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Camp Kappawanna

by James Cubby on June 08, 2010

A new Lisa Loeb Musical

Summer is here and it's time for the kids to go to camp. This summer take the kids to a new musical camp, it's called Camp Kappawanna and it's in downtown Miami. Actually Camp Kappawanna is not a real summer camp but a musical experience that will be onstage at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. Who could have created such a novel idea for kids? Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb, who spent her childhood summers at camp, created Camp Kappawanna's music and lyrics, along with collaborators Dan Petty and Michelle Lewis. The script was written by rising national playwright and South Florida native Marco Ramirez. “Summer camp is an inspirational place for kids,” says Lisa Loeb. “I learned to play the guitar at summer camp.”

So you might not have learned to play the guitar at camp and started a musical career because of it but we all learned something about ourselves that we didn't know, or maybe just learned something you didn't know about someone else. Like all summer camps, Camp Kappawanna is a special place where kids go to find themselves. The central character of Camp Kappawanna is a 12-year-old girl named Jennifer Jenkins who hasn't really found herself yet. This is her first time away from home and it's an experience she'll never forget. Lisa Loeb has written songs that are both energetic and fun and some even have a message. One such song is called “That's What Perfect Looks Like.” That's a song about the kids in the other camp...the good camp. “The songs are very similar to camp songs that I used to sing at camps in Texas,” says Lisa. “Camp Kappawanna is similar to the camps I went to as a kid, but in Texas there was more cheerleading.” Camp Kappawanna is a musical experience that will not only show kids that summer camps can be a lot of fun but that's it's a special place where they might discover something about themselves.

How did Camp Kappawanna come about? Last year, one of Lisa Loeb's songs was used in the Summer Shorts Festival. The producers like it and commissioned her to write an entire show. So the result is this world premiere musical of Camp Kappawanna by Lisa Loeb. Lisa said it was pretty easy to write summer camp songs since that was such an important part of her life. Lisa feels so strongly about the summer camp experience that she started a Foundation to raise money for kids who couldn't afford to attend summer camp. “The music made me realize that I'd love to share the camp experience with kids who might not normally have the opportunity to go to summer camp.” A portion of the sales of her CD Camp Lisa goes to the Camp Lisa Foundation. “My fondest memories of summer camp were the nights we had talent shows. We would sing special camp songs. It was a time I'll always remember.” Camp Kappawanna is filled with summer camp music, counselor songs, fun songs, songs you'll be humming when you leave the theatre.

Take the whole family to Camp Kappawanna (appropriate for kids 7 and up), the world Premiere Musical that will transport you to summer camp with hip, cool music by Lisa Loeb and a script by South Florida playwright Marco Ramirez. Camp Kappawanna runs from June 17-27 in the Carnival Studio Theater at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., downtown Miami. For info call 305.949.6722 or visit www.arshtcenter.org.

To find out more about The Camp Lisa Foundation or Lisa Loeb's music visit www.lisaloeb.com.

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Camp Kappawanna

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