Certain words come to mind as I try to describe the Camp Simcha
Special musical I just witnessed. Flawlessly choreographed, rocking
music, dynamic story line, gripping, professional…and just plain old
fun! My favorite part was the glow in the dark dance , which was truly
epic.
Seriously, this was Broadway/America’s got talent material!
Personally, my highlight of the production was when one camper was on
stage and had to convince the villain not to destroy planet earth, and
just how much Camp Simcha Special means to him (complicated story
line, I know). The camper read a speech he spent all night writing. He
told us his story, and what lesson we can all learn from it.
To read it , please please make sure to read the blog titled “The Cracks in The Road: A Camper’s Perspective”.
At it’s conclusion, there literally was not a single dry
eye in the entire room.
This musical made us proud to be a part of Camp Simcha Special. The
super-talented staff here put on a play unlike any other being
performed in myriad camps across the Catskills. The uniqueness of
assistant head counselor Duvi Becker’s vision puts his productions in a league of their own.
It is Duvi’s tenacity and unflagging enthusiasm that makes the musical happen.
Not just makes it happen, but happen in such a way as to garner four standing ovations and
three calls for encores from an audience that is not easily impressed. But the true
litmus test was the ear-to-ear smiles sported by every single person
seated in the Social Hall.
A play is just…well…a play. A musical, however, is a way to reach the audience’s emotions through song and dance,
a medium that has proven itself to be among the most effective in shaping moods.
Spirits lift, dark clouds clear, and the world is simply a better place after
watching a musical performed by a passionate, dedicated crew like the one we witnessed.
And what makes it all the more anomalous is the setting of this presentation.
A natural by-product of Camp Simcha Special’s one-of-a-kind program is the togetherness
and camaraderie that it engenders. That is something that we saw mirrored in the
cast’s attitude. Rather than as a task, they viewed this work as a
fun-filled challenge to be taken on with friends, among friends. Even
more than the subject content, the manner in which this musical was
executed makes us feel privileged to be a part of the world that is Camp Simcha Special.