-
Timothy Lake (center, as Lumiere) and Megan Lingle (right, as Belle) and ensemble cast members perform “Be Our Guest” from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast as part of the revue show, “All Together Now!” -
Jason Bush, left, watches Shane Camp demonstrate a facial expression he used when he played Thenardier during a Palatka High School production of Les Miserables. -
Chuckia Tolbert (center, as Deloris Van Cartier) and Jeanie Elledge Collins as Mother Superior (center, behind Tolbert) perform “Spread the Love Around” from the stage adaptation of the 1992 film “Sister Act” as part of the revue show, “All Together Now!” -
Positively Putnam FL
By Carly Zervis
Palatka Daily News
czervis@palatkadailynews.com
Onstage at the Jim Pignato Theatre, Shane Camp – Palatka High, class of 2003, now better than 6 feet tall – struck a pose reminiscent of Golem in the film version of J.R.R. Tolkein’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Then he contorted his face into an expression that nearly matched.
In 2003, Camp played the villain Thenardier in Palatka High’s production of “Les Miserables.” This week, his antics onstage at his alma mater Sunday afternoon were part of “All Together Now!,” a revue show featuring both current Palatka High School Musical Theatre students and alumni of the program.
In a post-performance interview, Camp said his high school theater experience shaped the course of his life.
“I moved (to Palatka) in 10th grade,” said Camp, originally from Pensacola, where he now lives. “In high school I wasn’t doing well – I had no purpose. I came here, met Mr. P, started doing theater and my grades shot up.”
He was flanked onstage by high school and theater-program classmate Jason Bush. The two opened their short onstage dialogue, “Reflections on Theatre,” with a big hug.
“It’s so emotional to be up here,” said Bush to an audience of more than 500 theater attendees at the event, “It’s great to see how much talent is in this community. I’m blown away.”
Camp and Bush were just two of 60 current and former Palatka High School students who came together this weekend to share their love of music and the stage.
While classic Broadway musical numbers were the highlight of the 2-hour performance, Camp and Bush’s “Reflections” brought home the impact of theater education on students who might otherwise have had trouble finding a niche.
“I love the arts, I love theater,” said Bush, speaking about his love of the craft after the performance. “I’m glad that it’s still thriving – it needs to.”
Bush, who now acts professionally, said the stage has helped his mental health and gave him an outlet.
“It’s a journey,” said Bush. “An escape for people.”
Camp agreed.
Camp said he didn’t plan to go to college, but longtime theater educator and program director Jim Pignato - “Mr. P., to his students - encouraged him to audition for the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, so he did. So did Bush.
“I still talk about it so much and I still perform, but some of my favorites were here,” said Camp, who now does stand-up comedy, continued. “It’s very unique, that kind of collaboration and support. We used to pack out audiences – some of the best shows I ever did were in high school, which is crazy. That’s very rare.”
A cast of 60, including 43 former and 17 current students, performed a musical selection culled from 15 Broadway shows. The songs were selected by Music Theatre International and provided as a “royalty-free fundraising opportunity for theaters worldwide to recover from Covid closures,” according to Pignato.
“We sold a little over 500 tickets,” Pignato said Sunday after the show. “And there were six thousand performances worldwide today, and in all fifty states.”
The Palatka High School Musical Theatre department’s fall show is “Elf” and will be performed Dec. 9-12. Tickets are available at Ralph’s House of Flowers.
Copyright 2021 by Palatka Daily News - all rights reserved.