Hi! For those of you who may not know me, I'm Lillith (or Lilly). I am an aspiring Broadway/musical theatre actress and performer. I love performing. Nothing makes me feel as amazing as being on stage and connecting to my character or my song or my dance. It's what I want to do and who I want to be.
About a year ago, I discovered this amazing theatre camp called the Young Actor's Theatre Camp, where you could have master classes with amazing working actors and performers, and take classes in all kinds of areas of performing arts. Dance, theatre, music, film. A camp where you could go for 11 days and just do theatre and make art with 80-90 kids who are all passionate about the same thing as you. I was so excited. In the spring, I started raising money for it, and thanks to amazing supportive friends, I was able to attend. It was...indescribably amazing. It went above and beyond what I hoped it would be and I met so many amazing, talented, passionate people. From fellow students to teachers and working actors. I got to sing for and work directly with Davis Gaines (pictured above giving me feedback on my song) - who is the longest running Phantom of The Opera on Broadway - and later take goofy photobooth pictures with him and my cabin. I got to take a master class from Laura Bell Bundy (original Elle in Legally Blonde the Musical), from Jared Gertner of Book of Mormon, and even more. I made so many amazing new friends and I honestly feel like YATC changed my life. I am so incredibly grateful that I could go.
But there's not just summer camp. There's also winter camp! And summer campers get first dibs on spots at winter camp. That's what they told us when they were talking about it at camp. But the point that got me WAY OVER THE MOON EXCITED was when they mentioned that one of the special master class teachers coming this winter was the one and only Idina Menzel, who is one of my favorite actresses, like, EVER! I mean...the original Maureen in the Broadway musical and movie musical RENT, the original Elphaba in Wicked, and Elsa in Frozen. Yup. She is so. amazing. and the thought of getting to work with her makes me so excited.
It's also partially a film camp. We get access to top notch movie cameras, sound systems, professional lights, everything. And we get to direct or write or act in films that could, potentially, go on to the film festivals in San Francisco, LA, maybe even New York!
And I'd get to go and be a part of this amazing family of theatre people. I honestly think the 11 days I was at summer camp were some of the happiest days of my life and it's because I got to spend my time doing what I love and laughing and playing and maybe crying and dancing with people who love the same thing as me. And people who are so kind and hilarious and supportive and talented and just overall wonderful people who I'll continue to keep in contact with and talk to for years to come.
and I get to make connections with the students, the teachers, even the masterclass teachers. It's just...THE coolest thing and I love it there.
Tuition for winter camp is $1,680, plus tickets for campers to see Idina perform the broadway musical If/Then in SF plus a special Q&A with her after the show is another hundred or so.
I wouldn't be asking for help if we didn't need it, but we really do need it to make this happen. You helped me go to summer camp and I am so eternally grateful for that. If you can and if you're willing to, I would be so so happy if you would help us out again to make this happen for me. Last time we had the option of selling raffle tickets, but unfortunately those aren't available to us for winter. I might be able to add some perks for helping out like I did with the mugs for summer camp a bit later on, but for now if you can and want to donate, please do and a million thank yous to you!! I love you guys and I'm so excited for winter camp!!!