photo courtesy of wander creative · kevin quinn came into the lead role of will after several...

40 www.ccca.org February/March 2020

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www.ccca.orgFebruary/March 2020 41

� by Jen Howver

Those of us who were at BEYOND, CCCA’s National Conference,

in December had the privilege of seeing an early screening of the

director’s cut of a movie releasing in 2020. Members had access to the

preview of “A Week Away — The Musical” because of a partnership

between CCCA and the film as part of The Power of Camp campaign. �

The feature film bringing the power of camp to the big screen

‘A WEEK AWAY — THE MUSICAL’


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For friends Gabe Vasquez and Alan Powell, what began as an idea nearly eight years ago is finally com-ing to life. Raising their children, each dad has sat through his fair share of Disney musicals. While their kids love them, both dads felt like it would be nice if there was something that had the same spirit you’d find in a classic musical, but with something more — a deep message that reveals the presence of God.

“Families struggle to find films the whole family can watch together,” shares Vasquez. He says sometimes even a faith-based film is “very heavy for an 8-year-old.” He and Powell wanted to make something they could show to their kids, and that’s where the idea for the movie, “A Week Away — The Musical,” began.

Making old music new again With backgrounds in the Christian music industry, Vasquez and Powell have a love for the music and the influences several songs and performers had on them during their formative years. Think of the era of Steven Curtis Chapman, Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith. Vasquez and Powell “felt there was a wealth of music that some of this [current] generation has never heard of,” Vasquez explains. In an effort to pay hom-age to those songs and artists, and introduce them to a new generation, they began brainstorming the idea of a musical that could incorporate updated versions of some classic Christian songs, along with current and original music, while communicating a story with a meaningful message about life change. According to Vasquez, “A great song is a great song,” and the team believed that those classic songs were great and would still be received as great today.

The two friends began to brainstorm what kind of place this story could take place. “Where could kids spontaneously burst into song where it might make sense? Where could you tell the story of life change in a defined moment of time?” they wondered. Their idea culminated in the idea of church camp. Vasquez says, “When you ask most people what camp means to them, it’s followed with big smiles and warm memories.”

Presenting The Power of Camp As producers of the film project, Vasquez and Powell eventually connected with CCCA and attended the national conference in Phoenix several years ago. There, they listened and talked with camp directors, board members and others who shared a love for Christian camps and conferences. They “left so excited to be able to tell a story and represent an experience like [camp],” Vasquez shares. “We walked away adopt-ing the CCCA mantra, ‘The Power of Camp.’ ”

The team realized that it would be “hard to portray all the elements of camp in a film,” Vasquez explains, but they “wanted to find something that was fun and a beautiful representation of the ‘big moments’ at camp.” They wanted the movie to find a “balance of the levity and depth of camp.”

In order to help it feel real and pay homage to Chris-tian camping professionals who dedicate their lives to the ministry, Vasquez and Powell wanted to create a story and characters that are realistic. For example, with the camp director, the team spent a lot of time developing the character. “We didn’t want him to be a ridiculous version of a camp director,” Vasquez says. “We wanted him to show some over-the-top side that makes camp feel fun, but also [be] the guy who can be serious and influence a meaningful spiritual moment.”

The hope is that the movie will be a conversation starter for camps and youth groups. The team also wants the movie to inspire people to either go to camp or help get someone else’s kid to camp.

Knowing that there are kids and teens who come to camp feeling like they don’t belong or aren’t loved, or are maybe angry at God and have built a wall around their hearts, the producers realize it’s through the relationships at camp that kids experience the hands and feet of Christ. “Our greatest hope,” Vasquez shares, “is that we’re able to give a representation of that type of story.” �

“When you ask most people what camp means to them, it’s followed with big smiles and warm memories.” —Gabe Vasquez, producer

Assembling a top-notch creative team As the first-ever Christian musical film, it was impor-tant to Vasquez and Powell to create a movie that was at least the same caliber as a Disney musical, if not better. In order to bring the story to life visually, musi-cally and through story at such a high level of quality, the producers knew they needed to bring a phenome-nal creative team to the table.

The creative team includes Emmy-, Billboard- and MTV video award-winning director and screenwriter Roman White. “He brought a beautiful vision for this picture,” Vasquez says. The producers knew that the critically-acclaimed movie “The Greatest Showman” was directed by a music video director, so they felt White would be a perfect fit. Music producer Adam Watts came to the team after working on Jeremy Camp’s early records and eventually going on to write for Disney movies like “Camp Rock” and “High School Musical,” and producing music for artists like Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato and others. Watts has “a huge heart for Jesus, with a pocket [full] of a music genre we wanted,” Vasquez explains. “It couldn’t have been more God-ordained.” Add in choreographers Melena Rounis and Paul Becker, along with top dancers from around the country, and you’ve got a team that could make this dream a reality.

