Certificate that gives $100 off camp that you can send to friends, family, and other parents. The PAW Ambassador Scholarship is great if you have more than one child, are experiencing financial hardship, or want a full summer of activities. If you have questions about the scholarship you can reach out to (310) 827-8827 or register to be a PAW Ambassador on their website, which is PerformingArtsWorkshops.com and click on the link that says "ENROLL NOW" then just select the PAW Ambassador Scholarship button. Once they receive your application, they'll call and set everything up! read more

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Both my oldest and youngest daughters have taken part in PAW summer camps -- West LA, and El Segundo -- and they've learned and expanded their interest in theater so much during their camp weeks. The counselors seem to genuinely enjoy their time with the kids, and they know their stuff as true theater people. If you have a child with interests in in makeup, magic, standup comedy and more -- all those curiosities can be nurtured through PAW. read more

Performing Arts Workshops LOL STAND-UP COMEDY Camp (for ages 9-14) is first and foremost a comedy camp! Beneath that, the kids are learning an incredible amount of public speaking and language arts skills. The camp is designed for beginners as well as experienced students. The focus is placed on the comedian's craft, including; improv, joke structure, sketch writing, speech & diction, as well as creating stage characters, and joke delivery. Throughout the week, the kids develop a 3 to 5 minute set, and have the chance to perform it at the end of the week. It's a lot of fun, and the kids are laughing all week long while learning really valuable skills such as critical thinking, self-confidence, and language arts skills which will give them an edge for the following school year. Many campers even come back for more than one session so they can advance and polish their set. With only up to 10 children allowed in each session, each child gets a lot of individual attention. Performing Arts Workshops was even named BEST Summer Camp in LA Parent Magazine. If you want more information on PAW, their number is (310) 827-8827 or check out the website at PerformingArtsWorkshops.com. read more

Best camp ever! My daughter and I absolutely loved it. Talented kids and coaches make this camp super worth it. We did westside story and it was awesome... read more

My daughter's 16 and 8 are so EXCITED to perform and mentor on Matilda this summer! The many Westside locations make this camp super convenient (West LA, El Segundo, Redondo Beach and more). My older daughter has experience in theatre and musicals and is looking forward to helping the younger kids on and backstage through the Jr Counselor Camp program. My 8 yr old is thrilled to perform because of friends from softball that have highly praised the program. It's nice that PAW summer camps have so many options for kids of different ages! read more

I have heard nothing but amazing things about PAWS from my mommy friends! Their daughters took part in the musical theater programs this past year and they raved about it! In addition, my son and a handful of his friends will be enrolling in Debate camp this summer. He can't wait for the fun to begin! read more

My daughter attended in summer of 2019 and it was great. Once registration came around for 2020 in January, I jumped at it. I registered in advance and paid in advance for camp for her. However, similar to another review, once Covid hit....they refused to honor the refund despite it being in advance of the deadline. Every other camp or lesson that we had lined up, honored the refunds. To top it off, they will not even respond to my numerous emails. This is a really lousy way to treat repeat camp families. read more

Performing Arts Workshops STAGE FX MAKEUP is the perfect camp for kids who want to learn about makeup and the art behind the craft. The curriculum is totally hands on! Some of the styles the kids will learn are Theatrical & Movie Makeup, Commercial & Glamour, Character & Aging, Fashion, Dia De Los Muertos, and Special Effects Makeup like Creatures, Scars and Zombies. The kids only need to bring their base makeup, while PAW supplies all of the special effects makeup. With only up to 10 children allowed in each session, each child gets a lot of individual attention. Performing Arts Workshops was even named BEST Summer Camp in LA Call (310) 827-8827 or check out the website at PerformingArtsWorkshops.com. read more

My daughter has taken two online classes with PAW and has absolutely loved it! a As a parent, I was very impressed as well. The teachers are engaging and passionate about their subject matter. They encourage each student individually in a way that appeals to them, which I would find incredibly difficult to do virtually, yet it seemed natural to these instructors. One of my favorite moments with my daughter is when she excitedly proclaimed after class songwriting class one day that she overcame her fear of singing and shared her song with the class! She was beaming with pride and confidence! We are both looking forward to more virtual classes and, as a parent, I definitely recommend Performing Arts Workshops for any child interested in performance art! read more

Looking forward to the opportunity for my child to explore his creative side and have a great time!

