Tickets Still Available For CAMP, A NEW MUSICAL This Month Off-Broadway

Entering the theatre, audiences are immediately transported to Camp Goody Goody as they are greeted by the ushers, band and staff all dressed in park-ranger outfits welcoming you. Rebecca Bell's immersive set, with real log cabins and stunning backdrops, puts audiences right in the middle of an upstate mountain retreat as you wait for the campers to arrive for one of the most entertaining nights this season.

The show's musical director is Karen Ann Feeney. David J.V. Meenan also wrote, directed and choreographed this fast-paced, musical comedy.

Set in upstate New York, It is opening day of Camp Goody Goody, summer escape for children of the elite headed by Madame Tres Faux, played by the uproarious Kelly Ross who brings a new level of comedy to the stage right up there with the likes of Carol Burnette and Lucille Ball. Her physical comedy and timing are impeccably spot on. The camp counselors, Bobby, Annette, Cubby, Jimmie, and Darlene (some of you will get the name references) await as Madame arrives, bedecked in jewels and couture hot pink dress with what else, but fur trimmed, high heeled hiking boots and super coifed hair. What else would you wear to run a camp? Perfection! The show's costume and wig designer is William Goodman.

Annie, a wannabe Broadway star, played by powerhouse Jackie Bahary, certainly commands center stage letting you know she's here! She quickly discovers the theatre camp down the road was full and is stuck for the summer at Camp Goody Goody. Olive, a social influencer (Katie Smith) has a panic attack when she is informed there is no Wi-Fi at camp. She recruits two science geeks, Baxter (Maximilian Oster) and Dexter (Christopher Abt) to help her get connected. Olive becomes the guinea pig to their whimsical experiments that do not go quite as planned. This lovable trio keeps you waiting for each entrance. The act two song of the geeks, Call It What You Want, will have you rolling on the floor. The camp Casanova, Chas, smoothly brought to life by Kristian Thaxton, tries his luck with the "It Girls", Fluffy (Victoria Bahary), Muffy (Nora Collard) and Fawn (Jenna Cia). They let him and everyone know, "We're you're Mean Girls, we're your Dream Girls, we're the Heathers all in one". You will love to hate these three dynamos who are not to be messed with. Through all of this, Jane (Isabella Sciortino), whose parents had recently hit the lottery, does not fit in with old money campers and is told as much. You are immediately rooting for her as she wins your heart in her heart gripping song, I Don't Belong. Enter a stranger who sneaks in from the forbidden camp across the lake, Bill (Sam Cusson). The two have an instant connection as she realizes that he also doesn't belong where he is either. Quickly chased away by Madame we must wait for the two to reunite. The chemistry of Sciortino and Cusson are what legendary matinee idols are made of.

The Counselors (Greyson Riley, Mollie Cate, Sealth Grover, Sean Busk, and Julia Szostek) bring such joy and energy to the stage that you want to put on a uniform and join them. While sitting around the campfire at the end of act one, they sing the introspective What Does the Future Hold, led by Riley's beautiful tenor voice. You delve right into the eyes of each of them and can feel and see each of their dreams.

Never a dull moment in Camp, A New Musical, a fire breaks out at the hoodlum camp across the lake burning it to the ground. Madame is forced to take in "those" campers and a new twist to the plot emerges. There are twists throughout.

Following the show stopping act two opening hoedown that Madame puts together to get the two groups together, Bones (Veronica Banat) leads the trio of bad girls from the other camp, Sticks (Alexandra Colaiacovo) and Stones (Ava Giglia) going face to face with the "It Girls", telling them what it's really like to live the way they do while rocking the theatre with the dynamic powerhouse tune Livin' On The Other Side. Not wanting to bunk with the two geeks Crusher (Tanner Kirol) slickly raps his way through Straight Fire.

Brought together by Jane and Bill, the two groups discover that they are all really just the same hiding behind what they wear in the shows emotionally packed anthem Take Off the Mask.

Not giving too much of the plot away, the finale, with spectacular costumes and headdresses designed by William Goodman, and beautifully lit by lighting designer Saylor.

You only have until August 21st to catch Camp, A New Musical at Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street. Tickets: www.theatrerow.org.

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