Celebrating our 5th Decade!
Grumbling Gryphons Theater Arts Summer Camp!
Rumsey Hall Camp
Monday, July 15th - Thursday, July 18th
Click here to register for Rumsey Hall Camp
2024 Theater Camp
Monday, July 29th - Saturday, August 3rd
Click here to register for the annual Theater Camp
Berkshire Taconic Susan Fillman Scholarship Fund.
Theater Camp 2023
Director's Note
Dear Wonderful Theater Campers & Counselors 2023, Actors, Musicians, Artists & Families!
Thank you all! We had a ball! A mad tea party extravaganza!
Thank you parents & grandparents for all your help! The food & snacks were delicious! Thank you Jane Hall & all those that helped at Town Hall in prep & clean up!
All actors & Musicians, Bravo!
Despite the HEAT, everyone was a true TROUPER! So thanks & a million and Let's do TWO weeks next year!
Many Thanks,
Leslie Elias - Artistic Director
"Our daughter had nothing short of a magical experience with the Grumbling Gryphons' this summer. In just one short week, she learned how to work together as a team to put up the full-length, extremely delightful and very funny play, "The Mixed Up Fairytale." Our daughter especially loved the opportunity to work with children of a wide range of ages--the older, more experienced campers providing her with both inspiration and encouragement, and the younger, less experienced friends offering her the chance to support and encourage them in turn.
Our daughter loved the chance to perform at the beautiful stage at Cornwall Town Hall, but what I think she will cherish most about her experience is the warm, caring, and joyful environment created by Leslie during each rehearsal day. Leslie's work with children is so special because she clearly loves and respects each child. She is always ready and willing to listen to the ideas that the children might have about their character, the play, or the production as a whole. Rather than just asking them to memorize lines and deliver them, Leslie instead consults the children throughout the production process, very likely fostering and encouraging a number of future directors (as well as actors) in the process. In the world of children's theater, this aspect of Leslie's teaching and directorial style is unique, and serves to provide the children with a wonderful sense of empowerment. Needless to say, we can't wait to see what productions and workshops Leslie comes up with next for her wonderful community, and we will certainly be among the first to sign our oh so eager 8-year-old up!"
- Whitney May, Parent of a 2023 Theater Camper
"The performance was remarkable. I can’t believe the kids accomplished so much in just one week. Can’t wait to see what they do next year!" - Carolyn Warner, Grandmother
Growing Wings 2023
"Thanks again for a great week, the kids had a really wonderful time and we’re all still singing the songs we learned." - Breetel Graves, Parent
"The little Gryphons were great!" - Laszlo Gyorsok, Photographer
Special Thanks to Laszlo for the excellent photos!
2022 Theater Camp is a Success!
Bravo to our 2022 Summer Theater Campers, staff, artists, musicians, parents, grandparents & volunteers who helped make our summer theater camp performances full of life, joy and learning!
This year's Theater Camp was covered in an article for the Register Citizen!
"Grumbling Gryphons theater camp was the highlight of my son’s summer. He has begged us to go back to 'Greek camp' since the program ended. He loved learning ASL, Greek, mythology, and all about preparing and putting on a play. At camp, he found other imaginative and curious kids who loved the ancient stories as much as he did. We’ll definitely be coming back next year-
thank you Leslie & your entire team for this experience."
- Parent of a 2022 Theater Camper
Dear Friends & Community,
We had a wonderful weeklong theater camp and two performances at Falls Village Children's Theater and Gryphon Headquarters in Cornwall! Bravo everyone! Thank you for your help and support! Here are photos & videos to share with you!
Special Thanks to Laszlo for the excellent photos and video!
Take a peek!
See even more photos from the performance on Lazlo's website.
"Again, what a great job with the play Leslie!" - Lazlo
Here are some additional photos from our Cast party gathering by the Lake!
