About 50 Girl Scouts recently learned the basics of drama as part of a weeklong day camp on the grounds of the Indiana Veterans' Home.

The collaboration between the Girl Scouts and Civic Theater of Greater Lafayette culminated in an original play, Free to Be Me. The camp for ages 5 through high school also included making crafts and collecting school supplies for needy children.

West Lafayette's Madison Koehler, 11, said her favorite part of the camp was working with the drama instructors, Katherine Burke and Courtney McClure.

"We learned about stages, talked about blocking and projecting," said Madison, a Junior Girl Scout entering the sixth grade at Klondike Middle School.

"I liked the interviews we did for the play."

Burke put the play together from information sheets the Girl Scouts filled out. The girls' dreams, hopes, fears, likes and dislikes were woven into the play, which included several songs.

"The play is about what it's like to be a young woman in 2003," said Burke, who has directed several Civic Theater productions.

"I went through the Girl Scouts until I was a Senior Scout. These girls created the play, the whole thing. I hope they have learned that theater is about life, teamwork and using your imagination."

Camp co-director Pat Braun said she wanted to come up with something different for this year's Girl Scout campers.

"We send evaluation slips home every summer, and the top thing the girls wanted was theater," said Braun, who is leader of Troop 411 in West Lafayette.

"Katherine Burke changed the direction. It was supposed to be about doing a play. She actually wrote a play in a few days and rehearsed the girls, who gave a performance."

The play at the Indiana Veterans' Home was watched mostly by parents and relatives. About a dozen residents also enjoyed the 30-minute production.

Lyrics included several positive messages, including "I love to be me," and "I am unique," and "I am independent."

"I had a rough adolescence. The whole social structure of being an adolescent is difficult," Burke said. "It is good to be unique, to be yourself."

McClure, who has acted in Civic Theatre, said the camp was a chance to get valuable experience teaching youngsters. She is a sophomore majoring in elementary education at Butler University.

"I've had girls come up to me saying how this was the best week of their lives and how much this affected them," she said.

"The camp was fun for me, too. I didn't realize it had such an impact on some of the girls. I'm glad I was part of this."