The eccentric staff of a rundown theater camp in upstate New York must band together with the beloved founder’s bro-y son to keep the camp afloat.
I should begin by admitting I am a former high school theatre teacher and have directed many plays and musical productions in that position. I also have a very good friend who leaves his Miami environs every summer to direct shows at French Woods performing camp in the Catskills. I have a background in pulling teenagers together in a cohesive production, either improvised or from a script. What I saw in “Theater Camp” was not a “near miss” but a miss of proportions I can’t quite describe.
Judging from the list of writers, producers, and actors, this film appears to result from a rather large collaboration of would-be filmmakers who have probably strayed from theatrical roots. Unfortunately, what could have worked, doesn’t. What can I say? The reliance on stock “gay” figures isn’t funny. There are straight men in the theatre, just not this theatre. The idea of pulling together the big production to save a financially sinking camp after arriving with no script or music in hand is idiotic and extremely unfair to the kids attending. It is probably why the camp is sinking, not just the hospitalization of its founding director, Joan (Amy Sedaris).
I must admit, I’m flabbergasted at some of the ratings this film has amassed so far. Theatergoers and filmgoers should expect much more. The film’s ONLY highlight is the kids, who are funny and bright and light up the screen with their incredible talents despite the adults who can’t get their act together. On a scale of 1 to 10 … 1. This could have been so much better, but it just isn’t.
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