Drama Director at Camp Tamakwa, up in Algonquin!

Wow wow wow! What a summer. I spent just under three months up in Algonquin Park at Camp Tamakwa, working as Drama Director, directing four fantastic musicals and doing all things summer camp. With a COVID-19 modified camp schedule, it was a condensed summer, which had me putting on camper (and staff!) musicals in time spans from 4-10 days. (An entire musical! In four days! Four days!!!) Intense is an understatement, especially as I was new to camp, but campers and fellow staff - shoutout to Emma, Asher, and Julia - were supportive and helped out every step of the way. Camp Tamakwa hosts campers aged 6-14, and age groups are divided into sections, so campers are spending most of their time at camp with other campers their age. I would announce my schedule at breakfast in the morning, calling in campers to first audition, and then after I had posted the cast and crew lists, to rehearse scenes and musical numbers throughout the day. It was a whirlwind of set and costume design, and playing with songs and scenes. At the end of the day, what mattered most was that campers were having fun, and I'm happy to report, that fun was definitely had, especially after we got the all-clear from Public Health that we could bubble and be mask-free for the summer! Tamakwa Players put on four shows this summer: A Disney Medley, Mamma Mia!, School of Rock, and The Prince of Egypt. Clips from the shows can be seen on Camp's archival website by typing "2021" in the "Year" search bar. Tamakwa Archive