Theater Camp

A homage to the weird kids

BY SHANNA SIVAKUMAR

2023 seems to be the year the film industry has revived itself, and the same-day release of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” was the CPR that cinema needed to have people flood the theaters after a three-year, pandemic-induced lull. It appears that cinema has returned with a fresh new wave of whimsical and comedic films—one being “Theater Camp,” directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman.

“Theater Camp” is a rare gem, made of a simple premise and humorous enough that you forget that the main characters are products of nepotism. The film is shot as a mockumentary and is about a theater camp whose owner is stuck in a coma and unable to direct the summer camp, leaving it in the hands of her vlogging son (Jimmy Tatro) and two eccentric theater lovers (Molly Gordon, Ben Platt).

The cinematography of “Theater Camp” is mostly done through a single camera to pay respect to its mockumentary style of filming. The color palette reflects the deep tones of summer and nature— dark greens, deep blues, and the rich red of stage curtains.

The film is surprisingly hilarious and pokes fun at the “theater-kid” archetype. It is light-hearted and has a large cast of children who keep the movie entertaining and endearing. This film captures the nostalgia of summer camp—of meeting new people and getting to pursue an art form that isn’t often tended to in a school setting. “Theater Camp” is an homage to the hilarity and sentimentality of theater.