Session IV: Talent. Show.

Everyone has their own favorite little part of Camp.

My personal favorite part of Camp is (and always has been) our permanent Thursday night mainstay and long standing tradition...the Talent Show.

What's to love about the Talent Show? What's NOT to love about the Talent Show. It's all the goofiness, humor, musicality, sincerity, and absurdity Summer Camp can muster focused in on one Dining Hall Porch turned outdoor stage.

Try as we can, words can not express and pictures can not sum up what a Camp Talent Show is like, you'd have to experience it for yourself. However, this epic blog post will attempt to give you a brief glimpse of the phenomenon.  (Epic in that we took a lot of pictures at last night's Talent Show.)

The crowd has gathered...

And is ready for show time.

Our hosts are introduced...

Oh yeah. It's Ol' West Week.

Want to know which act is up next? Who's on deck? Worry not. These ladies will tell you.

Hottest ticket in town.

Fashion Show. A staple.

Except that's not fashion during Ol' West Week!

THIS is fashion during Ol' West Week.

And now a song.

We wave our hands during songs.

And now applause.

And now a boy on a horse.

And now applause.

And now our host is a cow.

And now more applause.

And now a stirring rendition of America the Beautiful.

And (of course) now applause.

Roman Nelson: Mr. Talent Show.

Thursday Night Lights.

Eye of the Tiger.

And ROAR.

My reaction exactly.

It's hard to figure out who has more fun. Those on stage...

Or those in the crowd.

Hat selection is crucial.

Nothing can quite capture...

The madness of a Cabin #4 or #5 skit. You'd have to see it to believe it.

Even the photographers enjoy it.

Sure. We throw hoola-hoops at unicorns. We do that.

Yeah. It's a funny show.

Senior Staff love it.

Counselors love it!

Campers love it.

Sometimes it's so funny you fall on the ground.

Sometimes volunteers are asked for.

And there's always lots...

And lots of volunteers.

Dancing!

Comedy!

Whatever is happening here!

Seriously. 

 Greatest show on earth.

And there's only 200 tickets availible per show.

Back-stage prep.

These doors lead to fame and fortune.

Intermission: Snack Time.

Gotta love Intermission-Snack Time.

Just the treat we need to prepare for the second half of the show.

An evening tune.

An evening western tale.

An enraptured audience. 

Magicians about to cut Matty in half. The results are too graphic to show here.

Nights falls on the T-Show.

Cabin #11 prepares...

For a legendary cactus-sheriff sketch.

And boom! How about ballet!?

And how about the Star Spangled Banner!?

And how about the counselors preparing for the Grand Finale!

"If I were not a Counselor, this is what I'd be..."

A tree and a hiker...

The angry old woman down the street...

And the Hulk.

And that's our show! Another round applause for our hosts, for all involved, and for the Talent Show itself! Good Night 4-H Camp!

With that the crowd disperses, and heads back to their cabins...

As they reflect on an evening of entertainment...

That only happens...

Once in a summer blue moon.

NEXT TIME: An Ol' West Country Fair to close out Session #4.