Experience Tales Texts & Theater
Faculty
Etienne Cakpo
West African Dance
Etienne Cakpo (he/him) is an award-winning professional dancer, choreographer and musician from Benin, West Africa. He is specialized in instruction and performance of traditional African dance from Benin as well as contemporary African dance styles, and has been building his dance repertoire for nearly thirty years. He is director of Gansango Music & Dance, a dance company registered in Washington State.…
Maude Eisele
Faculty
Maude is a founding ensemble member of Saltfire Theatre in Port Townsend. Her passion for collaborative theatre has brought her into many theatre ensembles over the years: from Poor Players, a bold and wacky Shakespeare ensemble rehearsing in the shadows of Balboa Park in San Diego…to world and regional premiers with the Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company…to the Colorado Shakespeare Company’s touring troupe’s explorations of bullying behavior and its remedies through Shakespeare’s words.…
Rebecca Elatiki
Faculty
Rebecca is a Moroccan-American singer-songwriter, heavily influenced by spiritual and folk traditions from the Middle East/North Africa, South America, as well as contemporary music genres from the West. Born to a classically trained opera singer and a natively born Moroccan father, she brings a unique blend of vocal techniques, and influences. She has facilitated music for concerts, retreats around the world, festivals, sound journeys, and hosts songwriting groups for both youth and adults.…
Margie McDonald
Faculty
Margie McDonald is the artistic director for the Port Townsend Wearable Art Show now heading into its sixth year.
Margie’s work in Wearable art and sculpture has been exhibited in the New Zealand World of Wearable Art Exhibition, Bainbridge Island Art Museum, Museum of Northwest Art, Northwind Arts Center and Simon Mace Gallery.
Myco Robinson
Faculty
Myco Robinson is a Washington born and raised fiber arts educator and eclectic artist. With over 19 years of experience teaching felting with wool locally and globally. Passionate about working with youth and supporting the inherent creativity in every person. They are an ardent weaver of whimsy and delight. As director and lead instructor of Wild Child Arts Education, they run themed kids camps and afterschool programming throughout the Olympic Peninsula. …
Jesse Watson
Faculty
Born in an Underground Railroad house, Jesse Joshua Watson now lives with his wife and sons in Port Townsend, WA. His art has been in 38 Children’s Books, on dozens of book covers, featured in magazines, concert posters, album covers and in galleries and museums up and down the west coast as well as NYC.…
Workshop
Beginning each day with a core subject, students get an in-depth concentration on a genre of their choice. Then they explore by learning about other art forms in their other three classes, seeing how the different arts interconnect.
Each afternoon, the core artist faculty show and talk about the work they do. At the end of the week, students share their creative experiments with the community in a student showcase performance.
2026 Class Descriptions
Giant Puppets with Margie McDonald
Bring Giants to life. Students will work together to create large puppets using simple materials such as cardboard, wire, fabric, sticks and tape. The Giants come to life on stage for Friday’s Student Showcase, accompanied by an invented narrative.
Songwriting and Self Expression with Rebecca Elatiki
Whether you’re new to music or singing, you’re welcome to show up as you are and explore your voice through songwriting. We'll work collaboratively to create a song, with each student contributing their ideas—whether through lyrics, melody, or song structure. Together, we’ll dive into music, melody, singing, and spoken word as avenues for self-exploration and expression. The goal of this class is to empower each student's voice and creativity. No experience needed — just bring your imagination and a willingness to try something new!
Felting with Myco Robinson
Learn how to bring mythological creatures to life through the tactile art of needle felting. Each class of students will have the opportunity to work with a variety of animal fibers. Blending colors and textured materials. Chosen creatures may be found in ancient fables, mythology, modern stories or created from the students imagination. A pop up gallery will showcase their work at the end of camp.
