S'mores and More

Grammy-nominated Lisa Loeb has done a lot since her cool/dorky mug serenaded us with the 1994 hit “Stay.” She’s had a reality show on the Food Network, launched her own line of eyewear, had a baby (with husband Roey Hershkovitz), and created numerous children’s books. Her album of summer camp songs, Camp Lisa, inspired local playwright Marco Ramirez to write a book and eventual rock musical, which Loeb scored. The resulting Camp Kappawanna had its world premiere in Miami last year, and it returns to the Arsht Center this week. Although summer camp can be a place for all sorts of fun but torrid experimentation, Kappawanna is G-rated. It tells the story of Jenny Jenkins, an adorable 12-year-old grappling with the awkwardness of her adolescence and leaving home for the first time. The audience-interactive musical showcases the timeless memories that kids can form at summer camp in a format that makes everyone feel like they’re having fun in the woods. (Apparently Loeb is a big believer in summer camp. Beyond the play, her Camp Lisa Foundation helps underprivileged kids benefit from the summer camp experience.) The cast includes last year’s Melanie Leibner and Jameson Hammond, who will perform alongside rising talents Zach Held, Anne Chamberlain, Lauren Tepper, and Ryan Didato. The production is directed and choreographed by musical theater veteran Michael Leeds.
Tuesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m. Starts: June 15. Continues through June 26, 2011