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Where can you see emotions going through ups and downs in real-time and in full view, given full attention by a spotlight? Yes, only in the theater. However, the new movie Theater Camp, directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman, goes far beyond just the making of a stage production. The immediacy of the art form, with absolutely no filter between the artist and the audience, has fascinated me since my childhood. This new film is a roller coaster ride, showing behind the scenes what goes into creating engaging stage productions. It could have taken several styles to deftly craft the narrative on screen, but the directorial choice of making it a mockumentary works for the most part. In the part where it doesn’t work, it leaves an overcooked quality to the story, giving the impression that the jokes were pushed beyond their limits. But overall, the film drives...

Ben Platt gave 'Theater Camp' costume designer Michelle J. Li a "generous" amount of freedom.The 29-year-old actor - who plays Amos Klabuchar opposite Molly Gordon (Rebecca-Diane) in the upcoming musical comedy they wrote with co-star Noah Galvin (Glenn Wintrop) and Gordon's co-director Nick Liberman - gave Li plenty of room to get involved in the ensemble piece.She told The Hollywood Reporter: "He has a series of show T-shirts that, within the context of Theater Camp, his character, Amos, and Rebecca Diane, they have been at this camp for 11 years as best friends."And they create this original musical every single year. And so, Ben gave me a list of 15 to 20 fictitious musicals, and he was like, 'Pick your favorite, and make ‘em into T-shirts.'"And so it was really nice because it was such a generous and collaborative offer, right?"Li noted how Platt...

While in production for Theater Camp, costume designer Michelle J. Li took a trip down memory lane to visit her high school theater department to figure out what kids were really wearing these days.

“I wanted to gain a sense of authenticity,” Li tells The Hollywood Reporter. With a background in theater that led her to the Carnegie Mellon drama school, along with a lifetime of attending Broadway shows with her family, Li, the daughter of Chinese immigrants, always knew she would end up in a creative field.

“The stereotype is that many Asian immigrant parents dissuade their children from pursuing entertainment or careers that are less financially stable, and it makes total sense,” she explains. “However, my parents did encourage me to pursue art, and so I always knew that I was going to land in something creative.”

Since, Li has worked on starry comedies including the likes of...