Tonight, our Senior campers took to the stage to perform Hamilton. The boys we saw on stage tonight have spent the summer doing everything else that makes camp so special. They’ve represented Takajo in intercamp athletics, competed in league sports, waterskied and sailed, traveled on trips throughout Maine, and mentored younger campers.
Somehow, somewhere in between all of that, they also found the time to memorize lines, learn choreography, attend rehearsals, and prepare for tonight’s performance.
That, to me, is one of the greatest strengths of a traditional full-season summer camp experience. Boys aren’t forced to choose between athletics and the arts, or between competition and creativity. They have the opportunity to explore all of it.
The Senior Big Show has long been one of the iconic traditions at Camp Takajo. Inside the MJG Playhouse hang plaques listing productions that stretch back generations. Alumni occasionally wander into the building, stop in front of those plaques, and begin telling stories. I’ve watched grown men suddenly break into songs from productions they performed forty or fifty years ago, somehow remembering every lyric. It’s remarkable how deeply these experiences stay with them.
Tonight’s production was outstanding. Katie-Rose Davis, Natalie Davis, and Karen Schneider-Davis deserve tremendous credit for what they have built over the past two summers. They have restored our drama program to the level so many alumni fondly remember. Karen’s work on the costumes was exceptional, and what has become a true family effort has elevated the entire experience for our campers.
Watching tonight’s performance also reminded me of Asher Halblieb, a legendary longtime drama director from my years as a camper. Asher had a reputation for preparing his casts so thoroughly that, once opening night arrived, he rarely needed to be backstage. He would often sit out on the Playhouse porch, cigarette in hand, calmly watching the performance because he knew every camper understood exactly what to do.
Katie-Rose and Natalie achieve that same level of preparation in their own way, with warmth, encouragement, and tremendous attention to detail. The confidence our boys displayed on stage tonight was a reflection of countless hours of thoughtful preparation.
Of course, no Davis Family production would be complete without mentioning Warren. Our Associate Director finds his way into just about every aspect of camp, but tonight his daughters successfully stole the show. Hamilton may have been the highlight of the day, but camp never slows down.
Earlier this afternoon, the entire camp gathered to watch the FIFA World Cup Final. Every rec hall was filled with campers and counselors watching together, and for two hours you truly could have heard a pin drop across camp. Years from now, many of these boys will remember watching one of the world’s biggest sporting events surrounded by their best friends at Camp Takajo.
Our 15-and-under basketball team also prepared for tomorrow’s tournament at a neighboring camp, our nurses completed their weekly head-to-toe health and wellness inspections with every camper, and many of our boys enjoyed time with siblings and cousins from Camp Vega, Camp Fernwood, Camp Mataponi, and Pinecliff.
Days like today are wonderful reminders that there is truly something for every boy at Camp Takajo. Whether a camper finds his passion on a basketball court, on the waterfront, on a hiking trail, or under the lights of the Playhouse stage, our goal is the same: to give every boy the opportunity to discover new interests, develop confidence, and create memories that will stay with him for the rest of his life.
