Camp Creamery gives kids a chance to shine on stage

Overheard at Camp Creamery on Wednesday morning.“Quiet backstage.”“We’re going to try this.”“Oh my gosh, that’s what we want.”“Quiet backstage. I think we’ve said that a million times.”Welcome to New Hampton’s most unique camps, a weeklong affair sponsored by the New Hampton Parks and Recreation Department that has 28 children ages 6 to 16 learning about life on the stage, albeit in rapid fashion.The three Camp Creamery actors — Kaitlin Kennedy, Kurt Reynolds and Maggie Saunders — held auctions, cast the play and began working on one of the songs in the play on Monday. A day later, they learned the rest of the songs and began working on lines. Wednesday, Thursday and this morning were spent on polishing up the play.And just like that, tonight at 7 they’ll perform “Lights, Hollywood, Action.” And just for fun, they’ll do it again at 3 p.m. on Saturday.“We wanted to try something different,” New Hampton Parks and Recreation Program Director Tara Hackman said, “and so far, it’s been great. I’ve talked to parents and they say, ‘It’s all they talk about when they get home.’ That’s what we wanted.”
— For more on this story, see the July 13 Tribune