*Originally published on July 30, 2018
This summer has been one of the best summers I’ve had in a long time. I not only got to be in a show (A Murder is Announced at Desert Stages Theatre), but I also got to assistant direct with the summer camp I’ve been a part of since I was about 14 years old. My schedule was a little crazy, so I thought I’d take the time to recap some of my favorite moments.
I’ve been working these summer camps since I was in high school. Before I worked them, I was actually a camper. Needless to say, these camps have been a huge part of my life. This summer was especially fun for me, however, because I had the opportunity to assistant direct. I actually got to put a scene “on its feet” as they say, and the kids remembered everything I told them to do! When the performances rolled around, I was a blubbering mess because I was so proud of them.
On the performance front, my show opened about a week into summer camp. The response was incredible, and we were even talking about adding another weekend! The cast was incredibly talented, and everyone was so nice and a pleasure to work with. For me, it was a great learning experience because it was solely character-based, rather than a musical. My character Phillipa had multiple layers, and it was so much fun getting to explore those.
As my summer ended, I was fortunate enough to be cast in Legally Blonde at Mesa Encore Theatre. Although saying goodbye to my fellow cast members was difficult, the theatre community is small enough that I know I’ll work with them again. Not only did I have the opportunity to work on my own craft, I had the opportunity to pass on my love of theatre to local kids. They may or may not pursue it when they’re older, but these camps do so much for them. They learn how to be loud, confident, and proud of who they are. I think that’s what theatre is all about; and I’m so lucky to be able to pursue it.