“Theater Camp” transports viewers to Camp AdirondACTS, a run-down theater camp in upstate New York, home to the hopes, dreams and hearts of thespian campers. Co-directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman, this mockumentary brings empathy and humor to theater stereotypes.
When camp owner Joan (Amy Sedaris) falls into a coma, her son Troy (Jimmy Tatro), an aspiring business influencer, takes charge of not only the camp, but the memories and magic that live there. As Troy secretly battles the camp’s impending foreclosure, a collection of eccentric adults including music teacher Rebecca-Diane (Molly Gordon), drama teacher Angelo (Ben Platt), stage combat “specialist” Janet (Ayo Edebiri) and more attempt to instill theater ideals into a gaggle of bright-eyed campers. As campers and staff work toward creating a polished production of “Joan, Still,” a musical written in Joan’s honor, the audience peeks behind the curtain of theater.
Based on the 2020 short film of the same name and similar creators, this passion project features Gordon as a star, director and writer. The film serves to tell the story of what theater means to its creators through the experiences of each character. Clips of Platt and Gordon performing together as children even make the final cut, conveying the backstory between their two characters.
The film, though touching on the lives of the children, mostly dials into the staffs’ lives. Through staff members, the audience can see the long-lasting impact of theater involvement. The stories the staff share give a glimpse into the campers’ futures, as the longing to perform prevails. The campers themselves have few lines and are used more as accessories to the main staff members. Though their lines are few, campers still have discernible personalities and display the diversity within the theater community.
The theater-focused humor pokes fun at niche scenarios theater people will relate to, but “Theater Camp” still remains situationally funny, letting viewers outside of the theater world in on the joke. The mockumentary style allows the filmmakers to create satirical jokes with on-screen text. The choice to omit talking heads, where characters speak directly to the camera, makes the film more seamless. Viewers are never pulled out of the “Theater Camp” world, giving the characters’ actions more authenticity and, thereby, more comedic value. Though some jokes feel predictable, scenes still feel outrageous enough to inspire laughter.
The plot itself feels sparse and underdeveloped, but in the context of a comedy, this doesn’t pose an outstanding issue. The film contains enough of a story to support the humor and convey the themes of belonging and acceptance. However, the character development feels hollow. Even characters that predominate the screen jump from beginning to ending iterations of themselves with little journey to get there. Despite this, the overwhelming message that theater serves as a safe community for lost souls or outcasts of all kinds shines through.
“Theater Camp,” both funny and endearing, speaks to the joy and drama of finding a community in theater. Despite the underdevelopment, the frequent laughs and sweet messages make it a fun watch.
3 1/2 jazz hands out of 5