Theater Creation with Maude Eisele
Explore a variety of theatrical means for telling stories. Our emphasis will be on playful exploration that employs the poetic body, voice, and imagination to create brand new, collaborative works of theater. Participants will wear a variety of creative hats, including actor, director, and writer. All levels of experience welcome and encouraged!
West African Dance with Etienne Cakpo
Learn basic dance moves and drum rhythms from the Benin-Ghana coastal region of West Africa. This class is appropriate for boys and girls of all experience levels. The dances have graceful and strong movements that require undulation of the back and bending of the knees. Dances integrate traditional, social and spiritual dances as well as modern movements commonly found across West African countries.
Painting with Jesse Watson
Want to jump into your own portal to anywhere? Not a problem! Never painted? Not a problem! Learn easy tips and tricks on how to paint your own landscapes and more from an artist who has spent a lifetime making all the art mistakes so you don't have to. Use a paintbrush like a pro in no time. Make color work for you! Find out how much fun it is to paint in this workshop with Jesse Joshua Watson.
FAQ
What to Bring & What Not to Bring
Cell phones and electronic devices are not allowed at Centrum Youth Programs. In case of emergency, Centrum's program manager and staff carry phones and will notify you as soon as possible. You may leave a message for your student at any time with Program Manager Alyssa de Leon (360) 385-3102 x120. You will receive contact information in an email prior to the start of the program.
Lunch is provided. The safety and comfort of your children is our highest priority. Meals at Fort Worden State Park feature locally-grown, organically-produced food prepared to the highest standards at the Fort Worden Commons.
If you have any more questions about Tales, Texts, and Theater, please contact Alyssa de Leon at 360-385-3102, x120, or adeleon@centrum (dot) org.
Past Faculty
Yaw Amponsah
West African Drumming
Yaw Amponsah is a master percussionist from Ghana. Coming from a musical family from West Africa he is at home in the world of rhythm. A versatile player, Yaw can play many styles of music from Ghana including Highlife, Agbadja, Kpanlogo and more. His specialty is the music of the multi-part percussion ensembles of the Ashanti people.…
Etienne Cakpo
West African Dance
Etienne Cakpo (he/him) is an award-winning professional dancer, choreographer and musician from Benin, West Africa. He is specialized in instruction and performance of traditional African dance from Benin as well as contemporary African dance styles, and has been building his dance repertoire for nearly thirty years. He is director of Gansango Music & Dance, a dance company registered in Washington State.…
Danielle Fodor
Faculty
Danielle Fodor is a visual artist who works with the communities and individuals to create vibrant visions of today and tomorrow. She has worked with hundreds of volunteers to paint murals and public plazas, designed giant puppets and banners, and written and illustrated indie comics and zines. Her work transforms people and places by celebrating common ground, expressing unspoken emotions, and nourishing the connections between people, place, and the natural world.…
Margie McDonald
Faculty
Margie McDonald is the artistic director for the Port Townsend Wearable Art Show now heading into its sixth year.
Margie’s work in Wearable art and sculpture has been exhibited in the New Zealand World of Wearable Art Exhibition, Bainbridge Island Art Museum, Museum of Northwest Art, Northwind Arts Center and Simon Mace Gallery.
Marisol Rosa-Shapiro
Faculty
Marisol Rosa-Shapiro is a New York and Seattle-based performer, director, teaching artist, and creator of original works of theater. She is a graduate of Princeton University and of Giovanni Fusetti’s Lecoq-based Helikos School of Theatre Creation in Florence, Italy. Her specialties include mask theater, mime, clown, commedia dell’arte, improvisation, physical comedy, movement-and ensemble-based creation and more.…
Angie Tabor
Faculty
Angie Tabor (they/them) is a performing musician, music educator and composer based in Port Townsend, WA. They are known for being highly versatile, performing with jazz ensembles, symphony orchestras, music theater productions, and Top 40 & tribute acts. They can also be heard performing on steelpans with their Caribbean-infused trio, Caribe. As a music educator, they have taught grades K-12 and college.…
