Ballibay: A Fine & Performing Arts Camp for Kids

Musical theater musings

2011-08-01T16:12:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

On Monday night we had our first musical theater performance of the second Ballibay session, and as someone who house managed the show and turned pages for the musical director, I'm proud to tell you that it was a smash hit! Last night's show kicked off the last-week performances and it started us off on the right note, for sure.

It was followed on Tuesday evening by a performance of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," an Andrew Lloyd Weber show that has become a classic at this camp. I had the pleasure of directing the 18-member all-female cast and I couldn't have picked a better show with which to end this summer. We had a truly beautiful production, as you can see by the picture I'm posting here, as well as the album on the Ballibay Facebook page, which I encourage you to check out!

Anna S. sings "Close Every Door" by candlelight in "Joseph"

Every time I work with a new cast of campers at Ballibay, I find myself saying things like, "This is the best cast I've worked with," and then the next time, "No, this is the best cast!" After completing "Joseph," I now realize that every cast I've worked with during my years at Ballibay, both as a camper and as a counselor, have been just right. Every child always brings the very most they have to offer to their performances -- the most enthusiasm, the most energy, and the most love and dedication that they have appears in every show we see at Ballibay. It's hard to imagine that the theater performances for this summer are coming to an end!

More soon,
Elizabeth C., Ballibay Blogger

One of the busiest weeks ever!

2011-07-29T08:32:00.001-07:00

Laurene C. at the sand art jam, Wednesday night

Hello readers!

Here I am with a special update about how our week has been going here. I'm sure you've heard it from me here over and over again, and probably from your campers too, but wow are we busy this week!

The week kicked into high gear on Wednesday with Jam Night. I had the amazing opportunity to work with eight campers at the music jam, where Aaron K. and I led the group in learning a fugue, in the style of a chant. What at first seemed a little daunting turned out to be so much fun, and the campers (who, I'll admit were a little wary at first..."Chanting? That sounds boring.") really got into it! The reports from my G1-ers indicate that all of the jam sessions were just as much fun, with a special nod to the food jam, where campers made raspberry bars. Yum!

Last night, we enjoyed variety of performances at this session's Camper Cabaret, including vocal solos, dance collaborations, and some acoustic performances. I've mentioned this before, but it's worth noting again: Cabarets are always one of my favorite events at camp because I love seeing the hidden talents of campers that I work with every day. If I usually see them rehearsing for Antigone, I have no idea that they love to sing and play the guitar!

Tonight, John J. and I will be sharing the stage of the Outdoor Platform (as long as the rain holds off! Send dry vibes our way!) for A Night of One Acts. I am so excited about the debut of my one act this evening. My cast -- an amazing group of six girls -- has worked so hard, and has dedicated so much effort to the comedic timing and accuracy of the show. I will bring the full update of how both shows go tomorrow morning when I'm back in the office to blog again.

More soon!

Elizabeth C., Ballibay Blogger

Week 5: Here we go!

2011-07-25T06:08:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

We've had two busy transition weekends in a row, and yesterday afternoon we welcomed a brand new group of campers to our summer haven! I'd like to extend a big "Hello!" to all those who have joined us (both campers and families or friends reading at home!) for Endless Mountains Dance Camp II, Farm Arts III, and Rock Farm III. It's so nice to have new campers coming in almost every week -- as a staff person, it keeps me on my toes and motivated about the projects on which I'm working, and also provides the fun experience of meeting more and more campers as the summer progresses. I'm already predicting that I'm going to have a great last two weeks of camp because for the rest of the summer, I'm going to be living in Girls 1, the youngest cabin. A brand new perspective on camp!

It has cooled down a bit more during the days here -- we are no longer in the middle of our heat wave. Today we had some rain to cool us off, and tonight we are looking forward to a bonfire -- albeit inside because of our rainy afternoon. This week we have a full schedule of events and shows coming up, including a Camper Cabaret, a Jam Night, and an evening of One Act place (one of which I'm directing! Ah!). I will be doing my best to keep everyone updated with news on the busy week ahead of us!

Stay dry and more soon,
Elizabeth C., Ballibay Blogger

Our steamy mountaintop!

2011-07-22T06:25:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

I hope everyone is staying cool and relaxed if your hometowns are as hot as Ballibay right now! Today is already quite warm and yesterday was so hot that we decided to alter our schedule here. We combined morning and afternoon activities into a two hour time slot and took the rest of the day for some of campers' favorite activities: open swim and rest hour! Even though it was my day off, I spent some time relaxing in the girls' area, and it was so much fun to watch the kids take a little time off as well.

Campers relaxing inside the office, playing an ancient strategy game they learned from John

A few campers, Ruby C., Alexa D., and Jess E. brave the heat to harvest!

Camp may be warm, but it isn't derailing us from having a wonderful time up on our mountain here. There is lots and lots of sunscreen, ice cold water, and shade to go around, and we are proceeding with regular rehearsals, classes, and sessions. In fact, I'm about to head out to rehearsal for my one act this morning!

Tonight we have Band Night and viewings of the art show and art installation, signaling the end of the Rock II and Farm Arts II session. I can't believe that we'll be saying goodbye to this group of two-week campers tomorrow morning and preparing for even more to arrive on Sunday. It's going to be another bittersweet weekend -- hellos and goodbyes, and the excitement of what's still ahead in the Ballibay session!

Stay cool and more soon,

Elizabeth C., Ballibay Blogger

New faces, new session!

2011-07-19T06:35:00.000-07:00

Ocean H. and Marcus D., rehearsing for tonight's one-act

Hello readers!

Good morning and welcome to all the new readers, families and friends who are joining the Ballibay blog community for the second session of Camp Ballibay, 2011! For those of you who have been reading since first session, I want to briefly apologize for my lack of presence recently -- between my musical this past Friday, the transition weekend, and holding auditions for new shows this session, time for the blog just...wasn't there! We've been so busy here!

Anyway, our new session of Ballibay is well underway. The past day and a half has consisted of orientation sessions and auditions, and this morning we had a full set of announcements, meaning that campers are already jumping right into the activities they want to try! I love days like today -- when everything is fresh, kids and campers are motivated and excited, and new projects can begin.

I promise more updates soon -- especially since we start our theater schedule tonight with a one-act play directed by Marcus D.! Check back tomorrow for the details about how it went!

More soon,
Elizabeth C., Ballibay Blogger

It's almost time!

2011-07-15T15:56:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

I'm about to head up to the theater for the performance of the musical my cast and I have been working on for three weeks and I couldn't be more excited! I'm going to spend the next hour getting my 21 wonderful cast members into their costumes, and perfecting hair and makeup, so I can't give you all much more of an update now, but I promise that tomorrow or the day after you will get the full story of the rest of the last-week shows!

Break a leg, everyone in tonight's show!

More soon,
Elizabeth C., Ballibay Blogger

Last week shows have begun!

2011-07-12T06:19:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

As the title of this post implies, last night was the beginning of the Ballibay Session I last week shows. We started the week on a great note with a production of a classic children's play. The cast -- a wonderful mix of younger and older campers, with both very experienced performers and campers who had never been in a show before -- put on a truly fun and exciting show that kept the audience laughing and smiling for the rest of the evening. The stage was so bright and colorful, and so were the costumes! Here are a few snapshots from our first last-week show!

Zipi D. and director Ruth

Will W., Olive K., and Toni R.

Drew A., very excited for the show to begin!

More soon,
Elizabeth C., Ballibay Blogger

Farewell, Intensives #1!

2011-07-09T06:36:00.000-07:00

Good morning readers,

This morning concludes the first Farm Arts, Rock Farm, and Endless Mountains Dance Camp intensive sessions of the summer. Here at Ballibay, we call this a transition weekend, because it means we will be saying goodbye to a group of campers and welcoming new ones into our cabins and program areas.

I think that most of the campus community is feeling pretty bittersweet today. I know that I for one have to say goodbye to three wonderful campers from my cabin and I know it's going to be hard! The great things that they have accomplished in the past two weeks and the way that I've really grown attached to them makes today a little sad, but at the same time I still have a cast of phenomenal kids who I get to see and work with every day for the rest of the week as we get ready to produce our musical together. I know that the next week is going to be very busy and exciting!

Jack L., outside the art installment

Again, a huge congratulations to the Farm Arts' Art Exhibit and Installation Piece, the Rock Farm's Band Night, and the Endless Mountains' Dance Concert. We've had a great first two weeks of camp!

More soon,
Elizabeth C., Ballibay Blogger

You've been here how long, EC?

2011-07-06T06:26:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

So, it's Wednesday afternoon in the second week of Camp Ballibay's 1st session. This means that two-week campers in the Farm Arts, Rock Farm, and Endless Mountains Dance Camp just have a few days left here, and those in the three-week Ballibay program are halfway through their first session experience. I catch myself saying this every summer, but I just can't believe how fast everything is moving here.

Matt E., relaxing in the art barn

Chelsea R. and Arielle S. at Jam Night

Yesterday at my meal table, Siri D. asked me a question about camp that I was able to answer using an old story from when I was a camper here. "Wait, EC, you were a camper at Ballibay?" Siri asked. "How long have you been here?" I told Siri that with my six years as a camper and my four years as a staff member here, this was my tenth year at Ballibay. Siri jumped back in her seat and said, "I can't believe that you've been here so many years! You must really love it here. What's your favorite part of camp that keeps you coming back?"

How could I possibly answer that question?!

The list of reasons I come back here is innumerable. I had no idea where to even begin. How about the anxious, elated feeling I used to get as a camper when my mom would drive me to O'Hare Airport for my flight to camp each summer? How about the feeling of seeing the first counselor or camper I knew after not seeing them for a whole year? Or maybe it was the hours of rehearsing for musicals and plays with a cast of campers who felt like my family? Maybe the moment before my first play at Ballibay in the summer of 2000, when I stood backstage with the most intense combination of nerves and excitement I'd ever felt in my life? Or the learning process I went through when I became a counselor-in-training during my last summer as a camper? How about the first time I came to Ballibay as a counselor and learned all about the combination of hard work and reward that goes into every day of this job? Maybe it's all those moments when I'm just sitting with my campers at rehearsal, or on the hillside, or in the cabin and they spontaneously thank me for being their friend and teaching them?

I looked back at Siri and said, "You. You and Lulu, and Toni, Drew, Matt...everyone here in this dining hall. Ballibay campers are the reason I come back." And it's true. Kids at Ballibay are unlike kids anywhere else, at other summer camps or programs. They are so much fun to be around, so smart and engaged, so funny, talented and driven to accomplish the goals they set for themselves. In a nutshell: they're wonderful.

But I'm sure I don't have to tell all you readers that -- you already know!

More soon,
Elizabeth C., Ballibay Blogger

First camper cabaret of the summer!

2011-07-04T06:37:00.000-07:00

Good morning readers!

As the title of this post implies, last night was the very first camper cabaret of the summer, and from sitting in the audience, I can tell you first hand that it was a wonderful showcase of camper talents. One of the things I love most about our camper cabarets here at Ballibay is the fact that it gives campers who, for example, typically do a full day of straight theater shows to show off their dancing skills, or for a camper who spends most of their day riding horses and swimming to perform a Broadway song they've always loved.

One of my favorite acts from last night was a duet by campers Zoe M. and Sydney M. They performed the song "For Good," which is beautiful and centers around the theme of friendship. It was simply precious to see the two girls emote so maturely (they totally understood the song!) and the crowning glory of the performance was when the girls' voices joined together for the last chorus of the song and they held hands. I'm not sure if it was staged or spontaneous, but either way, I had tears welling up in my eyes. Paula U., an older Ballibay camper, was sitting next to me and at the end of the number she turned to me, with tears streaming down her face and said, "This reminds me of all my friends at Ballibay and how much I love them!" Don't worry -- she promised me they were tears of happiness!

Zoe M. and Sydney M., performing their duet

Congratulations to the cast and crew of the first Ballibay camper cabaret. It was a phenomenal show!

More soon,
Elizabeth C., Ballibay Blogger

Kicking off our theater season

2011-07-02T06:46:00.000-07:00

Good morning readers!