I have little experience as a camp parent, but I was really happy when my daughter returned after her first day of Musical Theatre. She talked about all the new friends she had made and how excited she was to return the next day. Her goal before the camp was to make a friend and have a good time. This was a new experience, and she surprised us during her performance. It was one of those moments when you watched your child step out of their comfort zone and rise to the occasion. I wasn't prepared for the emotions I would go through as we laughed at the comedic moments in the show and, more importantly, how I marveled at her transformation in such little time. Her teachers poured all of their knowledge into her as she learned what seemed like a book full of lines, songs, and dance routines in a week's time for the two-week session. She was also signed up for photography and was able to produce many intriguing photos. This was a summer that marked tremendous growth for my little one. As a lover of the arts, I am happy this was our first camp experience. read more

unfortunately we did not have a good experience with the camp. PAW at west LA was extremely crowded. Only a few got chosen a role, all the rest (about 40 kids) were sharing 2 roles. My 6 year old had learnt nothing, and did not enjoy the experience there at all. What a shame. We live so close. And was hoping this could be a regular activity for year-round. read more

My now 8 year old daughter went to the Musical Theater camp for the first time last year and she loved it! The performance at the end of the session was so great. I found all of the counselors to be very nice and accommodating. She is going again this Summer to both musical theater and Camp WOW. We look forward to another positive experience. read more

My daughter (Harper, 5) will be attending the summer camp this summer - she is attending the Musical Theatre session of the camp and I am extremely excited for her to be able to spend time with other kids and instructors that also love the arts! She has been "performing" for everyone that will watch since she could walk/talk, while I've put her in several different activities & sports, dance and art base activities are the ones she enjoys the most! So I am very excited for her to attend a theatre summer camp now that she is old enough! She is trying the musical theatre summer camp this year, but I am excited for her to possibly try out another camp the following year, in case your kiddo has different interests, they have the following camps for them to try out: - Musical Theatre Camp - Rock The Mic Camp - Photography Camp - LOL Camp (comedy) - Filmmaking Camp - Magic Camp - Guitar Camp - Stage Makeup Camp - Debate Camp How much fun! Also - where were all these amazing camps when I was a kid?!? :) For any parents that might want to have their child attend, but can't quite swing it financially (like me), or just want their child to attend several sessions, they offer a PAW Ambassador Program that allows you to trade your time (spreading the word to other parents) for a great discount on your child's camp tuition! I am EXTREMELY thankful for this program, as a single mom, I work to ensure my daughter is able to do all the activities she would be able to do if we were in a different financial situation. Thank you to the PAW team for thinking of this great program to allow parents to contribute their time to put towards their child's tuition! So far, this program has worked well for me in putting in my hours when I can and the PAW camp even checks in with me to see if I have any questions and provided me with a box full of materials - flyers and discount coupons to hand out to fellow parents to raise the awareness of the program! If you are interested in learning more about this program, please check out the link here - https://performingartsworkshops.com/paw-ambassador-scholarships/ read more

BEST SUMMER CAMP EVER!!! My two sons have attended these camps for years, first at the El Segundo location, then West LA. The performances have been so unique and amazing, the staff are wonderful, and most of all, my kids love it and have fun! Originally they were spending their summers at a combination of the local parks & rec program and pricey sports camps. I saw this a few years back as a fun and affordable option and bunged them in it for a session, even though they had no background in, or even interest in, theater. It was a good price and it was right by my house, and I heard great things from their school. And wow. WOW! After the first show the boys asked to go back. And again the next summer. Then it was "of course we're doing PAW again, right?" My older son went from shy and hiding to standing up on a stage in front of people with ease. (He explained to me about the position of his feet and what improv was and what the instructors said to everyone when they were nervous.) My younger son, the ham, was happy playing on stage . . . and four weeks in camp did more for him than a year of speech therapy!!! (Enunciation drills and vocal exercises and FINALLY he's learned the difference between "indoor voice" and . . . "It's called projection, mom.") I love hearing them talk about all their workshops. Writing TV commercials and learning to dance. I didn't care about the theatrical side. But I wanted them in something creative. This camp encourages them constantly to come up with new things. To imagine harder, and broader, and wider. THIS is how I want them spending their summer. The teachers at the camp, all the teachers, are great. And yes, they know how to work with kids! Including ahem two brothers who don't always get along. I read the other review and then asked, and all the PAW teachers have a lot of experience teaching their art form to kids. It's a lovely change from the teenagers who abound in parks & rec. I recommend this camp really, REALLY highly. Now excuse me while I go try to arrange our family vacation around all the shows the kids want to do this year! read more

