Camp is the next 'High School Musical'
November 17, 2009 by rbc
Filed under summer camp
Did you see that the next “High School Musical” might be about summer camp? It’s true! Peter Barsocchini, the main writer for our favorite Disney Channel show with Zac and Vanessa, is set to begin filming in Malibu a pilot TV show about sleepaway camp. It’s supposed to be a comedy and will air on Nickelodeon. Beyond that, we can only guess what the show will be about and who will be starring in it. No doubt, though, there will be plenty of funny camp situations that the characters find themselves in— pranks, daily silliness, and the sort of camp crushes that happen at co-ed summer camps. As you know, camp is one of those places where you tend to laugh your head off, so this could be good!
Barsocchini is using the slogan, “Camp is why kids invented summer.” Well, we could also say, camp is what makes summer for kids. If you’ve been to Rockbrook, it’s just not summer without it.
Have you ever tried acting?
OK. So you’ve always thought it would be fun to act… perform a short scene, maybe create a character or personality, develop a story line. You’re a secret performer at heart. Sure, but the problem is, when do you do it? Who’s going to be watching? What will people think if suddenly you turn into a sweet old lady, or a glamorous Hollywood starlet, or a cranky bus driver?
That’s another fun thing about camp; there’s plenty of chances for acting. In addition to the Drama activity that meets most every day, you can join the group of girls producing the end-of-session musical (Did I mention singing too?). Also, some of the evening program activities provide opportunities to perform for your friends.
A great example of this is “Fractured Fairy Tales,” a fun game where each cabin of girls presents a skit combining more than one classic fairy tale. Can you imagine Little Red Riding Hood and the Three Little Pigs in the same story? Needless to say, it can be pretty funny. Each cabin takes a turn performing its skit. With so many characters, everyone plays a part. It’s also fun to watch the other skits when its not your cabin’s turn.
Once you try acting at camp, it could become one of your favorite things to do!
Last Summer's Camp Drama Production
This past summer our camp drama production was You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown. Based on the popular Broadway musical comedy, this “kids version” of the play still has great music, singing, and story lines. It of course features many of the characters made famous by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz in his comic strip Peanuts. There’s Snoopy and his doghouse, Linus and his blanket, and Lucy and her “psychiatrist” stand. In the story, Charlie Brown hopes to discover what it means to be a “good man,” and in the end, after many challenges and setbacks, realizes that it means doing your best. The kids at camp had a great time producing the play and performing it for the entire camp. Even a few parents of the cast members attended the performance. It was a really cute show.
Your Best Camp Memories
April 3, 2009 by rbc
Filed under summer camp
It’s hard to choose, but if you’ve come to Rockbrook, one of your favorite camp memories is bound to be a time when you’ve laughed your head off. It happens quite a lot you know. Just about every day you’ll be doing something— maybe making a bracelet, playing tennis, or just hanging out in the cabin with your friends— and somebody will crack you up. It’ll be someone telling a story, or maybe making a face, or just singing extra loud. You just never know. But when you get a bunch of girls together, get them to relax and enjoy doing all sorts of camp activities, you get one funny moment after another. While it might be hard to pick one, chances are your favorite camp memories will include laughing with your friends.
Kudos for Claire
News from Charlotte. Sixth grader Claire M. recently competed in the regional Shakespeare Competition, and out of 210 middle school students, placed into the final round. She was the only sixth grader to do so. It was a tough competition too because each student had to recite from memory (no note cards!) a complete Shakespeare sonnet and a monologue from one of Shakespeare’s plays. Claire performed Sonnet VII and Katherine’s final soliloquy from “The Taming of the Shrew.” This was Claire’s first year of being eligible to compete, so we’re all quite proud that she did so well.
Congratulations Claire!
Summer Camp Musical
Last year our summer camp musical was Into the Woods. Each summer we select a musical for the girls to produce, practice and perform at the end of the main sessions, and in 2008 it was this wonderful play by Stephen Sondheim. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a story that integrates aspect of Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Jack and the Bean Stalk, and Rapunzel. With so many characters involved, it’s a great summer camp drama production because so many campers can have a part, even a singing part. Then the girls are also designing and making costumes, painting scenery, and pulling together all the details of the play. It’s always a treat to see the wide range of talents the Rockbrook campers can show off.
In the next few weeks we’ll be considering different plays for this summer’s camp sessions. If you have any suggestions, let us know in the comments.
Drama Camp Girls
Another great thing about being at summer camp is all the opportunities for creativity you can find. Take Drama for example. This is a chance to really exercise your imagination, perhaps take on a new character, find yourself in an unusual setting or situation. A drama camp means learning a few things about movement and body language, how to improvise, and even how to speak with a certain accent. Throw costumes, make up, music and dance in there, and you can see why the Rockbrook Camp drama activity has been so popular (fun!) over the years.
Drama Camp Fun
Can you tell what these girls are doing? Does it look “dramatic?” Do they seem to be “acting” with “feeling?” Maybe they’re in a “play?” Those certainly are intense “expressions.” Their posture really tells a story. That’s right it’s girls from the Rockbrook camp Drama activity! All the performing, the impersonating, the charades, the improvisation, the comedy and the emotions of a scene— signing up for Drama is great fun. It can be kind of silly at times, but that’s part of camp too.
P.S. That’s the Junior Lodge fireplace in the background of this photo.