"Dear Leslie, We loved spending time with you and other cast mates from grumbling gryphons last Saturday. Thank you so much for organizing such a great afternoon. The photo montage and trailer were so much fun to watch; Jonathan did an amazing job. Alex and Grace had so much fun at the beach too, and we all loved your zucchini bread. Thank you for the memories!
Best wishes & hope to see you again soon, Kristina"
A Selection of photos from past Theater Camps
Theater Camp Reviews
From Peg Keskinen, Audience Member, West Cornwall, CT
Recently I had the pure pleasure of attending a production of Leslie Elias’s Grumbling Gryphons Traveling Children’s Theater, “The Snow Queen.” Replete with goblins, dancing snow flakes, adorable polar bears, flowers, ravens, princes and princesses, robbers, frogs, bats, doves — you get the idea!... Read More »
From Matthew Short, Audience Member, Kent, CT
We had been in Cornwall Bridge visiting family for only a few hours when it became clear that the place to be that evening as the heat finally receded would be seated in attendance at a performance of Saint George and The Dragon... Read More »
Parent Comments
The first time I saw the Grumbling Gryphons was about 20 years ago as a child. They came to my school and did a performance of Anansi the Spider. To this day I remember some of the songs. So I knew when I saw the flyer for Grumbling Gryphons summer camp, that this was something I wanted my children to be a part of. My 4 year old and I attended the 3 day session together, I cannot express how thankful I am that we did this program. Not only did my son and I bond, but we came out feeling positive and alive. Leslie is enchanting with her array of songs and puppets. She looked onto every child with a smile and a positive thought, letting them feel confident in her presence. We had so much fun with the other children and mothers, it was so sad for it to end. My daughter is attending the week long session and I am so excited, I know that she will flourish under the constant smile of Leslie. I am so grateful that my children are getting a chance to be a part of something so grand!
-- Sabrina Leifert
At Grumbling Grphypons camp, the kids have a blast. My 10 year old daughter Sarah has been participating in various Grumbling Gryphons workshops and summer theatre camp for the past four years. Everytime she performs with Leslie Elias, she tells me “Dad, this has been so much fun!” As a parent the best thing I can say is that Leslie Elias and her staff coach these kids with real professional acting, singing and dancing skills while helping each to assert themselves in a unique and creative way. She not only gets the kids to memorize their lines but gives them a rich and memorable experience. Cloaked in animal costumes as giraffes, elephants and zebras, or bees the kids are given the opportunity to step out of the ordinary routine, to become something new and different on stage. From their voices, accents, and facial/hand expressions, it is evident that the skills developed here and the quality of the end production go hand in hand.
-- Ivan Brice AIA
My grandson attended the Grumbling Gryphons theater camp last summer, coming down from the Boston area to stay with us for the week. I have never seen him quite so excited about any other activity; Leslie and her wonderful co-teachers inspire such creativity, delight and wonderful imaginative experiences in the kids, as well as the production of an amazing performance at the end of the week, which requires discipline, focus and practice. In this age of computers, video games, and too many toys that abort the imaginative play that is so essential to kids developing in a healthy way, I believe Leslie, with her talent, great warmth and truly wonderful way with kids, provides something for them that is quite special and essential. Aidan will be back, and I hope the Grumbling Gryphons will continue this offering for years so that many others may partake of it. I would recommend it to anyone without reservation.
-- Sharon Charde
"Hi Leslie, You have no idea how HAPPY and ENGAGED and MOTIVATED you made the children. They said “We better be able to come back next year!” You are so talented and had a wonderful group. You must be thrilled with all the positive feedback. It truly was PURE MAGIC. Thank you so very much for your incredible hard work & dedication & talent. You surely transformed my grand niece and nephews' lives. What a show! What a week!"
-- Sally Cook
Thank You so much for including Niya in the camp. What a fabulous production and a wonderful all around experience for Niya. She really loves the stage. ...You truly are an amazingly talented playwright and stage director...oh and composer!! Leslie, many many heartfelt thanks!! Can't wait for the next season!!