It's a beautiful start to the day at Ballibay -- the sun is shining brightly (we've had a few overcast mornings, so this is a nice change!), it is warm, and everyone seems to be approaching the activity period with a smile on their faces. I, for one, know that I have hopes of accomplishing a huge amount of work with my musical cast this afternoon, so it feels good to be starting the day with so much energy!

On Thursday evening, the cast of Jamie M.'s script-in-hand show put on the first production of the summer and wow, was it wonderful! It had a diverse cast of kids -- all ages and all different kinds of theater experience -- and it made the audience laugh almost the entire time. For me, the show was very eye opening because of the performance of one of the cast members, a second-year camper named Sam W. I had the pleasure of working with Sam last summer during one of my own script-in-hand productions, but he specifically asked me for a very small role because he was nervous about being on stage. After seeing his performance in the first show this summer, I can truly say that Sam has emerged as a strong, confident actor, receiving many laughs and enthusiastic clapping during and after his appearance in Thursday's show. After the show was over, I made sure I found Sam and told him about how wonderful his performance was. He hugged me and said, "It's because you gave me the chance to try it for the first time last summer!" That, folks, is a true Balli-moment, and it is officially the most rewarding part of being a counselor here. Congratulations to the cast and crew of the first Ballibay summer production!

Morgan D., Carly M., Sam W., and Alexis B. -- VERY excited about their first show of the summer!

More soon,
Elizabeth C., Ballibay Blogger

A "fresh" snippet to brighten your morning

2011-06-30T06:37:00.000-07:00

Hello readers,

While reviewing pictures that have been uploaded to the Ballibay Facebook page, I came across this shot:

How cute are these gardeners? And on that note -- our garden has been turning out some absolutely delicious vegetables that have been turning up in our salad bar. In this particular picture, our garden counselor Sarah and camper Phoebe D. are harvesting radishes, but we've had other veggies and mixed greens from the garden this week as well. Keep up the hard work, Ballibay gardeners!

More soon,
Elizabeth C., Ballibay Blogger

And we're off!

2011-06-28T06:41:00.000-07:00

Good morning readers!

Welcome to the *real* first day of camp! After a surprisingly long day of orientation sessions to show campers all around the different areas of camp, we are starting a regular schedule of morning, afternoon, and evening activities. This means that theater productions have been cast, rock bands and dance pieces are in the process of beginning rehearsals, and art, riding and instrumental lessons are kicking off. The camp is truly bustling with activity.

Last night was one of my favorite nights of camp and I have a little Balli-moment to share from it. After a full day of theater auditions, I (as well as the other theater directors, dance instructors, and vocal instructors) held callback sessions. Callbacks are a chance for instructors to see a little bit more of campers -- either more singing, more dancing, or more acting. Mel H., who is music directing the musical with me, helped me compile a list of singers to hear for a variety of parts in the show. We called them back to the music building throughout different parts of the evening and taught them a small portion of a beautiful ballad from the show. Over the course of the night, I heard 25 girls sing the song and -- here's the catch -- there was not one girl who didn't sing like a goddess (ironic, because the character who sings the song is the Goddess of Love). Truly, there were no performances that didn't place me on the brink of tears. It was probably the most moving evening of singing I've ever experienced. The greatest challenge of the evening was not teaching the girls the notes or rhythms, but rather the process of casting such enthusiastic, charming performers. Luckily, there are truly a plethora of fantastic roles for campers this summer, and I think by the end of the night we were left with exactly the right results!

Here we go with the rest of the three weeks! Also, please make sure to visit the Ballibay Facebook page to see some photos from the first few days of camp: http://www.facebook.com/ballibay

More soon,

Elizabeth C., Ballibay Blogger

The time to start is [almost] now!

2011-06-25T11:09:00.000-07:00

Staff, anxious for campers to get here!

Good afternoon, readers!

It is almost opening day for Ballibay, as well as the Farm Arts and Rock Farm 1st sessions! The majority of campers will begin arriving tomorrow morning at 11:00 a.m., but we do have a little portion of campers who are flying in today, and arriving at camp very, very soon! For staff who have been here a week or two, this is the most exciting news we could possibly receive. I'll be completely honest with you -- while our week(s) of preparation for camp is very productive and necessary, it does get a bit lonely in the cabins by ourselves, and the anticipation of campers' arrivals has been building progressively every day. In case you still aren't sure: the staff is very much looking forward to camp families arriving today and tomorrow! Safe travels, all!

More soon,

Elizabeth C., Ballibay Blogger

Welcome back, readers!

2011-06-22T10:54:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

Welcome to Camp Ballibay, Summer 2011! My name is Elizabeth (more commonly referred to as "EC" by campers and staff) and I will be blogging about the daily happenings at camp this summer. I want to extend a special welcome to new camp families and friends who may be reading this blog for the first time and send a big "hello!" to returning readers! I am so excited to return to my position as blogger again because it is one of my very favorite parts of my job. There is nothing I love more than sharing the stories of my interactions with campers, and chronicling their experiences, triumphs, and discoveries.

As a quick introduction, I'll just let you know that Camp Ballibay is not only my summer job of 4 years, but also my passion and a major part of my life. I am a former camper (attending 6 summers, starting at age 11), and I consider Ballibay to be the very essence of my childhood. While I was a camper here, I tried virtually every activity area offered, and now I work as a musical theater director here. I have directed "Peter Pan," "Seussical," and "The Wiz," as well as some smaller staged readings and one act plays. This year I will be directing two musicals -- one first session, and one second session -- but their identities cannot be revealed until campers arrive! I am also a cabin counselor in the girl's area.

Long story short: I am thrilled to be returning to camp again as a director, blogger, and counselor. My goal is to cover even more aspects of camp and post even more frequently than I did last summer, with lots of pictures, anecdotes, and updates on camp life. I am literally counting down the days until campers begin arriving and I look forward to meeting many families in-person on move-in day on Sunday!

"Medea" cast pre-show, Summer 2010

Sketching in the art barn, Summer 2010

Munchkins in "The Wiz," Summer 2010

See you on Sunday!

Elizabeth C., Ballibay Blogger

It's time to say goodbye

2010-08-14T09:20:00.000-07:00

Hello readers,

It is with true sorrow that I write the last blog post of this camp season. Is it too cliche to say that I can't figure out how time has moved so fast? I feel like I talk about this all the time, but I just don't understand how 7 weeks just flew by like this.

Last night was "The Wiz"! For those of you who were able to make it here for the show, I hope you loved it, and for those of you who weren't able to make it, I can assure you that it was a phenomenal production. Working with the 20 campers on the show was a true gift, and the performance they gave last night couldn't have created a more perfect end to the summer. Perhaps most moving was the last song of the show, "Home" performed by Alexa D. playing Dorothy. Some of the lyrics of the song, here, moved both the audience and performers to tears:

When I think of home I think of a place where there's love overflowing I wish I was home I wish I was back there with the things I been knowing Maybe there's a chance for me to go back there Now that I have some direction It would sure be nice to be back home Where there's love and affection And just maybe I can convince time to slow up Giving me enough time in my life to grow up Time be my friend, let me start again

Before the show started, backstage, Alexa told me she didn't know how she was going to make it through the song. "It's too much!" she said, "I'm singing about going home, as in my own home, but Ballibay is a home to me, too, and now I have to leave it!" Well, that was enough to make me cry. It also made me realize how correct Alexa is. Yes, Ballibay is a summer camp, but to many it is more than that: it is a home, albeit a home-away-from home.

Thank you to all those who read this summer, and thank you even more for sharing your wonderful campers with me and the rest of the staff. We are forever grateful.

See you next summer,
Elizabeth C.
Ballibay Blogger

Back to back successes

2010-08-07T11:56:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

As I write to you, the last of the Farm Arts III and Rock Farm III campers have left camp to return home for the remainder of the summer. The tone around campus is bittersweet for both staff and campers. Obviously, campers are mourning the departure of their cabin-mates and new (or old!) friends. As a counselor, I also find myself very sad about the Farm and Rock campers leaving. Yes, true, I do have a week left here in which I'll be working quite intensely with my cast of "The Wiz" (who, in case you were wondering, are still completely fantastic!), but I also felt that I got to know the Farm and Rock campers more than ever this summer, and camp just doesn't seem the same without them all here. Perhaps it was because I sat at a meal table with two Rock Intensive campers, Ezra A. and Dante S., who constantly made me laugh, and really taught me a lot about how hard they worked this session for their phenomenal Band Night. I can't even tell you how incredibly proud I was to watch them make amazing music last night.

Additionally, as the title of this post suggests, Band Night followed our Music and Dance Concert on Thursday evening. It was beautiful. The dances were intriguing and thought-provoking, the choral and instrumental music pieces sounded wonderful, and the musical theater scenes made the audience laugh and sing along. It was a truly enjoyable show.

Congratulations to campers and staff involved in both productions!

More soon,
Elizabeth C.
Ballibay Blogger

The ultimate pick-me-up...

2010-08-02T06:22:00.000-07:00

...is what a morning at Camp Ballibay is like!

Hello readers!

Good morning to you half-way through the second week of this session. When I woke up this morning, I rolled over and looked at the camp calendar on my wall and literally felt my mouth hanging open. How is it possible that I've been here over 5 weeks, completed 3 out of 4 shows, and that this last session is a third of the way done? It simply doesn't seem as though all that has been achieved truly has happened! The way that time passes here, it's easy to feel as though time is literally slipping away from you -- which can easily bring a person down (after all, it's depressing to realize the summer is coming to a close!)

The good thing is that at Ballibay, it's impossible to ever feel truly down in the dumps. Every single aspect of the camp and the camp's programs work against feeling low. Yesterday before dinner, I felt sad because I realized that camp was really nearing it's end and that the whole summer was nearly over. And then, as I walked down to the dining hall, I heard music coming from the porch outside of the building. It was an impromptu rock band performance to serenade us before we ate. It was a fun moment that got everyone to dance and clap along. Just another reminder of why every moment at Ballibay is the ultimate pick-me-up.

More soon,
Elizabeth C.
Ballibay Blogger

Reason #503 Why I Love Camp Ballibay

2010-07-29T16:03:00.000-07:00

Hello readers,

Growth is a big deal here at Ballibay. When parents pick campers up at the end of a session, I can't even tell you how many, "You must have grown half a foot"-like statements I hear. While most campers do grow a little taller during camp, they grow in so many more ways than that. And every once in a while, I come across a camper whose growth at Ballibay is just so remarkable that I have to share it. This is one of those stories.

Olivia F. is a second-year camper here, and in addition, she's a 7-weeker, meaning she is here for the entire Ballibay season, from start to finish. During the first 4-week session, Olivia opted not to do any theater, choosing instead to focus on tech theater and a bit of rock 'n roll. Out of curiosity, I asked Olivia (who had been in one of my plays last summer) why she chose not to do theater. "I don't know, I guess I just don't feel like it. It seems like a big commitment."

Well, let me tell you...Olivia has decided to make the commitment this session. After taking 4 weeks of voice lessons with Mihoko Y., one of our wonderful vocal instructors, Olivia showed up to both her acting and her singing auditions prepared and ready to go. "You're not going to believe this, but Olivia wants to do musical theater," I was informed at auditions. Honestly, it was easy for me to believe it because her auditions were phenomenal. Not only did she audition with an interest in musical theater, but she did so well that I cast her in "The Wiz" as the character Addaperle, the Good Witch of the North. Not only does this part mean she has a cast of 7 Munchkins following her everywhere, but it also means a solo song and two large scenes in the show. In her first big musical production ever, Olivia is thriving. Just last night, she approached me and asked me if I would call her during evening activities to work on developing her character. Incredible!

Olivia F. is the definition of the kind of growth that makes me want to return as a staff member here year after year. She is the kind of camper that inspires and motivates me to make every day a day of growth.

More soon,
Elizabeth C.
Ballibay Blogger

p.s. Just as an added bonus, here is Olivia singing at our Cafe this past week! Sorry that the camera wasn't steady...I tried!

Week 1, half-way through?

2010-07-28T11:59:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

Welcome to a Wednesday afternoon at Camp Ballibay! As I stated in my last post, everyone is keeping quite busy, making their way from rehearsal to rehearsal, to band practice, then to a silk-screening lesson, and then back to another rehearsal.

