Heck Yeah!
Thursday, July 2nd, 2026
RAINBOW THEATER circa 4:32pm—A trio of rockers have taken the stage to practice a rendition of the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army”. A camper heads the group with guitar and lead vocals while two Teen Staff hold down the drums and bass guitar. The stage is dappled with oak leaf shade. Over the theater looms an enormous metallic lighting rig which also suspends a large shade, keeping the seating area relatively cool during the several-hour screening process for tonight’s program, The Tornado of Talent.
“Find a big ending,” coaches Performance Coordinator (Perfco, for short) José Garcia from his seat in the fourth row, causing the trio to come to an emphatic low note. The other campers waiting to screen their acts give a heat-tempered smattering of applause. A rowdy quartet of tween boys take the stage and begin shyly singing an acapella version of Carly Rae Jepson’s “Call Me Maybe”, which quickly dissolves into giggles and arguing.
“Okay, I’m gonna give you some notes and then we’ll go again from the top,” instructs Perfco Bayla Jaffe, marshalling the budding boy band into formation. Nearby a cluster of stilters make laps around the stilt field, turning corners at the large metal poles topped with colorful umbrellas. Directly below the back row of the theater, a group of unicyclers carefully circumnavigate the triangular Uni-Track, each rider holding the guide rail for balance.
“That’s the only White Stripes song I know,” admits rock trio frontman Rider, 9. “I learned it at School of Rock in Brooklyn. I’ve never seen the movie, but I’ve lived it! I’m feeling ready but maybe the distortion could go up a little.
“Surfin U.S.A.” blares on the PA as two young diabloists take the stage, flailing back and forth their plastic hourglass-shaped devices which occasionally escape control and chaotically roll around the stage or into the gravel. Soon the stage is handed over to two young clowns with an original skit.
“We have a very talented group of Session B-ers,” says Bayla, reviewing a clipboard with act names. “Let’s see the group dance,” she announces. A trio of girls approach.
“Can we get ‘What It Is’ by Doechii, CLEAN VERSION!” they chime in unison. Lead Techie Momo Calfe-Smith begins scrolling through her laptop’s downloaded song library.
“The screening is very intense,” observes Dance Instructor Karma Engel. “These three asked for my help on this dance number. It’s fun, it’s upbeat, it’s hip-hop, and mostly choreographed by camper Chase. She really has a future in dance; she’s my prodigy.”
The techies can’t find the requested song, but the trio agree to practice the act to a similar track.
“Our act is about two people who are good friends and they keep tripping and get into a fight,” explains River, 9.
“So then Forest comes in,” continues Tula, 11. “And they tell us to save our anger for the Heart Rock Spiral.”
“Wait for him to finish writing!” interjects River.
They resume explaining the act simultaneously, interrupting each other at every hint of a pause.
“And then we separate—And then we go to either side of the Rainbow—And then we hug—And then we realize the true love of friendship.”
River wins the verbal wrestling match and concludes, “People at first will laugh and giggle, and then they’ll get sad and then they’ll say, ‘Aww!’ when they see how two friends can come together in such peace.”
The dancers have relinquished the stage to another skit, this one a solo act.
“I thought of the dance while scrolling through Capcut and seeing someone else do a dance to the same song,” says choreographer Chase, 11. “I thought to myself, ‘I should add on to that’. I feel proud of my dancers; they were really giving it their all.”
“I’m excited to perform and to see all the acts,” says supporting dancer Delia, 10. “The comedy, the acting, and of course the dancing… The people here are supportive, the vibes are super chill, and the Rainbow is very unique,” she says, referencing the stage’s towering metal rainbow structure.
“I want to perform at every opportunity I can get,” says the solo clown artist Yoshiko, 11. “I like showing off. Camp is a really good place to perform because the audience is supportive even if you mess up. At my school, I might get teased for doing a clown act, but here people are like, ‘Heck yeah, a clown act!’”
“Do you know ‘Landslide’ by Fleetwood Mac?” José asks me, calling me away from blog land into the realm of accompaniment.
Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor