Theater Camp

Theater Camp is a 2023 American comedy film directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman in both of their feature directorial debuts, from a screenplay by Gordon, Lieberman, Ben Platt and Noah Galvin. A feature-length adaptation of the 2020 short film of the same name, the film features an ensemble cast that includes Galvin, Gordon, Platt, Jimmy Tatro, Patti Harrison, Nathan Lee Graham, Ayo Edebiri, Owen Thiele, Caroline Aaron and Amy Sedaris. Will Ferrell serves as a producer under his Gloria Sanchez Productions banner. Theater Camp had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2023, and was released in the United States on July 14, 2023, by Searchlight Pictures. Plot Joan Rubinsky is the co-founder and director of AdirondACTS, a theater-focused summer camp in the Adirondacks in Upstate New York. While attending a show featuring one of her campers, a strobe light causes Joan to experience a seizure and slip into a coma. In her absence, Joan's son Troy takes over operations at AdirondACTS, but finds that his personality clashes with the theater kids who attend the camp. He makes various attempts to alleviate the camp's financial difficulties, including turning his cabin into an Airbnb, which he shares with guest Tim. He is assisted by Joan's staff, including Amos and Rebecca-Diane, two best friends who are also former campers and longtime staff members. Amos and Rebecca-Diane announce the summer's slate of productions, including Joan, Still, a new original musical based on Joan's life story, which they have yet to write. During auditions, Troy is approached by Caroline, a representative of financial firm Barnswell Capital, who own the luxurious neighboring Camp Lakeside. Barnswell offers to purchase the camp, which is facing a threat of foreclosure. Amos and Rebecca-Diane make progress on Joan, Still, with Rebecca-Diane promising to handle the music for the show's finale. Meanwhile, Troy, with the help of technical director Glenn, tries to both make money and connect with the campers by having them act as servers at a Rotary Club event, with mixed results. As the production continues, Amos is troubled by Rebecca-Diane's continued absences, including disappearing from classes, missing her "performance night" for the campers, and failing to show up to rehearsals. Caroline returns to meet with Troy, who mistakenly agrees to sell the camp to Barnswell Capital, and the two sleep together.