Anyway, as I promised, I brought my camera along to the Staff Cabaret last night to document the wonderful evening. I thought I'd include some pictures of the night, but then I realized that I had taken a video of my favorite act of the evening. Listen to it below, please, because the re-written original lyrics (created by Molly M. and Jesse M.)

More soon!
Elizabeth C.
Ballibay Blogger

Can't you feel a brand new session?

2010-07-27T16:28:00.001-07:00

Before anything else, look how adorable Mihoko and the goats/sheep are!

Hello readers!

Welcome to the beginning of Ballibay 2nd Session/Rock Intensive III/Farm Arts III! As I type this, our first full day of non-orientation activities is coming to a close. It has been quite the busy day as campers adjust to new cabins, new schedules, and new rehearsals. Today was also the first day of rehearsals for the 2 shows I'm directing this session: "Free to Be...You and Me" (a script-in-hand version), and "The Wiz" (the last musical of the summer!) I've got to tell you -- so far, so good!

Our activity this evening is this session's Staff Cabaret. Unfortunately, I'm not able to sing in the show as I had planned because I'm pretty vocally exhausted from all the singing we did in "Seussical" last session, but the entire campus has been abuzz with excitement for the show. I always remember how eager I was to see my own counselors perform in the Cabarets when I was a camper, and I've seen the same looks on the faces of campers all summer when the Staff Cabaret is approaching. For campers, getting to watch their guitar teacher, voice instructor, or theater director perform on-stage is elating...and I have the same kind of excitement to see my fellow staff members perform!

Here's to a great show this evening -- the first of 2nd session!

More soon,
Elizabeth C.
Ballibay Blogger

Oh the thinks we thought!

2010-07-21T09:32:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

Well, you heard it here first: "Seussical: the Musical" was...a great success! Of course, per usual, I'm going to have to give you the background story of the show day before revealing all the details of the performance (you know my story-telling style by now!), so listen up!

At Ballibay, show days work as follows: a cast that typically rehearses once each day (either in the mornings or in the afternoons) are cleared from all their other activities to spend the entire day preparing for their show that evening. Directors organize the time in a variety of ways -- some doing last minute set or prop work, some making sure that all of their campers' costumes needs are met, some running scenes that are technically challenging, etc. -- during the morning, and then plan on doing a full tech run-through in the afternoon. So, in the morning, we worked scenes that needed a few more runs, and in the afternoon we did a full run-through of the show... sort of. We completed the run of the show, but the kids were tired and drooping, literally -- and so was I! "Seussical" is a fast-paced operetta-type show with 27 musical numbers, in total. The majority of the songs are high-energy with movement and choreography. The kids were a little worn out -- vocally and mentally. Instead of giving notes at the end of the run I asked them how they thought the practice had gone, and they sat on the front of the stage in a clump and took turns raising their hands to share the positives of the day and what they thought could be worked on for that evening. Again -- like the time I'd done the activity early on in rehearsals -- they all gave a quite accurate analysis of the afternoon with every single camper explaining to me, "I have to give more energy to the performance tonight. I know I have more energy to give." I, too, knew that they had more energy to give -- after all, I cast each and every of the 23 campers based on their high energy levels and incredible stage presence.

Well, I never had any doubts that the show would improve for the evening's performance (after all, it always happens that the dress rehearsal seems scattered and all the pieces fall into place magically during the evening) but I had no idea of the degree of initiative the campers would take. At the end of the afternoon I told them, "The show is your show now. It used to be our show, but I am giving it to you. It is your turn to make it something wonderful." ...and they did.

One of my main goals for "Seussical" had been to be able to sit in the audience and watch the show unfold. I did just that, and I don't know how else to describe the campers' performance except to say that they literally shone. As soon as the curtains opened for their first "Seuss!" until their last proclamation of, "I do not like Green Eggs and Ham!" they never lost a snippet of energy. When I finished directing the show "Peter Pan" last summer, I told myself I'd never be prouder than I was at the end of that performance, but "Seussical" really took the cake.

Thank you, parents, family, and friends for having such incredible campers.

More soon,
Elizabeth C.
Ballibay Blogger

p.s. Speaking of incredible campers, last night we had the Dance Intensive's concert and tonight is the Rock Intensive's band night. What a talented group of intensive campers we have here this summer! They continue to amaze everyone!

I have been far too absent!

2010-07-19T07:49:00.000-07:00

Karlie K. getting Grinch-y for Seussical!

Hello readers!

Oh my goodness -- please accept my apologies for my absence! It is hard to describe what the last week of camp is like because the word "busy" doesn't even begin to describe it. As a theater director who also assists backstage with the majority of the productions here, it is a week of non-stop work and fast-paced preparation for the shows and performances. In the past five days, we've had "The Importance of Being Earnest," a Camper Cabaret, and our evening of Follies (which, by the way, was fabulous!) and now coming up tonight is this session's Shakespeare performance: "A Midsummer Night's Dream." I must say that I am quite anxious and excited to see the show because it is being performed in a circle of trees outside the Ballibay Theater, called the Dream Grove. It really looks like it will be a magical evening and I am looking forward to seeing the Dream Grove being used for the first time in a very, very long time.

In other news, do you know what tomorrow is? If you aren't feverishly following your nighttime program calendar, I'll remind you: Seussical, the musical! This is the first time since I've worked here that the 1st session musical is in the middle of the last week (as opposed to the final show of the session), so it has really snuck up on us. The campers continue to have moments of panic, saying, "We're used to having four more days of rehearsal!" but, for one of the first times in my life as a director, I feel completely content and prepared for this show. I am proud of the campers in the production, as well as all the campers who are helping backstage, on video, and in tech -- all are enthusiastic and excited for the show. I think the combination of nervous energy about the shows and the campers' drive to perform the show provides all the impetus I need to maintain a sense of confidence about the show's opening tomorrow night.

After "Seussical" is over, there is still half a week left of 1st session, but I know it will fly by. It always does, and then I find myself hugging campers goodbye and wondering how a month passed so quickly. However, I can firmly promise more frequent updates for the rest of this week, as I will have plentiful free time. Until then, send some happy, Seuss-y vibes to the cast tomorrow night at 8:30 p.m. Balli-time!

More soon,
Elizabeth C.
Ballibay Blogger

Doin' what comes naturally!

2010-07-15T07:24:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

I apologize for my absence this week. I have been feeling a little under the weather -- the Balli-bug, if you will. I'm going to try to get to the doctor this week and clear it all up, but until then, I feel the need to reflect on a rehearsal I was part of last night. The instrumental music, musical theater, and dance departments are currently in the midst of preparing for a show next week called "Follies." It is a night of pieces that have been rehearsed during evening activities, and for the first time this year, I am assisting with the staging of one of the pieces.

I am working with five campers, most of whom are in the youngest girls cabin, on a song from the show "Annie Get Your Gun." We started rehearsing the song, which is called "Doin' What Comes Naturally," less than a week ago, but the girls have latched onto the song in such a strong way that we have made major progress in a short amount of time. It's quite fitting that the title of the song matches the performance styles of the campers in the piece: these campers live and breathe musical theater, to the point where it simply "comes naturally" to them. The moment they get into rehearsal, they beg to perform the piece over and over again. Last night, Hope P. suggested, "We should probably just do it thirteen times in a row!" Luckily for you (and for us!), John was able to stop into our Follies rehearsal to tape a snippet of the girls running through the piece, and I can share it with all of you right here!

They're real naturals, aren't they?

More soon,
Elizabeth C.
Ballibay Blogger

Reason #498 Why I Love Camp Ballibay

2010-07-12T09:15:00.000-07:00

Hello readers,

Do you ever step back from a project you're working on and find yourself unable to focus on anything other than the massiveness of the task at hand? To be completely honest with you, it happens every so often here at Ballibay. As a staff member, there are countless projects we are working on with campers all day, every day, and there are moments when -- despite the commitment and devotion of the campers -- it just seems like there's not enough time! You find yourself saying, "How can I block and stage a one act play in nine days?" or "Will two weeks be enough time to coordinate pieces for the Follies performance?" With time as such an important factor in scheduling and planning here, it is easy to become concerned with it and lose track of what is actually important: the journey and the process.

If you've ever visited the Ballibay website, you have surely seen the phrase, "It's the journey, not the product" displayed prominently, and for a good reason: it certainly is the best way for both campers and staff members to view Ballibay. This weekend, I began to worry about "Seussical." The show is basically an operetta, meaning there is very little dialogue, and instead 22 songs to learn. There is choreography and blocking to memorize. There is a cast of 23 campers, and there are 9 more rehearsals to finish the show. It all just seemed a little daunting, suddenly.

Well, yesterday, I went to rehearsal with already 1 strike against our cast: we were rehearsing in a space other than the Ballibay theater (where our show will take place), but I did arrive with a large smile on my face and plans of simply making progress with the show -- regardless of the form in which that progress manifested itself. Perhaps the campers arrived with a similar plan for the rehearsal because it ended up being a wonderful afternoon. Charlotte W., who plays the Sour Kangaroo, belted out her solo with more power and flair than she had ever done before. Hope P., who plays the Young Kangaroo, sang her part more and more confidently each time she did it. Lulu D. and Daylen O., who play Gertrude McFuzz and Horton the Elephant (respectively), learned a duet in about 20 minutes and then proceeded to sing the harmonies on their own.

And this is Reason #498 Why I Love Camp Ballibay: the campers understand their journey. The entire day was a reminder of how important the journey is -- at times there are bumps in the road, but the sights and sounds along the way that lead you closer to your destination are far more important. For the rest of my nine days with the cast of "Seussical," we will continue on our journey, making it the most fun, interesting, and enlightening experience of the summer...and I have no doubt it will lead us to a beautiful destination as well.

More soon,
Elizabeth C.
Ballibay Blogger

p.s. As a special treat, I am including a video of Lulu D. singing as Gertrude for the first time on stage! She had just memorized this song and was trying it on her own.

Weekend musings

2010-07-11T12:41:00.000-07:00

Hello readers,

It is Saturday evening, meaning that, as of this afternoon, we have said goodbye to all of the campers who have spent the past two weeks here for Farm Arts 1 or Rock 1. This means that my cabin and the cabin adjoined to ours shared a tearful farewell with a total of 4 girls. This means that many of the campers who starred in my script-in-hand last week have boarded a bus or climbed into their family car to head back home for the rest of the summer. If you haven't picked up on it by now, I can be quite the emotional counselor at times, and saying goodbye to campers/watching campers say goodbye to each other only heightens my emotions.

It is always fascinating for me to see the transformation that campers can make, even in a span of 2 weeks. It may not seem like a long time to them (although I'm certain it feels like a lifetime for camp parents!) but the changes I, as a staff member, can see in the children are plentiful. By the time Farm Arts 1/Rock 1 campers leave, many of them have participated in theater productions (either as a performer or in a tech aspect), worked in the art barn to create pieces that were shown at last night's art exhibit, and rehearsed in bands that displayed their hard work at last night's Band Night. It consistently amazes me.

...and as hard as it is to say goodbye , it's nice to remember that new campers arrive on Sunday, and it all starts again!

More soon,
Elizabeth C.
Ballibay Blogger

(Balli)food, glorious (Balli)food!

2010-07-07T07:08:00.000-07:00

Hello readers,

I've just walked up to the office to get started on my morning work, and on my way up to the office I thought to myself, I'm already having a beautiful day and it isn't even 9 a.m. yet. Of course, at Ballibay, why wouldn't I be having a beautiful day? We are on a picturesque mountaintop, there are creative thoughts and actions happening all day, every day, and the fresh country air is a daily reminder of how lucky I am to work here. As I made it into the office, I realized that in addition to all of previously mentioned facts, my morning was especially good because of the delicious breakfast I had just eaten: farm-fresh scrambled eggs, porridge with brown sugar and a little bit of milk drizzled on top, fresh strawberries, and banana bread (baked by campers during evening activities last night). Every breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the Ballibay chefs and kitchen staff work tirelessly to prepare the fuel we need to have happy, productive days.

Emily L. loves the fruit options at every meal!

