By Rena Strober

Here we are, second session of 2021 at Harlam, or as I call it ‘Act II!’ 

We all love a good 2nd act. Act II usually begin with a big opening number with an entire cast; ie: Too Darn Hot, Never Fully Dressed, Steam Heat and Seasons of Love, just to name a few. 

Plus, the audience just had a well deserved 15-20 minute break. They have waited 13 minutes in line to pee, shmoozed with the person behind them (AKA judged act I), and overpaid for a small brownie that’s most likely 9 days old. The lights then blink and they rush back to their seats to see how their beloved act 1 characters will solve all their problems in the course of act II.

Will Hodel run away from home with Perchik? Will Maria and Tony fall in love and live happily ever after? Will all the boys at the Barricade win and live to see another day?  (Side note: My Broadway career seemed to have been made up of 3 hour shows where everyone died at the end. This is why I moved to Hollywood to work in Children’s Television where there are less Pogroms and ballads about Tuberculosis) 

So here we are, the 2nd half of camp where we, the staff, have taken a well deserved intermission.  Although they keep calling it ‘intersession’ but I’m working with the URJ to change that language as everything should really reflect the language used in theaters. (wish me luck!) I grew up with a mother who called halftime ‘Intermission’ so you get where I’m coming from. 

We’re all back in our places where we opened the show on June 23rd waiting for the downbeat of Second Session to begin. I was stationed at the Covid Results area where I was able to give the good news to families! 

The gates open and cars begin to drive on…but wait a minute…our cast is different! Where are the characters we met in act I? The rules of Act II are ‘never introduce a new character in the 2nd act as it’s mainly to tie up conflicts and solve problems.’ But here come 400 new characters!

But these excited, hopeful, teary eyed faces do look familiar. They’re all dressed similarly, have the same look of ‘I’m finally Home’ in their eyes and their parents look as grateful as ever to be touching ground at Camp Harlam. 

Maybe this isn’t Act II. Maybe this is a 2nd performance of act I! I LIKE THIS!  This means that I, as the Arts Supervisor, get to make every camper feel as if it’s their first day of camp and that is more exciting than tying up all the loose ends and seeing what happens at the end of the 3 hour musical. 

I can’t help but wonder how the theatre would be if there were only first acts. Just think, we’d never have to see Maria holding a dying Tony in her arms, or Elphaba deciding to leave the good side. Maybe then Hodel would never leave Tevye & Golda and she’d stay to help Tzeitel raise her kids.  I won’t go into the fact that this also means the Beast never gets his good looks back but that’s ok…it’s always been my least favorite moral in a Disney show; ‘Wait it out, he’ll get hot.” 

So, as the arts Supervisor, I’ve decided it’s top of show! We’re all getting ready for that downbeat because this cast is incredible and for the next 3 1/2 weeks they will all be the star of the story they want to tell here at Camp Harlam. And we, as staff, will have the same energy & enthusiasm we had at the start of 1st session. Act I is when relationships are formed, goals are set and the food still looks delicious…so PLACES PLEASE! 

Rena Stober is known for her performances on Broadway (Les Miserables, Fiddler) to her iconic roles on TV (Liv & Maddie, Veep, Side Hustle) and also for her recently released award winning Sesame Street album IMAGINE THAT. She has been a professional actor for over 20 years but is also a proud music teacher and Jewish educator. She lives & works in Los Angeles.