By John Lyle Belden
When you see a comedy performed by kids, for kids, about a kids’ summer camp, you expect something, well, campy. With KidsPlay Inc.’s “Camp Omigosh,” by Wade Bradford, directed by Amy Studabaker, you get that and more, an experience one could say is out of this world.
KidsPlay (for those unfamiliar) is the Greenfield-based non-profit theatre program open to children in grades 3 to 8 (any school or homeschooled) who make up the entirety of the cast – learning stagecraft for free – while volunteer family and community members help in all aspects of the show.
The weirdness starts on the bus to camp, as Connor (Asher Ortman), who is also our Narrator, tries to make friends by swindling them. Tasha (Nora Smith) is not impressed, but somehow finds herself holding his hand in the long, dark tunnel to the campground.
Camp Omigosh itself, on the banks of Lake Whattheheck, turns out to be a dump. New owner Miss Warren (Molly Wallace) sets the activity schedule around the kids fixing the place up, which excites carpentry and engineering enthusiast Parker (Oliver Lederman). To assist, there are some deaf-mute girls from Sweden (Gigi Gunn, Callahan Horan, Kyndall Watkins) led by Ulah (Ellie Stearns).
Staff include Ms. Greenblatt (Kayte Reasoner) who combines her love of arts and crafts with being Camp Nurse; Coach Dunbom (Bella Latdrik), who views playing dodgeball as a life skill; Mr. Hobbes (Bennie Vaughn), who lives to dance; and the Starbucks-addicted bus driver, Ms. Finkle (Aria Studebaker).
Rich girl Kimberly (Abby Marler) thought she was going to an elite performing arts camp and is furious. The others all seem happy enough to be there, though, especially BFF’s Tessa and Vanessa (Josie McConnell and Essie Ortman), who seem to share both a brain and a passion for animals.
And what’s a summer camp without a ghost story? There have been sightings of a mysterious figure (Caroline Goldstein) – could it be the spirit long missing (and presumed dead) Billie Wilson? Why are campers’ personal objects floating away into the woods? Also, aren’t the Silent Swedes just a bit too creepy? Things just get spookier and weirder until our kids find themselves in a more complex and dangerous situation than any of them (or frankly, us in the audience) ever expected.
The cast also include – in various roles such as campers, aliens, and robots – Audra Speicher, Vivian Goldstein, Tanner Pipkin, Trinity Bricker, Lilliana Grzelak, Sawyer Froman, Piper Grzelak, Elliott Holmes, Sydney Daniels, Quinn Felver, Harrison Studabaker, and Jack Joyner as the “First Contact Alien.”
Several also perform in the traditional KidsPlay opening dance number – a clever take on a “camp” classic – along with Evalynn Connelly, Tegan Keller, and Piper Orr.
The production is funny, entertaining, and a nice showcase of young talent. We are always impressed with even the younger actors who already show stage presence and range, like fourth-grader Lederman, or fifth-grader Marler in taking her arc from spoiled brat to feisty heroine (who, in a comic high-point, defeats… herself!).
The polish of experience starts to show with principal players such as Asher Ortman, Smith, the duo of Stearns and Essie Ortman, and those playing adults like Wallace, Latdrik, Aria Studebaker, Reasoner, Vaughn, and Joyner. The “Swedes” display quality clown/mime work, and we even get some puppetry with Daniels, Felver, and Harrison Studabaker.
This being the Spring Show, these are the final KidsPlay performances for the program “graduates,” eighth-graders who move on to high school stages and possible Young Artist opportunities in area theatres. This year, there are just Bella Latdrik and Jack Joyner. You know when you notice a young girl or boy on stage stealing scenes? That was these two in past KidsPlay productions. Here’s wishing them the best going forward.
Head out to “Camp Omigosh!” Performances are Friday through Sunday, May 2-4, at the H.J. Ricks Centre for the Arts, 122 W. Main St. (US 40) in downtown Greenfield. Get very affordable tickets at crazylakeacting.com or the box office.
