After a series of Broadway flops, songwriter Bert Hanley (Dixon) goes to work at a musical camp for young performers. Inspired by the kids, he finds an opportunity to regain success by staging an altogether new production.
Misfits in their lives back home, a group of young people live it up at musical-theater camp. While the sports counselor is completely ignored, the kids' spend all their time in rehearsal for a grueling schedule that involves a new show every two weeks. Several personal stories come to the fore. Is talented golden-boy Vlad honest in his feelings about Ellen? Can cross-dressing Michael have a relationship with his parents? Will one-hit-wonder musical playwrite and now camp counselor Bert Hanley remain mired in drink and cynicism? Fireworks are in store when Fritzi, who slavishly serves glamour girl Jill, is finally told to get a life, and the parents of Jenna, whose jaw has been wired shut in a compromise to avoid being sent to "fat camp", learn a valuable lesson at the summer's big end-of-season benefit.
Written by Martin Lewison <dr@martinlewison.com>
Many of the musicians for the film were in the band for the Broadway musical "Rent".
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Goofs
Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers):
Buddy the sports instructor throws the basketball at Patrick and it hits Patrick's right shoulder, but Patrick grabs his left shoulder and says "Ow!".
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Quotes
[first lines]
[scene opens on Dee, Shaun and Company singing "How Shall I See You Through My Tears"]
[as singing continues, scene shifts to Vlad in his bedroom]
Vlad:
To all the critics out there, I know they're gonna review this, and I know they're gonna try to knock me - is it OK if I say this to the camera, Amber? - Okay. I only am who I am 'cause I was born that way. I have a gift, and I'm trying not to be selfish about it, but to use it. Okay? If you're gonna knock me for that, that's your problem. Jealousy will get you nowhere. And I'm gonna keep rockin' on.
[scene returns to singing cast, then shifts to Ellen's bathroom]
Ellen's Brother:
Ellen, what's the matter with you? Don't tell Mom I'm taking you to your stupid junior prom. Ellen:
[in shower]
Get out of here! Ellen's Brother:
Your brother - how gross is that! Come on! Ellen:
They don't know you're my brother. Please Ben you have to - I'll pay you. Ellen's Brother:
Find someone who's not related to you. Loser.
[...]
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"I Believe in Us"
Written by Phil Goldston, Jon Lind and Wendy Waldman Published by Famous Music Corp. o/b/o itself and Kazzoom Music (ASCAP), Seven Summits Music o/b/o Big Mystique Music (BMI) and EMI Longitude Music o/b/o Spirit Line Music (BMI) Performed by Warren Wiebe Courtesy of Jon Lind/Phil Goldstein
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