Wow. What a week! My oldest daughter Myrna went to CAMP BROADWAY "CB2" (for teens) last week and thought it was totally awesome! ("totally awesome"? -- too much of THE WEDDING SINGER, I guess...)

Every morning she'd head off in her CB2 red and black t-shirt, with her dance shoes and come back at the end of the day and rate it a "10", with the exception of Wednesday.

That's when they spent the day at the Marquis Theatre and learned about and then saw THE DROWSY CHAPERONE. She gave that day an "11". After the show the CAMP BROADWAY kids and teens got to participate in a Q&A with members of the cast! Even Bob Martin and Beth Leavel came out to answer questions.

Then came Friday and the big performance! We headed down (through the torrential downpour) to the Fashion Institute of Technology's Amphitheatre at 27th and 7th for a 5:30pm performance.

All week long the CB2s had been working on putting together a production of ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, with the help of director Tony Parise, choreographer Sue Delano and musical director Bill Newberry.

They were also putting together their gypsy mini-musicals -- each group would pick two musicals out of a hat and then have to combine them.

Myrna's group picked GYPSY and GUYS AND DOLLS, and ended up with GUYS AND GYPSIES! Sort of a dancers versus gamblers musical! CAMP BROADWAY invited two Broadway celebs -- Christian Hoff from JERSEY BOYS, and Mary Faber from AVENUE Q to judge the gypsy musical presentations.

Myrna's group won best musical performance! Christian gave an incredibly inspiring and motivating speech to the kids about hard work, commitment, family support and doing what you love. The kids were mesmerized -- what an unbelievable experience! Myrna had seen Christian Hoff in JERSEY BOYS earlier that week so it was quite the event!

Then came the performance of ONCE UPON A MATTRESS! Grad and Trinity and I had totally awesome front row seats. It was hard to believe that they put the production together in four days, complete with choreography, solos, blocking, costumes -- the whole nine yards. The focus of CAMP BROADWAY is on ensemble work so the two counsellors Sally Schwab and Dann Dunn played the leads. Myrna had a nice solo which she aced!

At the end of the show, Tony Parise came out wearing the fabulous Gypsy Robe (see my previous post). It was adorned with all the decorated squares of fabric, not just from Myrna's camp, but from all the camps they had done so far across the country. They introduced all the campers by name, and the camper who had been the most times to CAMP BROADWAY got to wear the robe.

Then it was the finale number with the whole gang on stage singing a medley of classic Broadway tunes -- "...they say the neon lights are bright on Broadway, Camp Broadway". I didn't want the show to end! Myrna had an incredible week, worked hard, did her favorite thing (being choreographed!) and made new friends. Not bad for five days. Can't wait 'til next year!

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