-- Becca Conn
Video highlights from Theater Camp!
Grumbling Gryphons - Highlights From St George & The Dragon from Craig Norton Media on Vimeo.
Summer Camp 2020
Download the Summer Camp Week Two Registration Form
Grumbling Gryphons Two Theater Camps WILL be held July 13-17 and August 3-8th!
Week One: July 13th, 14th, 16th and 17th (9:30 AM to 12:30 PM)
Anansi -The Trickster Spider: A West African Folktale- Theater Arts Camp
Join the troupe of Grumbling Gryphons actors, musicians and staff for a fun week-long exciting theater camp centered around the story of Anansi, the clever and trickster spider from West Africa. In this hilarious and time-honored story, Anansi manages to trick the various animals of the jungle and retrieve the stolen stories from Nyame- the greedy sky god of the Ashanti people.
During the first two mornings, children will engage in acting, singing, dancing, and arts and crafts activities including mask making. They will learn a variety of dramatic roles to perform with Grumbling Gryphons in two special Zoom performances of Anansi- The Trickster Spider to be performed on July 16th and 17th for select library audiences in Monroe and Greenwich. The camp will give children the opportunity to become part of a professional children’s theater, make new friends and learn more about Anansi and his adventures as they take on the roles of the animals in the jungle including bees, lions, monkeys, crocodiles and more!
Camp will take place at Grumbling Gryphons headquarters in West Cornwall, CT at the director’s home. COVID-19 protocol will be carefully practiced at all times. Please reserve your spot by Monday July 6th by emailing- grumblinggryphons@gmail.com or call (860) 672-0286. The total cost for the camp is $125.00. Partial scholarships are available for those in need of financial assistance.
Grumbling Gryphons is renowned for its fantastic masks and captivating costumes, made by Ellen Moon of Cornwall, CT, and for its innovative interaction with children. Grumbling Gryphons has been performing in schools, museums, libraries, and festivals throughout the United States since 1980. In recent years, they have performed at the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Mystic Seaport in Mystic, the American Museum of Natural History and Lincoln Center in New York City, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Maine State Music Theater in Brunswick, Maine. In 2003 Grumbling Gryphons won the Connecticut Governor’s Arts Award. Artistic Director Leslie Elias is the winner of the 2018 Connecticut Arts Hero Award as well as the 2018 Culture Max Award given by the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council. Grumbling Gryphons is now celebrating 40 years of touring and teaching!
Limited to ten children ages 6 and up. To register, or for further assistance, please contact Artistic Director Leslie Elias at grumblinggryphons@gmail.com or call (860) 672-0286.
More information coming soon on Summer Theater Camp Week Two - August 3 - 8, 2020!
View the program for The Story of Grandmother Turtle
View the program for The Snow Queen
View photos of the performance taken by Lazlo Gyorsok of photography by lazlo
From Peg Keskinen, West Cornwall, Connecticut, August 2019
Recently I had the pure pleasure of attending a production of Leslie Elias’s Grumbling Gryphons Traveling Children’s Theater, “The Snow Queen.” Replete with goblins, dancing snow flakes, adorable polar bears, flowers, ravens, princes and princesses, robbers, frogs, bats, doves — you get the idea!….. Creativity, joy and theater magic were everywhere to be seen and felt in this happy performance. What fun!
Leslie Elias was the 2018 winner of the CT Governor’s Arts Award as well as the NW CT Arts Council Award for Arts Education. Next year will be her fortieth (40th!) year as Director, founder, and guiding creative spirit of the wonderful Grumbling Gryphons — an achievement to honor and a milestone to celebrate! Congratulations, Leslie!
REGISTER NOW!!!
If you are interested in applying for an Arts Fund for Region One scholarship, please visit www.berkshiretaconic.org to fill out an application. Questions may be directed to Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation at 413-229-0370 or Linda Peppe at dvpeppe@snet.net or at 860-824-5774.
