Behind Bravo’s ‘Camp Getaway’
A Berkshires camp for adults
This one time at “Camp Getaway,” Bravo TV filmed a reality show and now, we’re getting all the details about what camp life is really like from a couple of Bostonians who star in the new series.
The show centers on what seems to be a typical summer camp located in the Connecticut Berkshires — that is, until the weekends roll around and a flock of adults take over the grounds to party and play.
“It’s hard to really understand camp until you go,” said Monica O’Neal ,a licensed clinical psychologist here in the city who spends her summer weekends as a senior social coordinator at the Connecticut spot.
“That’s the best way I can describe it,” she added, laughing.
It’s apparent after just a few episodes of “Camp Getaway” that it’s an entirely new experience, even for people who were sleepaway camp regulars during their youth. Cameras follow O’Neal and a group of fellow designated minglers, like local event planner Sophia D’Angelo, as they try to please their bosses, keep guests entertained and have their own share of fun. Basically, cabin life becomes a blend of adult responsibilities and childlike shenanigans.
“It’s really this opportunity to step outside of your everyday life,” O’Neal said. “You don’t have to worry about anything once you get there.”
“It’s like if you were to take all of your college, high school, middle school experiences, where you’re meeting new people and where you just play,” she added.
For D’Angelo, she said that her time at “Camp Getaway” is like an escape from her weekday job where she runs her own company.
“It’s just been a constant hustle,” D’Angelo said. “There’s really no line anymore between working and not, especially in these times because we’re all home.”
“I think the expectation is to always be working and that the harder and the longer you work, the more successful you are,” she added. “I think that with that mentality in society now, it’s so important to be able to go and reset somewhere and just find a better balance. I used to come back from the weekends feeling a little more refreshed.”
As viewers can see from the show, it’s not always fun and games in the New England woods. Between the over-the-top themed parties and outdoor yoga, there’s drama and immature antics fittingly reminiscent of tiffs from our younger years.
“I’m not gonna lie, there’s a part of it that’s a regression trap,” O’Neal said, laughing.
“I definitely think it reminds me of college and being in a sorority, when you have that many people living together for that long,” D’Angelo said.
She added, “There are 300 guests every weekend on average and I think just whenever you have that many people together for 48 hours straight — or for us, where it was weekend after weekend after weekend — it’s natural that tensions run high, emotions run high.”
D’Angelo also said that there’s also situational stress, like intense heat, lack of sleep and long days of work, that can lead to tense moments. Even trying to maintain the positive vibe can lead to outbursts.
“Everybody wants to be nice,” O’Neal said. “Nobody wants to step on anybody’s toes or hurt anybody’s feelings, but at the same time … they’re all very driven people with clear points of view.”
“So you get this undercurrent of people who might be a little miffed, but don’t want to say anything because they want to go along with the grain and be cool,” she added. “But then, the next thing you know, it blows up or it ends up coming out a little passive aggressive.”
“It’s bound to happen,” D’Angelo said. “We got through it.”