After a series of Broadway flops, songwriter Bert Hanley (Dixon) goes to work at a musical camp for young performers. Inspired by the kids, he finds an opportunity to regain success by staging an altogether new production.
Writer/Director: Todd Graff
Stars: Don Dixon, Daniel Letterle, Joanna Chilcoat, ..., Anna Kendrick (10th billed).
Tim Albrecht ... assistant choreographer
Michele Lynch ... choreographer
Jerry Mitchell ... choreographer
27 songs in the Soundtracks.
The synopsis writer make it sound like this was centered around the adult (alcoholic) songwriter. Not so. DD was actually 11th billed. He was brought to the fore by the character Vlad (DL), who was the one to discover DD's music when he was passed out drunk. DL was a fan of DD's 1 big show, and was the one to bring the songs to the other kids and therefore to the final performance of the camp. DD merely consented to let them be used.
Couldn't find this online at the time. Recently bought the disc because this film was mentioned in the final episode of H'wood Singing & Dancing ('09). I don't remember what they said about it. Don't know where it falls in the progression of performing teen films, but recall Fame ('80) and High School Musical ('06).
This is the 1st IMDb credit for AK (b. '85). She gets a substantial (albeit secondary) plot point and a big solo. But she could just as easily been cut from the film.
The best thing about this is the tiny bit of tap dancing, especially the extended version in the Deleted Scenes extras, titled Petie's Tap Number. I can't figure out the name of the adult he dances with; would need to capture his character's first name during the story. He was the camp choreographer.
Rated 6.3 (5,399)
IFC Films, dir. Graff; 6