At the beginning of summer, My wife and I were so sad to not have our daughter's first experience with musical theater be in person due to Covid. As it turned out, Performing Arts Workshops has been an amazing experience for our Abigail! I was skeptical at first with our 6 year old daughter who had a hard time staying engaged on zoom at the end of her kindergarten school year. However, the staff at PAW are outstanding in keeping the program engaging, fun and exciting! She absolutely loves Mr. Joey and looks forward to every Young Dancers Workshop he teaches! She also has been taking Ms. Angela and Mr. Joey's Young Singers Workshop which has really brought up her confidence in her singing. Ms. Angela is incredibly talented and with Mr. Joey's energetic and goofy persona Abigail is engaged and is having a blast while learning about characters, storylines and acting in musical theater. This experience has been such a light for our family during a challenging time. read more

I plan to enroll my 5 year old daughter in the camp this summer. This is our first summer she will not be in a preschool summer program. I had a lot of questions and gave the main office a call. They were happy to answer all my questions. I elected to participate in the ambassador program. With each interaction the positive energy was the same. I'm looking forward to having my daughter start her summer session. read more

My daughter did the musical theater camp in Pasadena this year. While she enjoyed the camp's activities and the staff, the location was very difficult for me as a working parent and for my daughter. Temps during the 2 weeks she was there were close to 100 degrees in Pasadena, and there's no a/c in the auditorium of the location (Throop Church). My daughter came home everyday talking about how hot it was from lunchtime on, and her cheeks were always flushed and hair looked sweaty. During the show/performance on the last day, I was sweating as I sat in there watching the show, so I definitely understood what she felt everyday. Yes, they have a couple fans, but it was still VERY hot in there. Also, there's no parking for parents for drop off/pick up, and you have to find a place to park on the street. And, there's no parking allowed by the city on the street right in front! So, it meant parking down a block or two or three, and walking in and back for the morning and for the afternoon. I was always rushing to/from work, so this added to the usual stress of the morning. Other comments are correct that there are a lot of kids, so my kid (like most of the kids) had a part with shared/group lines. read more

We love PAW! It's such a special place to play.. and learn and have fun and perform. We have been three years in a row. I have read the bad reviews and am so surprised! It doesn't make any sense to me. We are huge fans of this program and so are everyone I know who have sent their kids! My son who is now 9 just LOVES this program. There are a lot of kids but everyone has a role.. and they add roles and amend characters from the original musicals so that as many kids as possible get solo lines. I have only ever found the staff super fun, engaging, and really kind. The shows have always been amazing. Better than ever expected in 2 weeks! I can't believe what these kids learn in the time they are there. My son gets bored easily and he tells me there is never a dull moment. They also have early drop off. My kiddo would do every show they have if he could! Highly recommend. read more