In addition to a large parent/family/friend reader-base on this blog, we also have a significant amount of former Ballibay campers who read to find out about what is going on this summer. For those former campers who were here in the days before the installation of a new and (certainly in my opinion) much improved food program at Ballibay, I suggest clicking here to read all about the real food we serve here now. Because so much of our camp philosophy is about growth (as an individual, as an artist, as a performer, etc.), providing diverse, sustainable foods fits right in.

Here's to more delicious meals that give us more beautiful days!

More soon,

Elizabeth C.
Ballibay Blogger

Havin' a heat wave (but it's a good one!)

2010-07-06T07:21:00.000-07:00

Good morning, readers!

When I say that we are having a steamy days here, I mean it! We're really toasting up on our mountain here. Yesterday was one of the hottest days I can remember ever experiencing at Ballibay. Every program area had coolers of ice water to prevent campers from melting, but it was certainly a testing day because of the heat index (nearly 96 degrees yesterday).

However...the campers here are certainly incredible and devoted to their arts, because at "Seussical" rehearsal, we had one of the most productive days yet, with every single cast member working harder than ever. It's one of the things I love so much about working at this camp: the kids truly love what they do and have a strong devotion to the commitments they make. No amount of sun or rain holds them back from keeping themselves energized and focused at their program areas. While this applies throughout the camp, I think I notice it in the theater department because that is where I spend most of my time. A perfect example is centered around all the wonderful younger campers who play "Whos" from "Whoville" in the show. We ran their number nearly 5 times yesterday to make sure everyone was comfortable with the song, and even though the stage lights were on and we were nearing the end of a long rehearsal, the energy level was high, and the campers had just as much stage presence as ever. I was incredibly proud of them, and I was reminded again of how driven Ballibay campers are -- driven to learn, to achieve, and to make themselves proud.

They are wonderful.

Even though it's warm, we're having so much fun here!

More soon!

Elizabeth C.
Ballibay Blogger

Campers are the DJs, the Outdoor Platform is the dance floor

2010-07-04T08:50:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

Last night was the first DJ dance of the summer! For those of you who aren't sure what the DJ dance is, it is a night of crazy outfits, fun music, and nonstop dance on the Outdoor Platform. Campers take turns DJ-ing for the event with music from their own iPods and mp3 players.

G1, G2, and B1 getting funky!

Fiona F., Sydney S., Christina O., and Tait N. having a great time!

When I was a camper here, I always had mixed feelings about going to the DJ dance because I never felt like I was a very good dancer and I'm sure I was a little self conscious because of that. However, now that I am a counselor watching my campers get ready for and participate in the event, I wish I had never allowed myself to feel that way when I was younger. It is one of the most enjoyable and energetic nights at camp, and all the campers -- from the youngest to the oldest -- just get a chance to let go and dance. It was wonderful to watch, and I did manage to hop on stage for my personal favorite song of the night, "Party in the USA"!

Now it is Sunday, which around here means...cleaning day! Campers will spend the majority of their morning tidying up their cabins so they are fresh and clean for the beginning of another jam-packed Ballibay week. And just a quick heads up: we will have a wide variety of evening events coming up this week, so I will be on top of it with blog posts!

More soon,
Elizabeth C.
Ballibay Blogger

First show of the summer...check!

2010-07-02T09:07:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

I have fantastic news for you all: last night, my cast of the script-in-hand show had a smash hit with the first show of the summer! Eleven campers, with the majority of them under the age of 10, performed "3 by Munsch," a staged reading of 3 stories by the children's author Robert Munsch. For those who are not familiar with the process of a staged reading at Camp Ballibay, it is as follows: 2-3 days of rehearsal time, 1 dress rehearsal with tech and video, and then...it's show time! I love everything I do as a Ballibay staff member, but in my opinion, the staged reading is the highlight of the summer. It is a chance for campers who have never done theater before or who are a little nervous about being on stage (or veteran actors and actresses, as well!) to be the stars of a show. Last night we did 3 small plays in one, based off of the storiesStephanie's Ponytail, Thomas' Snowsuit, and The Paper Bag Princess.

Iris S. and Mia W.

I gave the actors and actresses three notes before the show started: pace yourselves during the show, project and speak loudly, and (most importantly) enjoy yourselves and be proud of everything you do on stage tonight. They followed all of the directions perfectly, and even elaborated a little bit on all of the staging and direction I had given them during our two days of rehearsal. My favorite moment of the show was when 7-year-old Mia W., who played the Paper Bag Princess' Lady-in-Waiting received the biggest laugh of the show. In a portion of The Paper Bag Princess, the narrator remarks that the dragon "didn't even have enough fire left to roast a marshmallow." Mia had been given the instructions to hold a marshmallow on a stick and attempt to roast it. Before the show started she took me aside and said, "EC, if I do a good job, can I have the marshmallow after the show is over?" and I had said she definitely could. In the heat of the moment, or perhaps because she just secretly planned it all along, right after trying to roast her marshmallow, she stared into the audience, smiled, and the put the entire marshmallow from the stick into her mouth. It barely fit and she just stood on staged and chewed until she was done. By this time, the audience was in an uproar, clapping and laughing. When the show was over she told me it was the best night of her life, "so far."

Here's to more best nights!

More soon,

Elizabeth C.

Ballibay Blogger

Getting into the swing of things!

2010-06-29T07:59:00.000-07:00

Hello, readers!

It is Tuesday morning and we are almost completely emerged in camp activities. The only thing that isn't totally up and running yet are theater rehearsals: this morning directors for all the shows are holding callbacks to make some final decisions before the shows are cast this afternoon. After seeing 9 girls cabins and 4 boys cabins go through various auditions, directors hold callbacks as a reminder of who is interested in specific shows and who might be best for specific parts.

While some of the campers are doing their theater, dance, or music callbacks, others are beginning to explore the art barn, the rock n' roll area, the horse area, or just spend some time relaxing on the hill, reconnecting with old friends, or getting to know new ones. It's a day for learning more about Ballibay and learning more about what the summer ahead is going to be like.

More soon, once I can give you all new details about the beginning of rehearsals!

Elizabeth C.
Ballibay Blogger

Weeks of working and waiting (anxiously!)

2010-06-22T16:15:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

This past Sunday, at around 3 p.m., my car finally pulled into the staff parking lot at camp. When all the dust from the back-roads finally cleared, everything was...just as beautiful as I remembered (if not more so!)

Despite the fact that there aren't any campers yet (and as you can tell from the picture, it's a little bit lonely without them), there is no lack of hard work happening all day, every day. I arrived this week, but an extremely dedicated group of staff members arrived an extra week early to complete "grunge week" which refers to seven days of deep-cleaning every inch of the campus. They worked hard and it was certainly obvious! Since the rest of us arrived here on Sunday, we have been preparing our program areas for the campers' arrivals. Every last detail is being attended to, ranging from the organization of supplies in the Art Barn to preparing the pool to be swim-ready to blocking shows and considering costume possibilities.

So, we've got a beautiful, freshly scrubbed and polished campus, a healthy and growing garden, and meals that each rival the last in deliciousness, but there's still something missing: the campers! I can't even tell you how many conversations I've had with both returning and new staff members who all agree that the best part of this week will be Saturday and Sunday when the first session of campers begin arriving! I think the staff's excitement about the beginning of another Ballibay summer matches the excitement of the campers.

We can't wait to see you all this weekend!

More soon,
Elizabeth C.
Camp Ballibay Blogger

www.ballibay.com

Welcome back!

2010-06-08T20:03:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Summer 2010 at Camp Ballibay!

With just over two weeks until the start of first session, I wanted to make my first contact with anyone and everyone who may read the Ballibay blog over the course of this summer. My name is Elizabeth, more commonly known around camp as "EC," and I will be returning as the Ballibay blogger! If you read this blog last summer, you already know how incredibly passionate I am about this camp and all that it encompasses. For those who are new to camp or the blog this summer, here is a quick rundown: I am a former Ballibay camper (spent six summers there, every summer between the ages of 11 and 16), did an apprenticeship my last summer at camp as an assistant director in the theater department, and now am about to start my third summer working as a theater director. Ballibay changed my life as a child -- in my opinion, the experiences I had there and the array of wonderful people I met are very much responsible for the person I am today -- and the two summers I've worked here have further influenced the adult I'm becoming.

Just in case you're interested in seeing the face behind the name!
Here I am with three fantastic campers at the end of last summer.

This summer I will be directing two shows each session -- a script-in-hand/reader's theater show, and a musical -- but I will also be observing as many of the camp activities and happenings as possible so that I can relay stories to you, the readers (if you are new to the blog this summer and curious to see what kind of stories I'll be sharing in the blog, look through some of last years' updates to see!). I promise I will include pictures, too, and I will do my very best to write here every day.

Erika taking a break from rehearsal, Summer 2009.

Daylen and Scott at Jam Night, Summer 2009

This is going to be an incredible summer -- I can feel it! I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible on opening day and communicating with you here all summer.

Elizabeth C.
Camp Ballibay Blogger

www.ballibay.com

Goodbye to Summer '09

2009-08-16T17:39:00.000-07:00

Hello readers,

Here I am, writing to you from my house in Illinois, less than 24 hours after returning home from Ballibay. After a nice long sleep and spending some time with my family, I realized that I had to write just one more entry here because I never really got the chance to properly finalize my thoughts on this summer.

I don't know if it was partially because I directed "Peter Pan" for the last three weeks (one of the most fantastical musicals ever written) or partially because Ballibay seems to be such a transforming, life-changing place, but I really feel like the only word I can use to sum up this entire summer is magical.

As a staff member, I can assure you that yes, there were definitely stressful aspects of the summer -- especially during the 3-week session when my head was constantly full of thoughts like, "How am I going to teach the music, blocking, choreography and lines of a full-blown musical to 22 children in approximately 20 days while also making sure I keep a cabin of 10-year-olds happy and loving each other and camp?" But when those thoughts started swirling through my head, all I had to do was sit on the hill for a moment, breathe in the refreshing country air, and glance over at any of the activity areas to see campers doing something they loved -- be it acting, singing, dancing, horseback riding, drawing, painting, hula-hooping, gardening, cooking, jamming out on their instruments, or just holding hands with their camp-best-friend who they'll have to wait an entire year to see again. That is the only thing I ever needed to stop those thoughts and remind myself that Ballibay always has been and always will be about the journey.

The summer was magical for a thousand different reasons. Our new food program was a journey in and of itself and it ended up being a smash hit, as well as a way for campers to really engage themselves in an area of camp that never used to be hands-on. The intensive and Farm Arts sessions infused a great mix of campers who brought special skills and talents with them to camp, thus expanding the artistic knowledge of all Ballibay campers. And all the campers themselves, per usual, were phenomenal children -- smart, funny, talented, passionate, witty, loving, thoughtful, and just generally enjoyable to be with.

Is it too premature to say that I hope to be back at Ballibay next summer? I don't think so.

Thank you for reading this summer. Much Balli-love to you and your campers.

More next summer,
Elizabeth C. (EC)
Ballibay Blogger

p.s. In case you were wondering..."Peter Pan" turned out better than I could have ever dreamed. I literally sat backstage and sobbed for 50% of the time, and the other 50% was spent laughing my head off with a combination of pride and joy. Enjoy some pictures!

My two tiniest, but definitely fiercest pirates! Delanie as Noodler (L), and Hope as Cookson (R)

Grace K. as Peter Pan and Grace F. as Tinkerbell. What incredible talent.

How did we get here?

2009-08-10T06:59:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

Well, it's official: the last week of the summer at Camp Ballibay is upon us. On Saturday, we said goodbye to the campers from Farm Arts 3 and Rock Intensive 2 -- a bittersweet feeling after ending their two week stay with an incredible art show and Band Night (check out this great picture of Sarah F.H.!)

However, the last week of camp doesn't mean that anything slows down around here -- quite the opposite actually! We have jam-packed week, with a major show or performance every single night. Our last week schedule is as follows, just so you can be kept up to date with what's going on here:

Monday: Tonight is our last-week comedy, "Just Desserts." Tucker and his cast have been working tirelessly and I for one am excited to see it. After typing up the program for the show this morning and looking at the cast list, it looks like it's going to be quite a crew of talented actors and actresses!

Tuesday: "Lord of the Flies" -- there is no way I'll miss this one, directed by Molly. It's going to be on the Outdoor Platform and from what I hear, it's going to be unlike any other drama we've seen here before.

