Just as summer comes to a close and great memories are building about camp, a team of writers, who all loved their camping experience, bring a staged reading of a new musical comedy to Margate, NJ called “Cool at Camp.” Taking place one-night only on Sunday, August 17 at 7 p.m. at The Dominick A. Potena Performing Arts Center 7998 Monmouth Ave, Margate City, NJ 08402.
Cool at Camp is a musical romp about kids, camp, crazy parents, and coming of age. Bursting with heart, hilarity, and nostalgia, the show brings to life the unforgettable experience of sleep away camp -- the awkwardness, the inside jokes, and the lifelong friendships. In other words, it’s summer camp the way everyone remembers it.
Co-writer, composer, and producer Dani Tapper (Villanova, PA and Margate, NJ resident), describes the show as “a love letter to camp.” She shares: “I went to sleepaway camp (Camp Green Lane) for 15 summers — the same camp my mother went to and the same camp my daughter went to. I knew this material would make for a great show so I reached out to some wonderfully talented, creative people that I went to camp with to see if they would work on this project with me. It’s been a blast working with them. I mean, we’ve all known each other since we were 10 years old!”
The team of writers includes Steven Blutig of Randolph, NJ, Robin Raskin of Newtown, PA, Emily Stumer of Robbinsville, NJ, Dani Tapper, Villanova and Margate and Peter Weidman, Lafayette Hill, PA. Peter Weidman is also composer. He is the former President and Board member of Congregation Or Ami in Lafayette Hill. He was also at Camp Green Lane with Dani, since his father-in-law, the late Jerry Stein, was the owner at the time.
Tickets and additional details are available at: https://www.coolatcampmusical.com/performances
For more information, contact Dani Tapper at 216-470-9807, danibtapper@gmail.com.
BIOS OF CREATIVE TEAM:
Dani Tapper (Book/Music/Lyrics)– Cool at Camp is Dani’s third musical and the one she always knew she was destined to work on, having been a lifetime camper. Her last musical, “Brilliant” was performed off-Broadway in 2021 as part of the Broadway Bound Theatre Festival. She is also an award winning children’s composer/performer having released two original children CDs, “Life is Sweet” and “Me and You”. She has been the theatre director at the Shipley School, the Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy, and is presently the director at Harriton High School.
Peter Weidman (Book/Music/Lyrics)) is an accomplished musician who has been writing songs with catchy melodies and tasteless lyrics since his teens. In Cool at Camp, he has found the perfect vehicle for his talents, having attended summer camp himself as a child, and having lived as an adult at a camp where his wife Debbi taught tennis, he watched his three daughters come of age, and he met his collaborators on the show. When not writing and performing music, Peter spends his time practicing law, chasing after his five young grandchildren (two of whom now attend overnight camp), and sipping single malt scotch.
Robin Raskin (Book) Robin Raskin is a passionate writer and storyteller based outside Philadelphia. An events Manager for local non-profit Family Matters (part of JAFCO), she has spent the last 25 years curating events that blend creativity and precision. Robin has contributed to various publications, including Philadelphia Magazine, and has hosted her own podcast. When not writing or planning events, Robin loves laughing with her family and friends, reading, plowing through tv series, and going to the movies. Robin believes in the power of words and laughter to heal, connect people, and inspire change.
Steven Blutig (Book) is a married father of two who loved spending his summers at camp to the point that he still has at least one dream about camp every few weeks even as a fifty-something year-old. He is the creator of the Daily Camp News blog which has been running since 2013. It chronicles the absurd aspects of sleepaway camp and the ridiculousness of the parents who send their kids there. While the $76.44 the site has grossed over in ad clicks over the past decade has not been enough to stop my day job as a software consultant, it has led me to meeting a ton of people and this great group of collaborators.
Emily Stumer (creative team) is an overnight camp lifer that moonlights as a twin and dog mom, a chauffeur, an ATM, a musician, a dispensary manager, and a writer. After 19 years of teaching, Emily went from kids to cannabis and changed her career. Now, every day is a little more fun. When not working, Emily can be seen either watching Schitt’s Creek, planning fun adventures that she can't afford or driving her convertible while blasting everything from The Grateful Dead to Taylor Swift to Broadway.
Jeff Smith (music director, piano) has music directed and played in pit orchestras all around the Delaware Valley, including for PCS Theater, Media Theatre, Penn Players, Footlighters and Harriton Theatre Company. Favorite prior productions include RENT, Godspell, The Rocky Horror Show, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Spring Awakening. In August 2024, PCS Theater is presenting a Woodstock-based version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream featuring Jeff’s original music. Jeff is a musical theatre coach for the Lower Merion School District, sits on the board of Theatre Horizon in Norristown and has served as a staff accompanist for the Rider University musical theatre program.