Updated review for MUSICAL THEATER camp. Everything that I've said in my original review is still true. Being in the musical theater camp has changed my life. It's super fun and it's just amazing putting a show together. I've met so many people and the staff has been there to encourage me along the way to break out of my comfort zone. There is new staff this year, and this new staff is definitely overqualified to be your child's new camp counselors. (And yes, Gerri is gone. Thank goodness.) Megan, Aaron, Jannet, Alyssa, etc. are all wonderful to work with and they know how to put a good show together. And yes, Aaron even starts the show at 2 and I promise you that you will be out by 3:15. In regards to the other reviews, if you actually read them most of them are about the office and them canceling sessions (these are usually smaller ones like photo and makeup). The office pixies have updated the website this year and they have specifically stated which weeks are going to be happening in which location. They have learned from their mistakes. The other reviews have nothing to do with the actual camp experience. And warning to parents: the younger your child is, the smaller the role. Let's be reasonable: they're not going to make a 5 or 6-year-old the lead and make her memorize 30+ lines. Each part is actually fair, and your child will get a chance to shine no matter what part they are in (in Act One, they play a game where all of them will have lines). (I still think there are flaws to having 5-year-olds in the play though: it would have been better if the camp ran from, let's say, 7-16.) The following statement is for the JR. COUNSELOR program. Don't become a Jr. Counselor. You're doing the exact same thing as the counselors but you're not getting paid. No, you actually have to PAY to be a Jr. Counselor. When you turn 15, find another camp or just stay home. At that age, it's better to just stay home and study for school. TL;DR: This camp is great for your 5-14 year-old child. It's a lot of fun and definitely deserves more stars than it currently has. Just don't become a Jr. Counselor. read more

I wanted to find a local summer acting camp on the west side of Los Angeles for my god-daughter who just turned 11. She is enamored with acting and singing so I wanted to get more information about the local summer camps in the area. I called Performing Arts Workshops as I was referred by a friend from Redondo Beach, who said they had camps throughout Los Angeles. I called and spoke with Lisa in the office. I had a zillion questions as I was referred through my friend but did not know of the many programs available. Lisa was so patient with me, answered all my questions, and educated me on the many camps available. Lisa coached me through the process of making sure I discussed the options with my God Daughter; and after doing so, she is thrilled to be starting the musical theatre camp of Snow Queen at the end of July! She is so excited, and I am too. : read more

Don't even waste your time enrolling your child in this program. Leah Smith-Enciso is so unprofessional and rude. I was trying to ask her if she minded giving me all the details about the camp so I could determine what time I should pick. She got an attitude instantly and then she hung the phone up. So I said maybe we got disconnected and I'll try again. I called back and then Sam answered the phone and she hung it up too. What kind of childish games are these animals playing? It's absolutely a shame. That was totally uncalled for. I don't know why people lie in your face but if they don't know who you are over the phone; you get to see their true side. They should be fired immediately so people can get the true customer service they deserve. read more

The Musical Theatre Program culminating in a show on the last day of a two week camp is amazing! This would be my kids 5th years attending PAW. Its what is most looked forward to all year and by far the most Favourite activity over the summer. The level of professionalism is outstanding. The kids really feel like they're training for a professional show and the performances are so wonderful. whether your child has dreams of the state or just wants fun, PAW covers it all~~~ read more

My daughter had a fantastic experience in the musical theater camp last summer. She was only 6 and most theater camps aren't open to kids that young. PAWs found a constructive way to integrate the kids of all ages. She loved being part of the group with the big kids, learning the play, and was so excited to perform. I was impressed with how the plays were adapted to include everyone and be accessible to all ages. After the session ended I had signed my daughter up for a parks and rec camp, but she begged me to do more musical theater so I switched her into another PAWS camp session so she could do another play. She says it's all she wants to do this summer so we are going back for more. I've recommended the camp to a lot of friends and have two who sent their daughters last year too, and they loved it and are going back again this summer. A really good experience for my family. read more

Paws has consistently shown their talent and goals for the campers as each year's play or learning module has been wonderful to see the child's improvement and self esteem increase in ways no other camp can with their dedicated and caring staff. read more

My daughter (now 9) has done the musical theatre camp two years in a row and has requested to do it again next summer. Even though she is shy and doesn't fit the stereotype of a theatre kid, she really enjoyed her camp experience. She made good friends and liked all the counselors, who had seemingly endless enthusiasm and energy. Her older brother enjoyed the show (Wicked adaptation) so much that he too now wants to do the camp next summer. I especially recommend the camp for older kids (who tend to get meatier roles). She or he doesn't have to be talented, but will still enjoy themselves. read more

