IDOL Runner-Up Clark Beckham Surprises Musical Theater Campers

After making millions of fans on TV this year, Clark Beckham, Sumner County's very own 2015 American Idol runner up, came back home to Tennessee, and on Wednesday he surprised participants in Actors Point Theatre Company's musical theater day camp with some pointers on stage performance.

Beckham grew up in White House, Tennessee - just a few miles up the road from Hendersonville, where Actors Point Theatre Company makes its home at God Why Church. Beckham and Actors Point artistic director Greg Wilson have been friends for years, which led to his visit to the musical theater campers.

"Clark agreed to come and share with the 50-plus campers who are in a month long musical theatre day camp that will culminate in two weekends of performances of a fabulous Rodgers and Hammerstein musical revue, A Grand Night for Singing," Wilson explains.

A Grand Night for Singing opens June 19 and runs through June 27 for a total of six performances.

Beckham's first onstage performing appearance as a soloist was in a musical adaptation of A Christmas Carol at church in 2001 - at the age of eight or nine, Wilson remembers.

"Clark was playing Tiny Tim for us." says Wilson. "He had a song that was very important to the show. He was fine during rehearsals in the smaller rehearsal rooms, but when we got to the auditorium that seated 3500-plus people, Clark expressed a bit of anxiety about singing in front of that many people. I'd say he's gotten over it."

Beckham spent over an hour-and-a-half giving wisdom on work ethic, his experiences on American Idol that gave him "some really great life lessons."

"I practice at least six hours a day," Beckham explained to his eager and enthusiastic audience. "In my living room I have a bass guitar, drumset, five or six of my dad's classic electric guitars, and a keyboard. It's kinda what it takes if you're gonna seriously do something in the arts."

Beckham spent most of his time at the camp talking to the kids and their parents one-on-one, offering encouragement and, of course, posing for lots and lots of pictures with the budding performers.

"I won't leave until I get a chance to meet everyone, shake a hand, take a picture or just hang out," Beckham promised the campers.

For more information about Actors Point Theatre Company and its summer musical theater camp production of A Grand Night for Singing, call Wilson at (615) 431-9620 or email to actorspointtc@gmail.