Wednesday: The Ballibay Follies, complete with musical, dance, and instrumental pieces.

Thursday: Another drama, this time set in a courtroom -- "The Night of January the 16th," directed by Andy.

Friday: drum roll, please..."Peter Pan"! I'm definitely more than a little bit partial to this one, because Mel and I have been working on it constantly for the past few weeks and I've been preparing since April to do this show! Aside from the Follies, this is the only true musical production of the session and the campers in the production are really and truly engaged in making the show the best it can be. I can't wait!

Doesn't it sound like we're going to have a great last week? I think so!

More soon,

Elizabeth C.

Ballibay Blogger

Catching up!

2009-08-07T08:05:00.000-07:00

Hello readers,

I am so sorry that I haven't been able to write to you, but I promise there is a legitimate reason why I've been absent: I've been struck with a Balli-bug, of the stomach variety, and I'm just now getting over it. I'm sorry! I'm going to get you all caught up, though!

Wednesday night: The Festival of One Acts! Honestly, I think it was the hardest I've laughed at any show so far this session. Tucker's "An Evening with Shel Silverstein" was composed of small skits that were just delightful, and Laura's "Murder Most Fowl" had the entire audience giggling straight through at Michaela M., Jake S. and the rest of the cast's hillbilly hilarity.

Thursday night: Music and Dance Showcase -- we got to watch campers perform excerpts from what they're working on in their instrumental and dance lessons.

Tonight, the last night before closing day of Farm Arts 3 and Rock Intensive, is Band Night. It's a full night of real rock-n-roll, and I love watching and listening to it because it's a chance to see the Rock Intensive campers (as well as plenty of rock-oriented Ballibay campers!) do their thing. Is it too vague to say that they just rock out? Because that's the best possible way to explain it. I'll definitely get some pictures of them up tomorrow so you can see what I mean, but I'm sure it's going to be a truly awesome show, just as it was during the last Rock Intensive session!

Thanks for being understanding, readers -- now that I'm feeling a little better, I should be back on board for the rest of the session (despite my constant mourning at how rapidly it's all moving!).

More soon,

Elizabeth C.

Ballibay Blogger

Reason #2,981 to love Ballibay

2009-08-04T07:19:00.000-07:00

Hello readers,

There are so many wonderful aspects of Ballibay, many of which I've written about here in past entries, many which I will continue to share, and some which are indescribable unless you're here, at camp, in the moment. But undeniably, the best part about Camp Ballibay is happy people. What can compare to walk around, anywhere on the entire campus, and seeing people smiling and laughing without holding back? Whenever I think back to my blissful days as a Ballibay camper and place them alongside the good times I've experienced working here for two years, I think of lyrics from the musical "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown":

Happiness is singing together when day is through,
and happiness is those who sing with you.
Happiness is morning and evening, daytime and nighttime too.
For happiness is anyone and anything at all,
that's loved by you.

Did they mean to write those lyrics about Camp Ballibay, or is it just a coincidence?

More soon,
Elizabeth C.
Ballibay Blogger

Time is a-flyin'!

2009-08-03T08:24:00.000-07:00

Hello readers,

I just can't understand it -- I really can't. Somehow, we are in our second week of second session. In less than two weeks, Ballibay will be over for the summer and campers and counselors will be back home. I've been at camp for six weeks, and some staff members have been here for longer than that, but I honestly don't feel as though it's been longer than a few days.

Ballibay -- and I mean this in a positive way (let me explain!) -- has something very time warp-ish about it. Campers enter Ballibay at the beginning of the session and before anyone has time to blink, the session is over and they're saying tearful goodbyes as they climb into cars or planes or busses to head back home. When they're at Ballibay, campers don't necessarily stop to think about the fact that they've learned how to trot on a horse for the first time and make a coil pot in the ceramics studio and tried amaranth porridge in the dining hall for the first time and performed in the musical and toasted the perfect marshmallow at campout, but somehow at the end of the summer all of that has been accomplished. Often the first things parents remark when they see their campers on visiting is, "You're so tall! You've grown so much." And indeed, when you see your campers at the end of this session, they will look taller, but trust me...they've grown in more ways than one.

More soon,
Elizabeth C.
Ballibay Blogger

"My House Was Collapsing Toward One Side"

2009-08-02T12:34:00.000-07:00

Hello readers,

Happy Sunday! We just finished our first intense Sunday cleaning of the session and my-oh-my does it feel nice to have a clean cabin!

I wanted to let you all know that Friday night was our script-in-hand reading, "My House Was Collapsing Toward One Side," a post-modern play by Charles Mee. I know that I'm partial to the cast (I did direct it, after all!), but the show was, in a word, incredible. The play, which is quite conceptual and non-concrete, is loosely based off of memoirs of Hiroshima survivors, broken up into small monologues and dialogues. The actors performed with "Adagio for Strings" by Samuel Barber playing in the background and it set an atmosphere that I had not yet seen in the Ballibay Theater once this session. It truly was a moving piece of theater. As a director, I felt proud of the entire cast, and especially for a few performers who had never been in a play before...ever.

After the show was over, one of the cast members, Kayla H., came up to me and said, "I've never had an appreciation for theater before. Thank you for helping me 'get' it." All I could say in response was, "Thank you, Kayla."

More soon,

Elizabeth C.

Ballibay Blogger

The story of my 6:45 p.m. "crowing lesson"

2009-07-30T16:28:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

I just experienced one of the best evening activity periods I've had in a long time and I can't wait to share the story of it with you!

Earlier today, during "Peter Pan" rehearsal, the camper playing the title role, Grace K., came up to me and asked if I could help teach her to crow. If you're not familiar with the musical, Peter Pan often crows when he is proud of himself or the Lost Boys, or as a greeting to those he sees as he flies around Neverland. Needless to say, there is a bit of crowing involved in the show, and Grace thought she needed work on it (even though she's already a fantastic Peter!), so during evening announcements, I called her for a crowing lesson at the Outdoor Platform. It was cause for a few confused looks from other campers, but Grace didn't seem to mind!

At 6:45 p.m., we met at the Platform, with my show's assistant stage manager, Mara J. For a few minutes, we practiced crowing -- a cool thing to do when you're out in the wilderness, I'll have you know! After we had crowed for a while, we started working on some of Peter's monologues or asides with the audience, including the most famous monologue of the show where Tinkerbell nobly drinks Peter's poisoned medicine to save his life. It's one of my all-time favorite parts of any show I've seen, ever.

Back to the Platform: I was sitting about a foot away from Grace as she spoke through the monologue over and over, working on both characterization and memorization. Both Mara and I were 100% engaged in Grace's incredible performance, and the last time I had her read it, I was almost crying from the start of the monologue...

...and then we got to the point in the script where Peter Pan walks as far downstage as possible and, breaking the fourth wall, pleads with the audience to clap their hands to prove that they do believe in fairies. As Grace recited the lines through her near-tears, people started clapping! I turned around and a large group of campers and counselors was sitting behind me, clapping their Balli-hearts out. Mara and I joined in, and what began as a crowing lesson turned into a performance with a standing ovation.

I don't know how else to explain the moment except for...perfect.

More soon,

Elizabeth C.

Ballibay Blogger

Off to a smashing (if not rainy) start!

2009-07-29T16:01:00.000-07:00

Hello readers,

We're already half-way through the first week of this session! I can't believe how quickly time moves at Ballibay. The past two days have been quite rainy and muggy -- not the good, sunny weather we typically hope for, but the campers seem to be making the best of it. As I write this from the office, I can see campers gathering around the computers to write emails home (hopefully to you!) and beginning to head up the hill now that the rain is finally tapering off.

Tonight, we're going to have what we call "Jam Night." In case you're not familiar with this Balli-term, it refers to a night-time activity where campers get to select an art medium in which to "jam." For example, tonight's jam area options include:

theater jam
art jam
music/rock n' roll jam
dance jam
drum circle jam
kitchen jam

They all sound cool to me! I'm looking forward to hearing about what kind of projects the campers work on, what kinds of theater games they play, and how the drum circle pans out...the choices make me wish I was a camper again!

On an unrelated note, today I had a conversation with a camper in my cabin, G2, as we walked down to the dining hall together for dinner. Out of the blue, she turned to me and said, "I just love Ballibay so much! All I want to do is theater and singing and dancing all day, and I can't believe I'm only here for a few weeks. How am I going to get it all done? I guess next year I'll have to come back for seven weeks!" That's the kind of Ballibay spunk and enthusiasm that just puts a smile on my face every day.

More soon,

Elizabeth C.

Ballibay Blogger

Hello second session!

2009-07-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

Welcome to second session, and a special welcome to new readers who are joining our community for the next three weeks! We are now on our first non-orientation day of camp -- rehearsals, lessons, and projects are underway and so far everything seems to be running like clockwork.

This session, I'm directing two shows -- another script-in-hand production (a more serious piece this time), and the last-week musical, "Peter Pan." Today's rehearsals were so productive...much more than I anticipated! My campers and I read through both scripts and already I'm amazed at how fast the campers pick up on direction and how eager they are to work on character development. I can't wait to see what they do with their parts and songs...I'll keep you updated on the status of the Pirates, Indians, and Lost Boys, for my part!

Tonight will be our first production of the session: the Staff Cabaret. I'm looking forward to seeing staff performances, especially those who didn't get a chance to perform last session or who are new to the Ballibay community.

I haven't used my camera much in the past few days, but I'm going to starting tomorrow, so be prepared for picture-updates, as well!

More soon,

Elizabeth C.

Ballibay Blogger

So long, so long, and onto the next one...

2009-07-27T22:35:00.000-07:00

Hello readers,

Well, it's official: first session has ended. I cannot believe it. Only now, after almost all of the campers have left (except those staying seven weeks, who are all up at the Ballibay Theater for a movie night as I type this), can has it really begun to settle in that the first four weeks are over. It's sad, it's bittersweet, and it's hard to say goodbye, but I can personally say that -- from the eyes of this camp blogger -- this session was a time of amazing growth, and growth that encompassed every single camper.

Just as a quick review, here are some of the highlights from Camp Ballibay, first session:

Camper-wise, numbers were high, including a few weeks where we were at full capacity. However, Ballibay continued to retain a feeling of small community, and even with well over 100 children, I still knew all of the campers names! It's a miracle!
We spent two weeks with the Dance and Rock Intensive campers, forming new friendships and getting to witness the phenomenal Dance Concert and Band Night.
3 Camper Cabarets, 2 Jam Nights, 2 Bonfires, a script-in-hand Shel Silverstein show (near and dear to my heart, always), performance art, a D.J. dance, a solo & duet cafe, the Festival of One Acts, a dance showcase, "Two Gentleman of Verona," the Ballibay Follies, the David Ives Medley, and two nights of "Beauty and the Beast."
Delicious new dishes, home-cooked, locally produced and bought, all part of Ballibay joining a food revolution (including my all-time favorite meal...the shrimp boil! I'm still all about the shrimp boil!)

Phew! Can you believe all of that happened in just a month? Somehow, it did. Again readers -- and specifically first session readers -- thank you for giving your campers the chance to come to Ballibay and experience all of the many gifts this camp has to offer.

Signing off for a bit (don't worry, I'll be back next session!),

Elizabeth C.

Ballibay Blogger

p.s. Sorry this is so late -- second session has JUST begun and the first few days are always madness. I should be back to you tomorrow night!

More great performances

2009-07-22T16:37:00.000-07:00

Hello readers,

I'm about an hour away from heading over to the Outdoor Platform to help house manage for "David Ives Medley," the big comedy for this session. As you know, I love outdoor shows, and I'm looking forward to having a giggle or two -- it'll be a good reliever from the end-of-session stress that seems to be piling up.

Last night, I was backstage assisting during The Ballibay Follies. During the show, I found myself really reminiscing about my days as a camper here -- some parts of the show were very much like the music and dance revues I used to be in every summer...some of the songs were the same ones I sang years ago! It was so special to watch the performers put new twists on the songs, and the combination of reminiscing and enjoying a fantastic show made for a great evening. I still haven't been able to stop humming, "Skid Row"!

