Pitch-perfect mockumentary Theater Camp opens with some cute archival footage that lets the audience in on the personal history of the film’s creators and stars — and their theatre bona fides. Molly Gordon and Ben Platt grew up together in Los Angeles doing children’s theatre, as we see in VHS footage of the pair performing in such productions as ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ and ‘How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying’ at the tender ages of 4 and 5

Gordon and Platt wrote Theater Camp with Platt’s partner, the actor Noah Galvin, who co-stars, and Nick Lieberman, who directed the film with Gordon, based on a short film he made. This collective has brought to life one of the funniest, most specific comedies of the year: a savvy but loving satire of young theatre geeks

Inside the walls of AdirondACTS – just four hours from New York City, as a musical number will later reveal – young thespians can spend summers developing their craft among likeminded kids without fear of being ridiculed by those unversed in the dramatic arts. It’s in this land where misfits rule supreme that the movie sets its stage

Gordon and Platt star as pretentious, codependent besties Rebecca-Diane and Amos, alumni and teachers at AdirondACTS. The community – and the ‘documentary’ –  is in crisis after camp director Joan Rubinsky (Amy Sedaris) suffers a seizure and falls into a coma during a middle school production of ‘Bye Bye Birdie.’ Her son, Troy (Jimmy Tatro), a clueless “business vlogger,” is now tasked with running the camp in his mother’s stead, though he has no idea of what he’s doing. He’s the perfect mark for the predatory Caroline Krauss (Patti Harrison), a representative from a hedge fund affiliated with the ritzy Camp Lakeview next door

But, in the best theatre tradition, the show must quite certainly go on, and soon AdirondACTS is in the hands of a motley crew for what threatens to be its last summer. While Troy is fumbling the business end of the camp, Amos and Rebecca-Diane are creatively floundering, attempting to stage their half-written original musical ‘Joan, Still,’ about the life of their beloved, ailing leader, though the production is foiled by Rebecca-Diane’s odd disappearances. Harried technical director Glenn (Galvin) is the only person keeping things running behind the scenes, though his innate performance talents threaten to burst forth at any moment

This madcap mockumentary works beautifully because Gordon, Lieberman, Platt and Galvin take care to imbue this setting with a real sense of culture and place, populated with wonderfully eccentric characters. The joy of Theater Camp is simply swimming around in this world, so perfectly rendered, down to every detail of costume design, and dense, referential dialogue. There’s enough conflict to keep the 92-minute comedy stretched taut, though it’s not so complex that it can’t all be resolved with a rousing climactic song. When the cast finally performs ‘Joan, Still,’ you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll be shocked and delighted

The humour in directors Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman’s quick-witted crowd-pleaser, which is both mischievously critical and adoring of the microcosm it depicts, derives almost entirely from the self-seriousness that everyone involved displays for their chosen passion. With utmost earnestness, they all worship at the altar of all things showbiz

But it’s the extraordinary group of young actors who propel Theater Camp forward. Standouts including Bailee Bonick, Donovan Colan, Luke Islam, and Alan Kim. They’re credible as rising theatre stars (and movie stars to boot), adding veracity to this already winning outing

That the comedy here took shape spontaneously from the chemistry of the ensemble merits greater appreciation for how well it works from scene to scene. Admirably, not a single ‘break a leg’ joke is in sight in the movie, but plenty of references to legends of the stage and screen populate AdirondACTS. Sharply edged references about working non-union, about the process of preparing for a role, and about the ‘unethical’ nature of fake tears double in hilarity because of the performers’ tender ages

This image released by Searchlight Pictures shows a scene from “Theater Camp.” (Searchlight Pictures via AP)

Every scene feels snatched from a real moment; the edit is swift, propulsive and surgical in its precision. Gordon and Lieberman have skilfully staged every scene like a real documentary, no easy feat with this many child actors. However, these kids are extraordinary talents, belting out Sondheim with the fervour and passion of seasoned stage actors, while bringing a childlike innocence and glee to the proceedings. The joke is, of course, that the material is too advanced for them, and that the teachers treat them like little adults in this strange and special environment. At the end, a tiny moppet hugs Amos and thanks him for being hard on them, and he graciously accepts. For anyone who’s ever had a demanding theatre teacher, it rings as clear as a bell, as does every other aspect of Theater Camp, a fine-cut comedic gem engineered with a distinct sensibility and the potential to become a beloved camp classic