Andy Blais

Years at Camp: 13th summer in 2010

Department: Theater

Camp Bio:

1980--1985, Camper
Roles in plays and musicals; a lot of swimming; bad, yet enthusiastic tennis; and 2 horse rides. Member (along with John Jannone!) of Chutzpah 8/5, the first Ballibay rock band. Counselor-in-Training '84 & '85.

1986--1990, Cabin Counselor
Theatre Director, Inaugural WBAY Radio Instructor; Pool Lifeguard; Cabin Inspection Leader; Program Director '89 & '90.

2009--present, Senior Staff
Theatre Director, Creative Writing & Radio Instructor.

Some Ballibay Directorial Favorites: "Macbeth"; "Night of January 16"; "Final Dress Rehearsal"; "Skin of Our Teeth"; "The Roar of the Greasepaint...The Smell of the Crowd"; & "The Actor's Nightmare."

It's been special kind of joy to find myself at Ballibay, and especially to bring my son, Benjamin. I find it immensely rewarding to be a bit of stitching in the grand Ballibay quilt, and to have a hand in this important work--helping kids to make the kinds of creative metamorphoses that can happen every day inside the magical cocoon of camp.

I look forward to meeting everyone, making a little artistic mischief, telling some ghost stories, and sharing in the Journey.

Professional/School Bio:

BA Theatre, SUNY-Binghamton; MFA Creative Writing, Brooklyn College

Over the years, I've been a mid-market disc jockey; an actor (regional and NYC); a touring stage manager and lighting director for dance companies (Twyla Tharp, Paul Taylor, Jody Oberfelder, MOMIX, Dance Theatre of Harlem, American Repertory Ballet, others); a college instructor of both design and writing (Marymount Manhattan College and Brooklyn College, respectively); a writer/editor at a book-packaging firm; and now, an NYC stagehand in television and live performance. This journey has taken me all over the United States, Canada, Europe and India. I've been lucky!

Career Highlights: Three seasons at the Metropolitan Opera House (stagehand); writing and researching several chapters of a World War II coffee-table book for Time-Life; touring with Mikhail Baryshnikov (stage management); delivering the keynote address at my high school's 2009 commencement ceremony (humbling).

Current Gig: Programming the lighting console at the Martha Stewart Show and subbing on Broadway shows.

Current Writing Projects: wacky essays and postings at www.BlaiserBlog.com; putting together a collection of poetry.

I love cycling, things that are French, the New Yorker, hunting, Kurt Vonnegut, baseball, reading poetry, and most of all, being a Dad.

Home Town: Mansfield, Pa.

Web Page: www.blaiserblog.com

Keywords: Returning Staff, Camp Parent, Former Camper, All Staff

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Group membership
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Spotlight

Information

About the Staff of the Ballibay Camps

A key to the success of any camping season is staff. We spend a great deal of time screening and selecting our staff before every summer, and we have been fortunate to have many talented counselors and teachers remain with us season after season. Our staff members are predominantly educators and university students from the United States, although we also have a strong international component to our staff.

Our staff members come to us with outstanding credentials: professional experience, a background in teaching, and/or exceptional skills in their specialties. Most of all, we seek good, caring people who are interested in the well-being and growth of children. We look for people who, knowing something of the competitive nature of the adult world, are excited to put those concerns aside for a summer and focus on "the journey" in a non-competitive, fun, friendly environment.