I can't believe how fast this week -- not to mention this session -- is flying by. I can't believe there are only a few days left with this group of campers! Personally, I'm going to continue to relish them.

More soon,

Elizabeth C.

Ballibay Blogger

Last week jitters begin!

2009-07-21T07:44:00.000-07:00

Hello readers,

We're about half-way through our last week of first session and it is starting to get a little crazy in these here parts! Every day is crammed full of rehearsals and last-minute preparations for the productions occurring each night of the upcoming week. We kicked off the last-week shows with the Shakespeare production last night, "Two Gentlemen of Verona," and tonight will be the Ballibay Follies. All of the last-week shows are shaping up to be fabulous productions, and I'll keep you as updated as possible, beginning with a little review of last night's Shakespeare!

As a precursor, you should know that I was in a few Shakespeare productions during my time at

Ballibay -- I think I played some sort of servant in "Macbeth," and I played Thisbe in scenes from "A Midsummer Night's Dream," but never had to memorize more than a page or two at most. Works of the Bard -- which I love to read and study in class -- has never been my forte. Last night, sitting in the audience of the show at the Outdoor Platform (which, just so you know, is my absolute favorite performance space on campus...something about open-air theater just strikes a chord in me!), I tried to remember any of the lines I'd said in Shakespeare plays I'd been in ...and I couldn't. It's so challenging! The show started, and five minutes in I was completely enthralled. One of the girls in my cabin, Maya P., was playing Julia, one of the gentlemen's love affairs. She was a main character, knew all of her lines in Shakespearean English, which might as well be Greek, and she's only 13 years old! Two of my other girls were in the show, as well, and their parts went on without a hitch. As I watched the show, I couldn't believe how well the actors knew their lines, or -- if they flubbed -- how smoothly they could save the moment. Sometimes I feel like I miss the jokes in Shakespearean comedies because I don't understand what's going on, but the actors understood the script so well, that they were able to fully communicate it to the audience and not a joke was missed!

Completely unrelated: one of the best things about Ballibay kids is that they're just so darn cute! See picture below!

More soon,

Elizabeth C.

Ballibay Blogger

Sorry for the delay!

2009-07-19T19:51:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

As the title of this post reads...sorry that I missed a day! I have been so busy! It has just been crazy around Ballibay as we bid farewell to the Rock and Dance Intensive campers -- a lot of tearful, but happy goodbyes within my cabin. Right before my last Dance Intensive camper, Sara G., left, she slipped a note into my hand and asked me to read it to all the girls left in the cabin after she was gone. It was addressed to me, as well, so I took a quick peek at it (sorry, Sara!) and found myself in happy tears within moments. The gist of the note was Sara thanking her cabinmates and counselors for making her feel so welcome. She'd never been to sleep away camp before, she explained in the note, and she had been scared to live in a cabin with girls she didn't know. But as soon as she got to Ballibay, she realized that there was nothing to be scared of -- she felt welcomed with open arms. She ended the note with a promise to return next summer.

There's a good message in that note. The way that Sara G. felt upon leaving Ballibay is the same way I felt my first summer...that "I can't believe this incredible experience I just had, and how fast it went, and how much I want to go back already." I continue to feel that way, ten years later.

More soon!

Elizabeth C.

Ballibay Blogger

The beginning of the end (but only sort of!)

2009-07-17T09:04:00.000-07:00

Hello readers,

We have two major events happening in the next two nights here at Camp Ballibay: tonight is Band Night, and tomorrow night is the Dance Concert, both signaling the end of the Rock and Dance Intensive sessions. As a counselor in a cabin with four campers falling into the previously named categories, I am definitely having my emotional heartstrings tugged as this week draws to a close. I'm just not ready to say goodbye, and neither are the campers who will still be here one more week (or for the rest of the summer!) For example: right before the Intensive campers arrived in my cabin, I wondered how close the girls in my cabin could get with each other. But I have to be honest with you...I totally underestimated (or maybe just forgot!) the manner in which 12 and 13-year old girls bond and form friendships. In the words of Maya P., the next two days are going to be "heartbreaking," because she just doesn't want to have to say goodbye. They've already exchanged email contact, phone numbers, and home addresses and posed for countless pictures together, but it doesn't make it any easier.

The upside to all of this? Every single one of them is already planning out cabin requests and bed arrangements for when they come back and live in a cabin together next summer, in addition to reminders of, "Bring that sweater back next summer! I totally want to borrow it!" or "Let's take guitar lessons together next summer! We can play at the bonfire!"

Amidst the melancholy moments as Ballibay prepares to bid farewell to the Rock and Dance Intensive campers, we're still finding some spots of sunshine. More to come after Band Night and the Dance Concert!

Elizabeth C.
Ballibay Blogger

Midweek musings

2009-07-16T08:17:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

Once again, I have quite a lot to share with you! Last night was The Dance Showcase, which has always been one of my favorite Ballibay productions, as long as I've been here. It differs from dance concerts or The Follies because the Showcase focuses on excerpts and exercises from class work, rather than fully choreographed pieces. It encompasses all styles and levels of dancers, giving virtually every student taking dance classes a chance to perform and share what they've been learning.

At my meal table earlier in the day, Erika L. was nervous about the Showcase; she had been wavering back and forth trying decide whether or not to participate, primarily because she also wanted to try doing video for the show. Additionally, she explained to me, she had only tried flamenco a few times and was nervous she'd "mess it up." Well, thank goodness for Karlie K. who leaned across the table and said, "There's no messing up at Ballibay! The point is just to give it all a try!" What wise words!

Zipi, Erika, and Karlie

All of the performers in The Dance Showcase did an outstanding job and the show ran smoothly. I'm proud to report that I sat backstage and watched Erika perform her flamenco dance and jog back to her camera to finish filming the rest of the Showcase. And Karlie, who performed in almost every other piece, proved her theory: Ballibay is about giving it all a try if you want to.

Flamenco girls before the Showcase!

More soon!
Elizabeth C.
Ballibay Blogger

Radio-heads!

2009-07-15T13:30:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

Yes, indeed, I spent my morning as a radio-head (and I'm not talking about Thom Yorke...although that would have been equally cool!). Today I co-hosted a morning radio show with four girls from G1, G2, and G3! This meant, however, waking up a half hour before I usually do (it may not sound like a lot, but on a counselor time frame, every moment of sleep is precious), and making my way over to the radio room by 7:15. Now, as a pre-cursor you should know that I never really got involved with the radio program when I was a camper here -- although I always wanted to, I just could never squeeze it in! I think I may have done a show once or twice with a friend at the beginning of my Balli-career, but the memories are fuzzy because my first summer here was ten years ago. Therefore, ridiculous as it sounds, I was a little bit nervous to make my real radio debut. I'm proud to report that it was...

a huge success!

A major upside of being a counselor at Ballibay is the option to dabble in a few new areas of interest in your free time, and I think co-hosting the morning radio show definitely falls into that category. Alongside the campers, I learned how to properly wear the microphone and headphones, giggled along with the girls as they danced to the crazy music we played, and chatted with them about the high adorable-factor of the many kittens we have pouncing around campus. The campers didn't miss a beat and kept up the chit-chat for 45 minutes, although the entire experience was so fun, we probably could have gone for another hour. I hope I get to co-host again before the end of the summer!

In unrelated news, we've passed the half-way point for first session, and I can't believe there are less than two weeks left with this group of campers. I realize that I tell you this on a regular basis, but they are just incredible people -- so smart and funny and talented -- and such a perfect blend. It's too soon to get blue about their departure, so I'm just going to continue enjoying their presence here!

More soon,

Elizabeth C.

Ballibay Blogger

Just a thought

2009-07-14T07:31:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

I know that I'm constantly sharing my thoughts with you (hey, it's my job!), but here is a special one I think will make you smile!

Emily and Paula

So, for the past few days, I haven't gotten to spend too much time with my G5 cabin girls; some mornings I help out in the kitchen before breakfast and my co-counselor feeds the horses, so they've been woken up and walked down by counselors from the cabin next door, and I had a night off leading into yesterday as my day off so I just didn't see too much of the girls. This morning, as we were getting ready for the day, one of my girls, Memory, turned to me and said, "I missed you."

"Yeah, I missed you guys, too! Nothing like waking ten girls up at the crack of dawn to get ten showers started and then have ten of you straighten each other's hair!" I joked back. Putting down her hairbrush for a second, Memory turned back to me and said, "I never even thought of all that! Thank you for everything," and continued brushing her hair.

Well, let me tell you...hearing something as sweet as that determined my positive mood for the rest of the day. It isn't always easy living with ten girls who are 12 and 13-years-old, but it is definitely worth it. They are fun, happy, they make me and each other smile and laugh, and I couldn't ask for better campers -- and I know I'm not the only counselor who feels this way!

Memory and Morgan

More soon,
Elizabeth C.
Ballibay Blogger

Beautiful day

2009-07-12T15:12:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

First of all, I just wanted to extend a welcome to any readers joining us during the Farm Arts 2 session. Ten new campers moved in today and are being oriented as I write this. Just like the beginning of the rock and dance intensives, it's nice to see some new faces around camp and observe each camper's process of settling in.

This morning was Cleaning Day, as all Sunday mornings are here at Ballibay. When I was a camper here for the first time and heard about cleaning day, I panicked! How could I, as a puny 11-year-old, clean the entire shower and make it really squeaky clean? Well, I can assure you that even the youngest of campers do a bang-up job cleaning their cabins and, as one of my G5-ers said to me today, "it's actually really fun! We put on music and dance around with our brooms and mops and...I like it!"

Tonight is going to be our second Camper Cabaret, and I'm not house managing, so that means I'll be sitting in the audience, taking some pictures and getting ready to write to you about the performance!

Until next time,

Elizabeth C.
Ballibay Blogger

Catch-up time

2009-07-11T07:30:00.000-07:00

Hello readers,

I am so sorry that I didn't have more of an update for you yesterday. I sat down, wrote my blog, and then stepped out of the office for about 5 minutes and someone had moved away from the page. The entry was gone! I left you those fun shrimp boil pictures, but I know it wasn't much of an update. I'll try to get you all caught up now.

The last two nights we've had our Festival of One Acts, including the shows "Love," and "Hate," written and directed in collaboration by counselors Molly, Laura, and their casts. As house manager, I always get the unique view of how both the actors and the crew are functioning and once again it was quite special to see the hard work done by every member of the production. The bows of the show were set to the tune "All You Need is Love" by The Beatles, and even though we always use proper theater etiquette at Ballibay, almost all of the audience was humming along or singing quietly on the chorus. It was, to say the least, a touching moment. It almost makes me wish that I had a video camera attached to me at all times so you'd never have to miss any of the incredible things that happen here on a daily basis!

Additionally, today we're saying farewell to our Farm Arts 1 campers. They've been a joy to work with, play with, and watch grow. They will be missed at Ballibay, but we hope to see them back next summer. As always, thank you parents, friends, and any other readers for sharing your fantastic children with Ballibay!

More soon,

Elizabeth C.

Ballibay Blogger

Pictures, as promised!

2009-07-10T16:50:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

Remember those shrimp boil pictures I told you about? Here they are!

Look at all those happy faces!

That's Mihoko on the left, enjoying a delicious dinner, and me on the right (in case you were jonesin' to see what I look like!)

Happy Birthday, John!

Good ol' fashioned shrimp boil, PLUS: DJ Dance!

2009-07-09T09:38:00.000-07:00

Hello readers,

I wish you all could have been at our incredible celebration last night! Partly because we were celebrating John's birthday and partly because Ballibay-ers are just a fan of festive occasions, we threw one of the biggest dinner parties I can remember ever having here!

During the day, campers and staff members decorated the dining halls with balloons on every person's chair, and prepped the dinner tables with newspapers for the upcoming meal. When campers and staff arrived at dinner, they were informed that the meal was a real shrimp boil,

complete with corn, sausage, potatoes, and cornbread and strawberry salad on the side. The entire meal was doled out in family-style portions on the tables...directly on the newspaper! For many (including me!), this was a "first," but in my opinion, it was one of the most exciting and fun meals I've ever eaten at Ballibay! For dessert, everyone enjoyed a lemon birthday cake (with a rousing version of "Happy Birthday"...the loudest one ever!)

