Pack your bags for a trip to a Catskills summer camp where the stars of tomorrow go to prepare for their shot at the big time as filmmaker Alexandra Shiva allows viewers a fly-on-the-wall perspective of Stagedoor Manor, the illustrious training ground for such notable Hollywood heavyweights as Robert Downey Jr., Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Natalie Portman. This is the story of five Broadway hopefuls willing to sacrifice their sun-soaked days of carefree fun in hopes of realizing their dreams of
striking it big on-stage. Though grueling days of rehearsal and a constant struggle to earn their place in the spotlight would test the patience of even the most patient of stars, these determined teens are willing to do everything it takes to put on a show that would earn a standing ovation from even the most demanding of critics. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Although Stagedoor has its enjoyable observational moments in its depiction of budding young entertainers stretching their wings, it also has an aimless quality.
Watching these pint-sized Lizas resuscitate a dying popular art in a ghost-town vacation resort, you don't know whether to laugh or cry for the loony resilience of the Broadway spirit.
Fans of Todd Graff's endearing Camp will also enjoy Alexandra Shiva's documentary about Stagedoor Manor, the real-life Catskills summer workshop that inspired Graff's Camp Ovation.
Divas-in-training, overacting, pouting, and enough angst to fill a season of reality TV... but there are also some terrific performances by some extremely talented kids.
If you're already a self-acknowledged Theater Geek, you'll find a lot to enjoy in Stagedoor. And if you're not, you'll probably have a good time anyway.
I LOVED this movie and I usually don't do documentaries. It's pretty misleading to list all of it's major alumni like they appear in this movie because they don't but I enjoyed it for the drama and tenderness. I have a major soft spot for movies about kids at summer camp. Maybe because I like the relationships between
teens.
I love documentaries about the world of theater and I had such high hopes for this one seeing as how it focused on the famous Stagedoor Manor. Unfortunately, this documentary just barely scratched the surface and was rather superficial in its portrayal of the world of theater. Their choice to follow five performers
could have really let us into the mind of child actors and how the world of theater can be quite brutal, yet for some reason each of their story lines were abandoned and they focused on the entire camp but with boring results. I didn't care for a single individual in this documentary or with the camp staff. I guess I only scored this film three stars for sentimental and emotional reasons. Growing up as a theater nerd, I understand completely what these kids go through being made fun of and not feeling like they fit in. Also, it kinda made me wish I had pursued this more when I was younger. If you appreciate theater then this may be worth a viewing otherwise I recommend other documentaries about the world of theater (Every Little Step and Life After Tomorrow being excellent ones).
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