I feel bad writing this because I know they mean well, but my kids also did not have a good time at this camp last summer. I was so excited because we finally found a camp they could both attend together that was somewhat affordable. I agree with the poster below, the location (Pasadena) was rough, dangerously hot inside, and parking was such an issue that we were basically shamed daily because our group was taking the spots of another school and we were made to feel that we had no right to be there. The real issue for us however was the inexperience of the staff. While, they were nice and good at coaching theater, I don't think they have much experience with young children (pre-school/kinder age). My 5 year old had a really hard time sitting still for long periods of time and the staff seemed surprised and shocked. While some of the young ones could sit still, we were made to feel like my son was abnormal or bad, when it's perfectly normal for a pre-schooler to have a hard time with this. He also spun around during a dance recital and bumped into some kids and they threatened to expel him. I'm not kidding. They used the word "expel" and wanted to kick a 5 year old kid out of camp. I know it might sound like I'm delusional and my kid was totally out of control, but I swear this was not the case. It was heart-breaking for my kid to feel like he wasn't accepted there. The dance teacher in particular didn't seem experienced with this age group as she suggested he "couldn't complete the program" and he should drop out. I feel like if you are going to have 4 and 5 year olds at your camp, you should have a staff member assigned to these kids that is experienced with pre-school age developmental behaviors. Overall, it plain just wasn't fun for either of my kids and they don't want to return. Camp should be fun. :( read more

I signed up my almost 7 year old for a two week summer camp in musical theater. He was utterly bored most days as they work with the older kids and left the younger kids to sit and watch. The "after care" they provided was literally having the kids stay in large room where they had to entertain themselves. I was hoping that he would have a least one line in the "play'! I expected so much more for my money. Definately not for younger kids and it would be appropriate if they upped the minimum age. read more

I too was looking forward to this camp for my four year old for weeks in advance. Then they called me the Friday morning before the camp was to begin on Monday to cancel saying there weren't enough kids signed up for his class. My problem isn't about enrollment but about why they called me at the last minute. Surely they could've seen there weren't any other kids signed up by a few days or even a week before. I could've signed him up for something else for that week. Now I have to scramble for an alternative... If anything else is still available. read more

I meant to post last summer, but better late than never. I signed up my 8 year old for camp in February. And then right before camp was about to start in the summer, they called me to drop the bomb that the class was cancelled due to lack of enrollment. For working parents on the Westside, you know how hard it is to find a back up camp so late in the game. They offered a different camp at the same site (which my child wasn't interested in at all) or a refund. That's little solace when you are a working mom looking at two weeks of unaccounted for childcare. It's completely unprofessional to wait until the last minute to inform registered (and paid) families of cancellations. I have NEVER encountered anything like this in the many summer camps my children have been enrolled in over the years. I hope the camp management read this and rethink how they do business. read more

This is poorly run, all the other bad reviews ring true. The extended care is a complete joke. No supervision, just a total free-for-all. And once you've paid in full, the office management is particularly bad, disorganized and not accommodating. Avoid at all costs. read more

My daughter loves this camp. The director at the West LA location, Angela, is the most energetic camp counselor we have ever encountered. She always keeps the kids engaged and excited. We have done it the last two summers and my daughter wants to keep going back. All her friends want to do the camp now too. The kids learn a lot of fun acting and dancing games. I do have one criticism of this location in particular. There is no stage. There are a lot of kids performing at once, and you cannot see the kids in the back at all. That's a little disheartening after your kid has worked very hard for two weeks and you have paid A LOT of money. If you're trying to take pictures or videos, you can't see the kids in the back. I see pictures on the website of stages at other locations. I wish they could fix that part at this location because it is by far the most convenient for us. Either that or allow less kids into the camp. It seems like too many up there at once and too crowded. It's the reason I didn't give it five stars. All in all a great experience though. read more

My daughter and her friend went to this camp last summer. First thing that bothered me was their lack of security. It was disorganized and overbooked with campers. The instructor was complaining she didn't have enough help and didn't know what to do. Both girls were bored and most of the campers were on their phones or iPads. I emailed the owner and she didn't respond. (I left her messages as well and still no response.) With all the camp choices around, you would be wise to look elsewhere. read more