Theater Camp – Worth A Standing Ovation

It’s no secret that theatre kids are a unique breed of child, a breed that is brimming with stereotypes, clichés and over-the-top experiences that are universal for anyone who spent their childhood memorizing the numbers from “Wicked” and and idolizing the likes of Bernadette Peters and Audra McDonald. In Theater Camp, those stereotypes, clichés and experiences are utilized to craft a hilariously outrageous and on-point comedy that is by far one of the year’s best.

Written and directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman in their directorial debuts and co-written by Ben Platt and Noah Galvin, Theater Camp is a mockumentary that follows the staff and campers at AdrirondACTS, a struggling summer theatre camp. When their founder slips into a coma, it’s up to her clueless son and the eccentric staff to pull together to create a memorable summer for the camp’s budding performers.

The most important thing to know is that while the characters take themselves and their surroundings very seriously, the film certainly does not. It is a low-stakes, lighthearted and raucous comedy that is thoroughly unserious. The level of fun that the cast and crew had in indulging all of the most ridiculous aspects of being a theatre-lover is on full display and translates to audiences. Whether one was a theatre kid of not, there is endless enjoyment to be had thanks to committed performances, thoughtful writing and fantastic pacing. Theater Camp is laugh out loud funny and just a flat-out good time at the movies. It is so fabulously silly that most will not want the curtain to come down.

The film possesses a wacky sense of irreverence that is reminiscent of classic comedies like Waiting for Guffman and Drop Dead Gorgeous. In fact, if Theater Camp were to be summed up as a whole, it’s pretty much as if Amy Poehler and Bradley Cooper’s characters from Wet Hot American Summer got their own movie. The amount of zany shenanigans these characters get involved in is delightful to watch thanks in large part to the phenomenal performances of the main cast. In addition to writing, Gordon, Platt and Galvin also star as AdirondACTS staffers, roles they play oh so well no doubt thanks to their own experiences attending theatre camp.

The humor clearly from a personal place and the cast mine their own experiences to brilliantly craft these outrageously hilarious characters that live and breathe for the performing arts. Galvin and Ayo Edibiri are memorable standouts who often steal the show. The chemistry between Gordon and Platt as Rebecca-Diane and Amos Klobuchar is palpable as they wage a silent battle to see who can portray the more unhinged drama teacher. Either way, it is audiences who win as their battle results in performances that are sure to have audiences roaring with laughter. Meanwhile, a special shoutout has to go to the extremely talented cast of child actors who portray the campers as well as Jimmy Tatro who plays the lovably confused but well-intentioned Troy. As much as theatre kids will see themselves represented in the staff and campers, anyone who has had to endure a conversation with a theatre kid will see Troy as their hero.

At the end of the day, anyone unfamiliar with the theatre world may not get some of the jokes right away, but rest assured that there is enough pure enjoyment in Theater Camp to recommend it to as many people as possible. This is simply a show-stopping production that would be a mistake to miss out on.

still courtesy of Searchlight Pictures

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Luke Elisio

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