Alexandra Hill dreams not of belting out show tunes on stage, but telling performers where to go and what to do.

Hill, 17, of Arnold, took part in the 2011 Jefferson College High School Performing Arts Workshop over the last two weeks at the school's Fine Arts Building and Theatre on the Hillsboro campus.

Participants in the camp could learn a bit about all the jobs of theater, from clothing design and lighting to singing, dancing and acting. They worked with props and built sets.

At the end of the workshop, the cast and crew were to put on two performances of "Through My Eyes: A Musical Review" for their parents and the general public.

It was Hill's third year at the hands-on, educational workshop, which the college has offered since 2006. It is sponsored by the Jefferson College Speech/Theatre Department, Cultural Council and Continuing Education program.

"I've always done technical," Hill, a Fox High School senior, said. "I just think it's fun to be a behind-the-scenes person. I'd like to do this professionally, be a stage manager or technical director."

While Hill was talking, several boys were on stage learning dance moves to the song "Being a Geek" from the show "13." Out in the theater foyer, a couple of dozen girls were rehearsing the musical number "We Go Together" from "Grease."

In other corners of the building, participants were operating large lights and constructing backdrops.

"I think the workshop is accomplishing what we set out to do," workshop director Jane Sullivan said. "The first day, they were constructing the set. They're gathering costumes. They're singing and dancing. They're writing lines of dialogue to serve as a bridge between numbers."

Sullivan retired two years ago after 27 years as a drama professor at Jefferson College.

She said she was pleased the 2011 version of the workshop drew 31 participants from the sixth through 12th grades — its largest attendance to date.

Some of the participants already are veterans of school productions.

Zach Hopple, who was attending the workshop for the third time, said it opened his eyes to his other talents. He will be a senior this year at De Soto High School.

"I've wanted to be an actor since fourth grade," Hopple, 17, of De Soto, said. "I'm learning all about theater. When I was in plays, I didn't know I could sing until I came to this workshop and they had me sing. It's a lot of fun."

Nicole May, a Crystal City High School senior, is another singer who has used the workshop to absorb other aspects of theater.

"It's my third year here," May, 17, of Crystal City, said. "I feel I'm learning the different parts of theater. This camp teaches you basic skills. It's giving me a broader background."

Emily Robinson, the workshop's artistic director, said the event helps fill a void in Jefferson County.

"There's not a lot of programs like this in the county," she said. "I hope they have fun and I hope they learn how to present themselves so they're not afraid to perform in front of other people."