The dining hall did get a teeny bit loud, but as I looked around, campers were just elated. All we needed was some Cajun music and we would have been a snapshot straight out of a bayou cookout. Pictures will be added ASAP because this is one event I wish you could have all witnessed!

P.S. On Tuesday night, we had our DJ Dance. Everyone there was red-carpet-worthy!

More soon,

Elizabeth C.

Ballibay Blogger

Gray skies are gonna clear up? (the answer is yes!)

2009-07-07T17:06:00.000-07:00

Hello readers,

This morning I woke up very early -- around 5 a.m. -- to the sound of pouring rain, and thought, "Oh no, how am I going to stay cheerful and peppy and enthusiastic with all this rain?" Honestly, it's kind of tough to do so with the weather we've been having at Ballibay. Almost every day we've had a combination of thunderstorms and bright sunshine, often alternating between the two extremes over and over. Somehow I mustered the energy to get up and shower, and wake up my wonderful campers in G5, and get the day started.

I'll be honest, at first it wasn't easy. But then I got to breakfast, where I sit with some of the most energetic kids here (some of the girlies from G1) and they perked me right up. By the time breakfast was over, the sun was shining and I can say with no hesitation that my whole day was just...better. There's something special about Ballibay campers; they possess the ability to brighten days just by the way they speak and act, or even just by the smile they give you across the dining hall. Every single one of them is one of a kind.

Some G5 girls

The sun finally came out!

Elizabeth C.

Camp Blogger

We're Balli-busy

2009-07-06T17:31:00.000-07:00

Hello readers,

As the dance and rock intensives got thoroughly underway today, Ballibay campers were busy! Some of them were totally booked, including a camper at my meal table who had this schedule:

9:00-9:30 Art Barn activity

9:30-10:00 Swimming

10:00-10:30 Violin lesson

10:30-11:00 Snack

11:00-11:30 Voice lesson

11:30-12:00 Dance

Phew! But somehow, kids at Ballibay just get it all done. They're genuinely interested in all those areas (and more!), they want to give it all a try, and they do. Even as a former camper who spent six summers operating on that kind of a schedule, it's still amazing to watch Ballibay-ers jet off to their respective activities, at times and locations that change daily. How do they do it all!?

On another quick note, we had our first Camper Cabaret last night. It was phenomenal!

Opening Day: Dance & Rock Intensives

2009-07-05T14:01:00.000-07:00

Hello readers,

Today we are welcoming approximately 50 dance and rock intensive campers to the Ballibay community! It is opening day for both sessions, and it is wonderful to see so many new faces around campus. Even though the first day of the intensives hasn't truly kicked off (campers still need to have their orientations), I've already witnessed a moment that truly pinpoints the essence of Ballibay campers. Less than half an hour after checking in, a new camp parent walked back into the office to say goodbye and informed me that her daughter had already been whisked away by a fellow camper and had found a group of friends for the rest of the afternoon. Smiling, the parent said, "Every single person is just so friendly! My daughter already feels right at home."

As a former camper, I can second that statement 100 percent. Ballibay always felt like a second home to me -- coming back each summer felt like coming home again. Campers who have been here one or two or ten summers seem to universally understand this concept and go out of their way to make each new camper feel just as welcome as they have felt during their time here. As I check in both new and returning campers arriving today, it is comforting to see Ballibay-ers extending a welcoming hand.

Elizabeth C.

Ballibay Blogger

Weave me the sunshine!

2009-07-04T08:36:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!

Last night, I was standing backstage in the Ballibay theater, watching the lights shine on the animated faces of the 16 performers -- my wonderful cast -- as they walked onto the stage to begin a script-in-hand production of "where the sidewalk...begins" (a compilation of Shel Silverstein poetry and stories). Before the show began, we fought the battle of ripped costumes, lost hairbrushes, missing scripts, and (totally justifiable) stage fright. However, 25 minutes later, as the beaming children took their bows, I found myself backstage, tears streaming down my face. I've done a lot of wonderful things

in my life so far: visited foreign countries, gotten into the college of my choice with a full scholarship, and learned how to play musical instruments, but in my opinion there is no one thing that has ever brought me more pride than watching children perform at Camp Ballibay.

When the youngest member of my cast (6 years old!) ran off stage and said, "I'm so proud of myself! I did it!" the tears really started flowing. Readers, you have amazing children who do amazing things on and off the stage. Words cannot describe what a pleasure they are to work with. The cast of "where the sidewalk...begins," the first campers to appear on the stage of the Ballibay Theater this summer, wowed us all last night!

More soon!

Elizabeth C.

Camp Blogger

Welcome back, readers!

2009-07-02T13:25:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Camp Ballibay, where the four-week session of 2009 is now officially underway! My name is Elizabeth, commonly referred to by campers and fellow counselors as "EC," and I will be blogging about Ballibay happenings this summer. As a former camper (I attended Ballibay for six summers -- all of which were the best of my life) and a second-year staff member, I've spent eight years of my life examining and experiencing Ballibay from different angles. I can't wait to share my observations with parents, friends, and former or prospective camp families.

Campers have already experienced their first Ballibay production, the Staff Cabaret. During first session, I will be house managing shows and it was incredible to stand backstage during the performance and witness the kind of cooperative magic that happens every day at Ballibay: while staff members sang and danced and played instruments (including quite the rock-star solo from our drum instructor), Ballibay campers ran the lighting board, acted as sound operator, and stage managed the entire production. It was a beautiful collaboration by the staff and set the tone for four more weeks of performances.

As of Tuesday morning, rehearsals, activities, and lessons began, kicking off the start of what looks like it's going to be an incredible summer. Although we've been rained on countless times already (as I typed that sentence, the heavens literally just opened up...yet again!) nobody seems to be suffering from dampened spirits. Hopefully, the next time you hear from me, campers will be playing in the pool, taking trail rides, and rehearsing on the Outdoor Platform!

Elizabeth C.

Camp Blogger

www.ballibay.com

so long, farewell...

2008-08-16T07:05:00.000-07:00

Hello and farewell to everyone here at the wonderful world of Ballibay! We all had a fantastic summer here and will have memories to keep us laughing forever. We will cherish our new friends we have all made for a lifetime. Make sure to keep in touch with everyone (via e-mail, facebook, telephone, etc.) Come back next year and relive the amazing journey again and again.

your blogging duo,
Molly and Justin
Camp Counselors

Camp Ballibay

ps. Day by Day...

Friends, Cats, and good old Rock-N-Roll

2008-08-10T13:12:00.000-07:00

So, it happened!! The rock concert of the year! We had 9 bands that did 2 or 3 songs each. The genres spanned from good to great to wonderful... according to Justin. To name a few, we had "Come Together" by the Beatles, "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath, and an original written by our own Claudia Allen called "Race the Clock." All bands did an absolutely fantastic job. It was a successful and rock-filled evening that campers and parents could enjoy together.

In other news, we are quickly approaching our last and final week of camp...:( Our rock intensive campers are already gone and the rest only have a short but eventful week filled with shows, lessons, and memorable times with friends. Camp is now thirty campers fewer, but we all still find a way to pack our schedules filled with fun. Enjoy the little time we have to together.

Peace
Molly and Justin (bff)

Camp Counselors

Camp Ballibay

ps. we have 3 new kittens named, Chauncy, Jesse and Elvis. They are cute.

Update: Check out Ballibay's Facebook page to watch Claudia and the band rehearse "Race the Clock."

Dancing in the rain....

2008-08-08T06:32:00.000-07:00

We had a rain day here at Camp Ballibay yesterday, which should have been a terrible thing. However, everyone "saw the light, and saw it BRIGHT." We had the Bonfire last night and just as we finally got the fire going, the rain started and we had to run to the theatre and have the "bonfire" inside, set up by our talented staff. The acts were enjoyable, funny and entertaining, including songs, poems, and puppet shows.

So to make this a bit more sappy, we would love to talk about how the kids here always find the happiness in life. They have a way of making the most out of the smallest and simplest things, even if it is just finding a flower or learning how to say "flower" in sign language. Maybe it's just the confidence of singing a song or the joy of having it rain so you don't have to sleep outside for a camp out. All of these things can make at least one person smile.

All we can say is keep smiling and making others smile....because we are smiling here!!

Peace.

Molly and Justin

Camp Counselors

Camp Ballibay

New Session, New faces, New Sounds

2008-08-06T06:28:00.000-07:00

Hello! This is Justin and Molly, your new Bloggers. Justin is our amazing piano player, and a very funny guy. Molly is a theatre director, and also designs all the costumes for the shows here at camp.

New Session...BOYS. For the first time at Ballibay, this session we have an equal amount of boys and girls, something that hasn't happened since the camp opened in the 1600's... *wink. The reason is mostly because of the amazing Rock Intensive program for these first 2 weeks. We, as staff members, are now craving the old musical theatre standards because of the abundance of "Rock-n-Roll" songs being heard 24 hours a day, coming from our very own Rock studios. Sometimes you can't tell if you're listening to our bands or the original recordings. In other areas, campers are signing up for Cabarets and open mic nights like crazy! These shows have been longer than they have ever been in the past because the kids are so enthusiastic about showing off their mad skills yo!! (Justin made a face at me!) Overall, the first week of this amazing session has been balli-rocktastic, (compliments from our very own John Jannone.)

On another note, we have to say goodbye to the amazing and very photorific Sasha Phyars-Burgess. She has been an amazing counselor and beloved friend. We will all miss her witty personality and snazzy dance moves here at camp. We wish you a fond farewell.

Peace!
Molly Miller and Justin Nellis

Camp Counselors

Camp Ballibay

Her Majesty's a Pretty Nice Girl But She Doesn't Have a Lot to Say...

2008-07-30T18:21:00.000-07:00

You probably figured I'd title my final blog with a Beatles song (this is Ballibay after all) and "The End" just seemed too pedestrian. Any similarities between Her Majesty and Dottie are purely coincidental.

Burnt out colleagues back home ask why I would want to share any portion of my summer off with kids. I describe how last year the final Harry Potter book was released, and the Fed Ex truck arrived on the hill and about a hundred Amazon boxes were unloaded for a group of kids who looked like they'd just gotten front row tickets to the Stones. "How can you NOT want to be a part of something like that?" I countered. Ballibay is my reward for a year in the trenches...my dessert.

It would be self-indulgent to list everyone and everything I'll miss, like those Oscar acceptances speeches that everyone tunes out. And eventually I'd inventory the entire joint. What I'll miss is name-able but then again not. Other people throughout the year will high-five me but it won't be the same as when Sam or Aviva does it. Students at school will shoot me the devil horns rock salute but without Moose's sly grin I won't enjoy it as much. I'll see crazy hair but none of it will say "Stay Cool, American Girl" the way Jackie's does. No one, I mean, NO ONE will make me crazy while simultaneously inspiring me and making me miss my late mother the way Dottie does.

It has been my absolute pleasure and privilege to blog for you these past five weeks. The real world is calling and sometimes you can't let it go to voice mail. I will very nearly count the days until I'm inside the red barns again.

(As overheard at the end of the Let It Be album) "Thank you on behalf of the group and myself and I hope we passed the audition!"

Robert N., aka Fergie Ferg, soon to be once again just Mr. Naugle,
(Ex)Camp Nurse
funbobbymucha@hotmail.com

Wow. That was quick.

2008-07-29T06:58:00.000-07:00

Before I knew it, the first session was over. Done. Fin. A huge number of campers left, some stayed, everybody cleaned on Saturday, and Sunday the session 2 (as well as Farm Arts 3, Rock Intensive, et al) came in. It was a whirlwind. We had auditions and callbacks yesterday, and today the campers are in their activities. As the nurse let me report that everyone still has ten toes, everyone's meds are counted and packed, and the campers are approaching Ballibay as if they are old pros. I'm getting misty and distracted, and not only because I foolishly agreed to sing in the Staff Cabaret tonight (it's Springsteen and requires a vocal range about as wide as this column, so...) and I'm going to be heading back to South Carolina in a few days...I'll blog about my almost-certain recording contract after the big show tonight. Being a nurse, I'd just as soon you wouldn't wish me to break a leg, thanks.

Camp Nurse/Parent,
Robert N.

Camp Ballibay

Here's to the Counselors...

