As a “theater kid” who acted in musicals during both middle and high schools, and has a Spotify playlist filled with my favorite Broadway musicals, I felt obligated to see Searchlight Pictures’ summer comedy “Theater Camp.” And I’m so glad I did.
Directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman, “Theater Camp” follows a small theater summer camp in New York — and no, it’s nowhere near the Theater District, but upstate in the Adirondacks. When the camp’s owner, Joan (Amy Sedaris), falls into a coma, her son, Troy (Jimmy Tatro), intermittently takes over. He feels like a fish out of water, as he knows practically nothing about theater and feels unprepared to run the camp, especially when he is surrounded by the artistic camp workers and children.
Two of the staff members, Rebecca-Diane (Gordon) and Amos (Ben Platt), pay tribute to Joan by writing a musical called “Joan, Still,” which the campers will perform at the end of their summer session. However, when Troy finds out that the camp is in danger of foreclosure and being bought by a rival camp, he keeps it a secret and becomes determined to find the funds to keep his mother’s camp afloat.
Initially, I was nervous that “Theater Camp” was going to be cringey and filled with jokes that I wouldn’t laugh at. Thankfully, I was wrong. The film is shot in a mockumentary-like format, using a hand-held camera that follows the characters and their everyday routines at the camp.
It does not fully lean into typical comedic formats that you would find in a mockumentary. For example, characters never address the camera in “interviews” or look directly at the camera like you would see in other mockumentaries, such as “The Office.” Instead, mock interviews are replaced by hilarious intertitles that briefly interject scenes and “lower thirds” that state characters’ names and occupations, giving the audience important information and playing into the sheer ridiculousness of the camp.
For example, an intertitle reveals that “[t]o cut costs, Troy fired several longtime teachers and looked for someone who could replace them all.” After cutting to Troy and the new hire, Janet (Ayo Edebiri), walking and talking about her resume, there is another abrupt cut to black with another intertitle, revealing that “[o]nly one person applied.” Adding to the humor, as Troy talks to Janet about her resume, the camera focuses on Janet, and a “lower third” reveals her name and occupation: “Janet Walch: Lied on Her Resume.” It is little moments like these that contribute to the film’s silliness.
There are also plenty of jokes that anyone who has participated in theater would find hilarious, whether you were onstage, helped create the flashy costumes or, as the film humorously puts it, being a part of the stage crew “even if it’s just because dance was full.” One of my favorite moments was during a rehearsal for “Joan, Still.” When one of the kids, Mackenzie, has to fake cry, Amos and Rebecca-Diane find out that she has committed a cardinal sin of acting: using a tear stick, also known as “mentholated eyeliner that helps you cry.”
Brilliantly acted by Platt and Gordon, they express their disappointment and sorrow, telling Mackenzie that “[her] tears should come from within, from the story” and “tear sticks are doping for actors.” Framing such a supposedly harmless mistake as something that Amos and Rebecca-Diane may forgive “but without ever forgetting” makes light of the stereotype that theater kids are “overdramatic,” and it absolutely works.
Although the film’s comedy is a standout, the heartwarming — and sometimes, very emotional — moments are well-executed. One of the film’s main themes is that theater camp is a place where children belong when they, according to Amos, “aren’t accepted anywhere else,” whether that is because of their creativity, personalities or identities. That is a message I definitely relate to. As someone who used to love acting in school plays, theater helped bring out my outgoing and confident side that I was afraid to show. Even though I have not acted in a production in years, theater is still an important part of my life. I have fond memories of the plays I performed in, and I continue to bond with my college friends through our shared love of musicals. I became emotionally invested in the camp when I was not smiling or laughing, as I saw myself in the characters.
Whether you love or hate theater, “Theater Camp” is a great choice for a movie night with your friends. This genius, hilarious and heartwarming comedy is currently streaming on Hulu and is the perfect pick-me-up if you need a laugh, and a solid alternative if you can’t spend too much money to see your favorite Broadway show.
