The Ringwald’s ‘The Grown-Ups’ is a Theater Experience Like No Other
We’ve attended many shows since beginning our journey here at Cosmic Circus Broadway. With a personal history on stage and a professional life as a critic, I’ve seen and lived it all. As a creative, it can sometimes be challenging to set yourself apart from all the other productions going on simultaneously, so how do you draw people in? The Ringwald Theatre has always excelled at providing audiences with unique experiences, but what they did with their production of The Grown-Ups was on a whole nother level.
Originally developed during the COVID-19 global pandemic by Skylar Fox and Simon Henriques, The Grown-Ups explores topics of resilience during times of fear and uncertainty. Something all of us experienced just a few short years ago when life came to a standstill, but the world kept turning. It came during a period when being too close to other people felt dangerous, which made attending an intimate show in a theater near impossible. So with The Grown-Ups, Fox and Henriques looked to take their production outside and bring audiences back to summer camp.
Now that theater life has mostly returned to normal, the visionaries at The Ringwald Theatre and the director Jennifer Goff looked to bring this incredible show back inside while providing the same sensory experience in which The Grown-Ups was meant to be enjoyed. The theater and creatives provided nothing short of theater magic, with one of the most unique shows and experiences we’ve ever witnessed coming to life in front of us. So pull up a camping chair and gather around the campfire because it’s time to tell the tale of The Ringwald Theatre’s The Grown-Ups.
[Warning: spoilers from The Ringwald Theatre’s The Grown-Ups are below!]
A modern tale with a classic warning in this Ringwald Theatre production
I’m sure many of us remember going off to camp for the summer as children. Days, sometimes weeks, of disconnecting from the real world, losing ourselves in outdoor activities, and having fun with other children. Some of us might even continue only becoming camp counselors, infusing our naturistic escapism with duties and responsibilities. These individuals help to keep the fun energy alive by removing the harsh outside world from the ecosystem the camp has created within its boundaries.
This job seems like it might have been easier in decades past when technology wasn’t nearly as prevalent, a struggle that the counselors of Camp Indigo Woods know rather well. The Grown-Ups focuses on four of these camp counselors, led by their fearless assistant camp director, Aidan (Camden Maccagone). In what feels like any other summer at Camp Indigo, veteran camp counselors Lukas (Noah Askew), Becca (Lainie Plunkett), and Maeve (Grace Joliffie) show newcomer Cassie (Rashna “Rashi” Sarwar), the ropes, which takes her some time to learn.
However, as the summer progresses, these five learn about the growing discontent happening in the real world and become unsure of what to do. At first, it feels so far removed from them, but slowly, the unease and conflicts creep closer to Camp Indigo Woods, making these young adults realize that they are now the grown-ups having to make the tough calls. What once feels fun becomes serious quickly as The Grown-Ups sobers up the counselors and the audience to the real-world issues that exist just outside the glow of our campfire.
An immersive experience brings audiences into The Grown-Ups
Attending a performance at The Ringwald Theatre in Affirmations in Ferndale is always a treat, but their latest show, The Grown Ups, takes the experience to a whole new level. The extremely talented creative team has mastered intimacy and innovation as The Grown Ups is a show that invites its audience to immerse themselves in its world fully. This is not just a performance; it is an experience and one that redefines the boundaries of traditional theater.
When you enter the black box theater, you’re greeted by a tactile shift that brings you right into the center of Camp Indigo Woods. The floor beneath your feet feels like a mix of grass and sand, as though you’ve stepped onto a beach or into the middle of a forest. This subtle yet powerful detail adds to the sense of nostalgia, transporting you to the carefree days of summer camp. As you glance around, the central focus of the room becomes clear: a firepit. Surrounding it are campfire-style chairs in various colors and styles, each one different but unified in its casual, welcoming vibe. The seating is limited, with only a few dozen chairs available compared to the typical 100+ seats The Ringwald Theatre touts. This makes the atmosphere feel cozy, intimate, and incredibly unique, ensuring that everyone isn’t just close to the action but a part of it.
Before the performance even begins, the audience is drawn into the atmosphere with an unexpected yet delightful pre-show. The actors playing the camp counselors in The Grown-Ups emerge from the wing and immediately start interacting with the crowd. The mood is lighthearted and playful, with actors encouraging audience members to stand up and participate in a campfire-style sing-along. The actors invited everyone to sing classic camp songs as if we were all back at summer camp ourselves, exhibiting exorbitant levels of energy as they led the crowd through quite a few popular summer camp jingles. The energy is contagious, and the audience is quickly swept up in the spirit of fun and togetherness.
As the sing-along continues, it becomes evident that this pre-show moment is more than just a warm-up. It is a deliberate choice by the creative team to break down the barrier between actor and audience, to set the tone for the kind of evening you’re about to have. It’s not just about watching a play; it’s about participating in a shared experience. It’s about remembering that, no matter your age, there’s a childlike joy in being part of something larger than yourself, in being part of a community—even if only for the length of a show.
The theater-in-the-round setup enhances this sense of intimacy as actors move around the space, making eye contact with audience members. This constant engagement keeps the energy high and ensures that everyone feels involved, even if they’re not physically participating. It’s a refreshing and engaging approach to theater that invites the audience to become as much a part of the narrative as the performers themselves.
Bringing the audience into the action has two sides. While the first is the fun and excitement of being invited into camp, on the flip side, it means that we’re also brought into the impending terror that is creeping closer with each passing day and scene. As it becomes more and more apparent that Camp Indigo Woods isn’t safe, audiences feel the energy shift, making us also feel isolated and alone, lost in the middle of the woods. The immersiveness of the set design and the show adds a sense of creepiness as you look over your shoulders more frequently and your palms begin to sweat.
Another excellent example of what theater experience you can expect from The Ringwald
The Ringwald Theatre has never shied away from taking chances, which has led to some of the most incredible theater experiences, and The Grown-Ups is no exception. In our wildest dreams, did I think we’d be stepping into a forest for this production? Absolutely not, but that added to the overall immersiveness of the show and is a shining example of the kind of love and care that the theater and its creatives put into their productions.
Keep an eye on The Ringwald Theatre; you never know what you’re going to get, but it’s always going to be a fantastic time!
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