Ghostlight Theater Camp Wins 2022 ACA Golden Lens Award

Nina Goodheart is the winning photographer of the American Camping Association (ACA) 2022 Golden Lens Award. The award recognizes exceptional photographs that illustrate the camp experience and the ACA chose Goodheart's photo from hundreds of entries from camps around the country. The photo will be published on the cover of the May/June 2022 issue of Camping Magazine.

Of the photo, Nina wrote, "I snapped this photo during the final dress rehearsal for Ghostlight's immersive outdoor production of Jesus Christ Superstar. It was the last show of a long day, but the audience couldn't tear their eyes away. As the sun set, the surrounding campers switched on their flashlights in silent unison to illuminate the performers, and I found myself overwhelmed by a feeling of community. I was proud to be part of a camp that held such space for its campers - to sing, to feel, to support each other - and honored to have the chance to capture it."

For Ghostlight leadership, the choice of photo resonates deeply. "We submitted nine photos to the ACA and truthfully thought that was that. There are so many camps out there with amazing stories to share. For us, the act of submitting our collection was us practicing gratitude for our photographers and sharing our story. Then to have this photo selected as the winner was just so moving. It represents the creativity of our creative teams, who year after year discover new ways to create theater with our campers. It represents the passion and bravery that our campers discover while at camp. Hopefully, it also represents how this upcoming generation of theater-makers is ready to change the landscape of professional theater. This photo is of Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar. This is how we want to see shows done not just at camp, but in professional theaters around the country."

Ghostlight is a standout in the performing arts camp field for its approach to theater training and production. Grounded in ensemble values that teach and promote collaboration and communication, the camp consistently reimagines and invents classic plays and musicals, on top of premiering new works. In 2021 the camp premiered three new works, including the musical Keaton and the Whale by the writing team of Molly Reisman and Emily Chiu. The summer also featured site-specific productions of Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice and previous summers highlighted Mamma Mia! and Men on Boats set in the pool.

For more information on Ghostlight Theater Camp, please visit their website or contact a director.