Finding a talented and passionate cast The team spent a lot of time trying to fill the roles for the teen stars of the film. “We wanted to bring some-body in who could not only carry it musically, which is one level of high expectations,” Vasquez explains, “but could also dance and act. We needed a triple-threat” for all the roles.

Vasquez and Powell are amazed at how God brought the team of talented actors to the table. I spoke with Bailee Madison, who plays Avery, who said she’d been praying for God to bring her something that was a fit for her beliefs. Growing up in a family that loves Jesus,

prays, goes to church, listens to Christian music, faith has always been part of Madison’s life. She’s been acting since she was just 7 and is intentional about choosing roles that align with her faith and values.

With “A Week Away,” Madison came on as an asso-ciate producer as well as the lead actress. She had the opportunity to speak into Avery’s character. “A lot of movies portray characters who seem to have it all together because of their faith, but I know there are no perfect people,” Madison shares. “There were a lot of revisions to the script pushing into that.” As a result, Madison hopes that kids and teens watching the movie can see themselves in one of the charac-ters, and, especially, realize that it’s OK for them not to have it all figured out and that they don’t have to walk through life alone.

Spending her life on movie sets, Madison hadn’t experienced camp for herself, so when preparing for her role she asked several of her friends about their camp experiences growing up. “I heard stories about them finding who they are, relationships they built, being surrounded by love. [Those experiences] shaped them into who they are today, which is such a power-ful and beautiful thing.”

Kevin Quinn came into the lead role of Will after several seasons on Disney Channel’s “Bunk’d.” “He wanted a role where he could spread his wings and showcase his love for both acting and music,” Vasquez explains. When the two actors came together, it was “a beautiful combination of talent.”

Several other talented teens round out the main cast of campers, while the comic relief, adult supervision and teaching at the camp come from Sherri Shepherd and David Koechner.

Anyone paying close attention (who loves Amy Grant and Steven Curtis Chapman) will see the artists make cameos in the film, which, during the screening in Orlando, brought laughs and cheers from the audience. �


Anyone paying close attention (who loves Amy Grant and Steven Curtis Chapman) will see the artists make cameos in the film, which, during the screening in Orlando, brought laughs and cheers from the audience.


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Crafting a realistic story of life change The movie follows a teenager, Will (Quinn), who has been in trouble with the law and in and out of foster homes too many times. His latest crime will lead him to a juvenile detention center, unless he agrees to join a foster family and attend a summer camp where the mom (Shepherd) works. He reluctantly agrees to attend the camp, where he soon meets fellow camper Avery (Madison), who is the daughter of the camp director (Koechner). There, Will discovers not only that Christians aren’t perfect people, but also that he’s not the only one who feels alone and broken.

Through a week away at camp with fun, games, campfires, several energized musical numbers and the friendships he forms, Will comes to understand that he is accepted, and that God loves and forgives him no matter what.

Taking life change beyond the screen The vision is for this movie to provide a fun, clean experience for kids who love camp to share the experience with a friend. Many movies made by Christians feel more like vitamins to kids — some-thing they are forced to take and that’s good for them. The team wanted to create something that is truly entertaining and gets a conversation started, so they see the film as more of a pre-evangelism tool. They don’t assume that they can do in 90 minutes what God will do in a week with a kid at camp.

In the partnership between the movie and CCCA, the film will be highlighted as part of The Power of Camp campaign that shares stories and benefits of Christian camping with national media outlets and ministries. The goal is to use the platform of the movie to highlight the life change that can occur at Christian camps and conference centers, ultimately leading audiences to seek out a Christian camping opportu-nity for their children and teens.

The movie will point viewers to www.ThePower OfCamp.com, where they can find a camp for their child and also encourage them to consider giving to a scholarship fund to send a kid like Will to camp.

� � � You can learn more at www.AWeekAway.com, or by following @AWeekAwayMovie on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. �


As the first-ever Christian musical film, it was important to producers Gabe Vasquez and Alan Powell to create a movie that was at least the same caliber as a Disney musical, if not better.

Jen Howver was once a camp kid who later spent two summers working at a camp in Michigan, where she met and later married her husband, Jay. Fast forward more than 25 years and now Jen works as a marketing consultant and editor of InSite magazine. She and Jay live in Monument, Colorado, with their daughters, Noelle and Chloe, and way too many pets.

photo courtesy of wander creative · kevin quinn came into the lead role of will after several...

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