2008-07-24T07:25:00.000-07:00

Long overdue tip of the hat here.

You track down beloved stuffed animals when they are misplaced.

You spend hours learning some obscure Rogers & Hammerstein tune on ukulele because it's the song your camper absolutely HAS TO sing in the cabaret.

You negotiate treaties between feuding campers that would make a Middle East envoy proud.

You fake your way through "Day By Day" on piano because Mel's late to the cafeteria for dinner.

You endure ear infections, exhaustion, insect bites and muscle ache, all with a pithy "I'll be okay--I've got a day off coming up."

You endure my "Are You Really British?" pop culture quiz (Sorry, Lisa, but if you don't know who the lead singer of the Clash was I have to see your passport--it's the law).

You're as excited about cold cuts this Sunday as you were last Sunday.

And not unlike Roahl Dahl's Miss Honey, you possess the ability to find something special and unique in every one of your campers.

You pour all your enthusiasm and your talent in and make Ballibay what it is.

And you look so cool while you do it.

With deepest respect and affection,

Robert N. aka "Non Cabin Staff"

Camp Nurse

Camp Parent

Camp Ballibay

Don't Worry, Moms, We're In the Home Stretch!

2008-07-22T13:35:00.000-07:00

Lots of emotions around the little red buildings this week, as Session One draws to a close this weekend. We started off the week of really big shows last night with the Follies. It's a real treat to watch the final week of shows as the stakes get bigger and the campers' mettle gets challenged. The Follies were awesome. Just one terrific performance after another. Proud parents rejoice!

Robert N.

Camp Nurse

Camp Parent

Camp Ballibay

Make sure you wait 30 minutes after eating before reading this post!

2008-07-18T17:25:00.000-07:00

Notable changes in rising mercury this week, and our dear lifeguard no longer looked like the Maytag repairman.

Robert N.

Camp Nurse

Camp Parent

Camp Ballibay

What is Cool?

2008-07-15T16:46:00.000-07:00

What is it about the Ballibay kids that I like so much? In a word, inclusiveness. Imagine if your high school had been populated entirely by opened minded kids who encouraged you to raise your freak flag as high as you could launch it. I love the complete absence of fingers pointed and snickered asides.

Rest of the world, take a page from us.

Free to be you and me.

Robert N.

Camp Nurse

Camp Parent

Camp Ballibay

Ode to the Perfect Son

2008-07-14T18:50:00.000-07:00

All year long, not counting school, work and sleep, you're at my side. And it still doesn't seem like I'm with you as much as I want to be. You're growing up right before my eyes, and it's as intoxicating as it is heartbreaking. When you made me promise to leave all the superhero undies at home and buy you boxers so you'd fit in with the older kids, I became aware once again how pride and sorrow go hand in hand.

So we come to this place where I feel okay saying goodbye to you in the morning and trusting that you will be safe and happy and growing. Sometimes I hear your trumpet lessons wafting up the hill to my window and sometimes I have to watch them on Youtube like everyone else. And I console myself that at least I do get to see you a couple times a day--albeit wet, muddy, preoccupied, sugar high and setting new records for consecutive days in the same shirt--unlike the moms and dads reading this somewhere else.

So when I walk past your dining hall table and your back is to me, and I gently, just barely let the back of my hand rustle that enviable Beatles '65 hair of yours, hopefully your table mate's mom or dad somewhere feels a little of that electricity pass through their own fingers as they kiss the sky.

Now please change that shirt.

"Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans."
-John Lennon

Love and sweet dreams,
Dad

Robert N.

Camp Nurse

Camp Parent

Camp Ballibay

BallyRacer is Spotted!

2008-07-13T11:31:00.001-07:00

Saturday was my day off and I didn't intend to blog about that, but lo and behold, as I was enjoying wifi and caffeine at the Wilkes-Barre Barnes & Noble, who do I run into but our very own runaway, BallyRacer the Turtle. His insights into the discussion on Camus' The Stranger were very illuminating, and I gave him his space. By the time I tried to approach him about his plans, possibly try to convince him to turn himself in, I noticed the several empty chai lattes next to his chair and decided against Carpe Tortuga. I'm only one man, after all.

Robert N.

Camp Nurse

Camp Parent

Camp Ballibay

National Hippie Day!

2008-07-11T16:19:00.000-07:00

Yes, today is a national day of recognition and remembrance for our unwashed brothers and sisters. And no one likes an excuse to dress up more than Ballibay. Campers were tuning in (presumably to our radio station), dropping out (only from activities they weren't scheduled for), and trying their darnest to make tye-dye less embarrassing. I would ask you to take my word for it but John cautioned them all not to trust anyone over 30.

Today's cafeteria menu included:
Phish.
Wavy Gravy.
Mellow Yellow.

Today's weather forecast:
Marmalade Skies.

Today's good news:
Paul is very much alive, thank you.

At press time no Ballibay administration offices have been seized, but there are a lotta kids hanging around the camp store. And they look really hungry...I'm freakin' out, man! Someone's gotta talk me down! Why did I eat the green Skittles?!

Well, as Marvin Gaye wisely observed, everything is everything. Peace.

Robert N., but today and today only you can call me MoonBeam.
Camp Ballibay

Shoes and More Shoes

2008-07-10T07:02:00.000-07:00

Last night was a perfect example of the supportive spirit of the campers here at the B.

Shani's production of "Shoes" bowed, and Annie B, Sam F, et al were off to a wonderful start with this introspective little drama when some technical glitches hindered. We record every production here for prosperity (and DVD) and there was a snafu that would've rendered much of the video unusable. So a short break was taken, and the show was relaunched--that's right, started over from the beginning. In many settings this would elicit groans from an audience but everyone in attendance has "been there" in one way or another and only wanted what was best for the show. So tape rolled, the lights dimmed and we rebegan the begin (all apologies to Cole Porter and R.E.M.), and the performances were stronger the second time around. The simple message of the piece, that behind everything seemingly random may lie connective tissue that links it to you or you to me, was not lost, but instead driven home harder by the relaunch and the audience's understanding.

The performances, btw, were across the board great. There's nothing more fun than watching kids on stage who absolutely LOVE to be there (what Joe Strummer of the Clash once called "full-on Look @ Me! mode)...if we can figure out a way to bottle Arielle S's energy we will be able to abandon fossil fuels within Obama's first term.

Two thumbs up, now let's all go to the lobby and get ourselves some snacks!
Robert N.

Camp Nurse

Camp Parent

www.ballibay.com

Overheard moment-of-zen:
"It is Tuesday--are you wearing your coat?"
"It's Thursday, Sam, and I have no idea what you're talking about."
"That's gonna cost you..."

Not-So-Faithful Camp Pet Defects!

2008-07-08T12:56:00.000-07:00

BallyRacer, camp turtle and our expert on all things shellcare related, has run away from home. An all-points-bulletin has been released by local law officials (or would that be local game and fish officials?). BallyRacer is easily recognizable (Ht: .7 ft, Wt: 5 lbs, Maximum on-foot speed approximately .1 mph. He's also green with some red and yellow) and not considered dangerous. He was reportedly last seen besting Ms. DottyCottinTail, one of the camp hares, in a foot race that the cocky rabbit was heavily favored to win. We have no reason to believe that foul play is involved, but some international campers with refined palates have been questioned regarding bouillon cubes found in their luggage. If found or seen, please call our toll-free number.

Thanks,
Robert N.

Camp Nurse

Camp Parent

www.ballibay.com

Ballibay Theatre: SEVEN

2008-07-08T12:33:00.000-07:00

Last night's show was Molly's production of SEVEN (not the Brad Pitt movie that kept you awake 10 years ago). A wordless, movement-based interpretation of the Seven Deadly Sins, it held a fair share of menace and suspense as the audience tried to guess which sin was being assayed. The cast all wore blank masks that either reminded you of Drama, Janus, or Michael Myers, depending on your sensibilities. The reception was boisterous, as any event that begins with entertainment and ends with campers + snacks is likely to be. No performance tonight, another prolonged activity period before Shani's production bows tomorrow. It's very easy to get spoiled here, what with someone cooking your meals and entertaining you every evening. If we adults had any sense we would've invented Camp for ourselves instead.

Today's Overheard@Ballibay Moment of Zen:
"Marco!"
"Polo!"
(What can I say, it was hot and everyone was in the pool...)

Robert N.
Camp Nurse

Camp Parent

www.ballibay.com

"So little to do, and so much time--wait strike that. Reverse it." --Willy Wonka

2008-07-08T07:51:00.000-07:00

First off, camper cabaret, Sunday night. Wow. I had to wait to blog because I wanted to make sure I include as many pix as I could. If you're a BalliParent most likely you felt a stir of pride Sunday evening and maybe weren't even aware of why. Meanwhile miles, even continents away, your child was blowing everyone's socks off in the Ballibay Theater.

As a parent it's always funny to me to see how our old adolescent interests get retrofitted for our kids' generation. "Material Girl" was performed the other night and was downright adorable, a far cry from the outrage it provoked among our own parents.

Likewise I listen to, for instance, Bradley play a classical piece flawlessly at the age of EIGHT! and try to remember what I was doing at that age that seemed so much more important than learning to express myself like that.

More later today, I promise. Just waiting for pix from Molly's production of SEVEN last night.

Robert N.

Camp Nurse

Camp Parent

www.ballibay.com

America the Beautiful, Ballibay Style

2008-07-06T15:40:00.000-07:00

The Fourth of July bonfire was a blast (excuse the pun). Fireworks both literal and figurative, with an open forum for spooky stories and sing-a-longs. Last year's was rained out and as much as I admired how the 2007 tech theater folks were able to simulate a bonfire using prop logs and lighting last year, there's nothing like the real Francis Scott Key thing. Ballikids are the most fun kids in the world, and the entire evening kept making me think of that Kerouac quote I scribbled a thousand times as a teen: "The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn like fabulous roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue center light pop and everyone says Awwww..."

One full week is done and the Dance Intensive campers have arrived. The more the merrier.

I'm going to try to remember to insert my favorite overheard quote of the day, sort of my own version of the Daily Show's "Moment of Zen":

"Prune Juice is usually the Truth Teller."

Robert N.

Camp Nurse

Camp Parent

www.ballibay.com

The Wetter Side of Ballibay

2008-07-03T16:27:00.001-07:00

Last night was a bit of a twist in the routine, with the campers all heading down to the lake after dinner, and then activities scheduled later in the evening. From the bottom of the hill I surveyed the hillside, which looks like something painted by Grant Wood during the day, transformed by the floodlights and shadows into something akin to the gradients and contrasts of the Constructivist posters that adorn the front office. In between these shafts of light and dark were the silhouettes of happy campers playing and chasing after fireflies. I think I know what my next painting will be.

As if by design, today's rest period was preceded by storm clouds as we ate our pizza. A wet sprint to the cabins for a prolonged rest hour, and then the skies cleared and it was business as usual.

The first production is tonight, "Family 2.0" directed by our very own Shaina. We waste no time getting to the fun stuff here. We're Ballibay.

Robert N.

Camp Nurse

Camp Parent

www.ballibay.com

Camp Ballibay Blog!

2008-07-02T08:54:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the maiden voyage of our brand new Ballibay blogspot! I'll be assuming the blogging reins for this session, so allow me to introduce myself. I'm Robert, aka "Fergie" the camp nurse. I met many of you when you dropped your campers off. I'll be letting you know the goings-0n of Camp Ballibay and the Farm so look back here for daily updates.

Well, orientation is officially over (campers are cheering in unison somewhere) and the real fun has begun, kicked off as always here at Ballibay with the Staff Cabaret last night. It was a stellar night of music and dancing from the seemingly limitless minds and bodies of the Ballibay staff. Afterward we all walked back down the hill under an incredible blanket of stars.

One of my favorite things about the shows at Ballibay is that if you're a Beatles fan you're never disappointed. Jesse Miller's interpretation of "Here Comes the Sun" is being credited today for the clear blue skies above us (Gotta love that moody PA weather)! As such, the pool is filled with campers as I blog this, and I am beginning to wonder just where my priorities (and trunks) are. I'm gonna go make a splash! More later!

Robert N.

Camp Nurse

Camp Parent