Lofton Lake Trip

Hello! This is Emma Lo writing. I'm a former camper who is along for the wild ride as an ASC Theatre Camp Intern this summer!

 After an exhilarating week of auditions, rehearsals, and workshops, the ASC Theater Campers put down their well-used scripts, piled into three white vans, and headed to Lofton Lake this past Sunday for a much deserved day off. Even so, some of the campers still found time between swimming, kayaking and s’mores-devouring to run through their lines and to practice show music.

The Lofton Lake trip occurs annually, thanks to our generous hosts, the Eckmans, a long-time camp family. Perfect for our unceasingly energetic campers, Lofton Lake boasts an array of things to do, with a lake bordered by a beach, more volleyball courts than people to play on them, trails that circumscribe the lake, and a campfire.

We were blessed with perfect weather for the field trip, and the campers spent most of their time in the water. Whether they were engaging in splash battles, trying to capsize the floating dock, or racing canoes, no one stayed dry for long. Back on land, ocarina and mandolin permeated the breeze, and bodies browned, or reddened, while the campers perused novels sub-sun.

The day unveiled many discoveries: one camper can perform outstanding backflips, another found a family of tiny frogs, and another proved that the bottom of the lake is difficult but not impossible to reach. We also discovered that some of the young actors double as skillful sand artists, conjuring mermaids and an octopus out of the shore. Unfortunately, there is currently no foreseeable way to incorporate these talents on the Blackfriars Playhouse stage… 

By mid-afternoon the official “Camp Grillmaster Tom” had prepared a meal of hot dogs, hamburgers, and barbeque for the hungry lot. It was around this time that Mr. Eckman’s pet dogs showed a heightened interest in our presence, as they attempted to taste a little of Tom’s handiwork too.

The change of setting from the camp’s Mary Baldwin campus helped the students gain some perspective. As one camper observed his peers singing together, discussing books and plays, and jamming on guitars, he noted how smart and talented this group of people is. Even outside of rehearsal space, the campers’ collective creativity and passion are evident. 

After a long day, the campers got back on the buses and reluctantly left the lovely Lofton Lake, sufficiently soggier and more refreshed than upon their arrival. But the next morning, wails erupted from the girls’ hallway in the dormitory as campers examined their sun-burned backs in the mirror. Along with warm memories, several also have physical souvenirs from their sun-filled day on Lofton Lake!