Praise for the 2017 Summer Camp
We had a wonderful day on Sunday! We all loved the performance and the chance to have the dragon and the lady on the green together was very special. -Sheila Botein
View the program from the performance.
View the Lakeville Journal Compass article from July 27, 2017 about the camp!
Presenting: Grumbling Gryphons Theater Camp 2016: View Interviews/ Pre-Show of "The Mixed Up Fairytale”
Part 1: A Mixed Up Fairytale: Pre-show production and Interview video
Part 2: Grumbling Gryphons Theater Camp 2016 Performance of “The Mixed Up Fairytale” excerpt video
Praise for the 2016 Summer Camp
"Dearest Leslie, WOW! What an incredible Grumbling Gryphons camp you provided for the kids this summer. The show was absolutely brilliant (as always). The 3 Williams kids had THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES. -Sally Cook
View the program and cast of characters.
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2016 Summer Camp
June 27th-July 4th
“The Mixed Up Fairytale: A Wild and Wonderful Weave of Fantasy and Fiction!”
Public Performance to take place on Monday, July 4th, 2016 11:00 a.m. at Cornwall Town Hall 24 Pine Street Cornwall, CT 06753
June 27th-July 4th
Full day session from 9:30am to 3:00pm ($375.00 for 8 full days)
Half day morning session from 9:30am to 12:00pm ($175 for 8 half days)
Half day afternoon session from 12:30pm to 3:00pm ($175 for 8 half days)
Special Discounts for Siblings! $50.00 per additional child.
For Further information call Leslie Elias-Director at 860-672-0286 or e-mail grumblinggryphons@gmail.com
Listen to Leslie Elias speak with Marshall Miles on Robin Hood Radio about this summer's camp!
Praise for the 2015 Summer Camp
"Hi Leslie, You have no idea how HAPPY and ENGAGED and MOTIVATED you made the children. They said “We better be able to come back next year!” You are so talented and had a wonderful group. You must be thrilled with all the positive feedback. It truly was PURE MAGIC. Thank you so very much for your incredible hard work & dedication & talent. You surely transformed my grand niece an nephews' lives. What a show! What a week!" -Sally Cook
Thank You so much for including Niya in the camp. What a fabulous production and a wonderful all around experience for Niya. She really loves the stage. ….You truly are an amazingly talented playwright and stage director...oh and composer!! Leslie, many many heartfelt thanks!! Can't wait for the next season!!
-Becca Conn (mother of camper)
A Creative Arts Workshop Week combining music, dance, drama and art. Children will help create an original script and performance based on the children’s book The 13 Clocks by Cornwall author and satirist James Thurber. Children will help design and make their own costumes and scenery inspired by illustrations by Cornwall artist Marc Simont.
Please join us for "The 13 Clocks", an original dramatic adaptation of James Thurber's book. Performed by the 2015 Grumbling Gryphons Theater Arts Campers!
Camp Director Review
When Leslie ran her Grumbling Gryphons Drama 
Camp for our summer program, she continually involved her campers in as many aspects of drama as possible. She encouraged them to take multiple roles in the production they worked on throughout the week, as well as creating masks to wear during the performance. Our whole camp loved their production of "Anansi - The Trickster Spider: A West African Folktale." Leslie guided her younger campers through their roles while also allowing her older campers to take charge of the roles they were given. She created an interactive production that promoted audience involvement.
-- Chris Snyder, Camp Brodie Director
Grumbling Gryphons is the winner of the 2003 Connecticut Governor’s Arts Award, the highest award one can achieve in this state. Founded in 1980, the Gryphons have been performing in schools, theaters, festivals, museums and libraries for 30 years.
Grumbling Gryphons is a 501(c) 3 non-profit tax-exempt organization and contributions are welcome and fully tax-deductible.