“I Saw The Children Gather”
A Celebration of Harand Camp
A documentary film by Cheryl Ross Mitchell
A film about building confidence and self-esteem through education in musical theater.
There is a place that exists for a few weeks every summer — a village where every child is a star, where no one fails, and where the only competition is with yourself.
For 71 years, a family from Chicago has made that place real.
I Saw the Children Gather is the story of Sulie and Pearl Harand, the camp they built, and the thousands of lives they and their family have transformed — and continue to transform — through the power of musical theater.
“Harand Camp made a tremendous contribution to arts education. The Harand’s approach should be reinvented today in the public schools. Their model is an extraordinary model for teaching.”
— Lois Weisberg - Former Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs
And former Harander
About the Film
Shot over the summer of 2004, this one-hour documentary weaves together archival footage spanning five decades, interviews with campers from every generation, and the performances of children discovering — sometimes for the first time — what they are capable of.
It took twenty years to finish. Some things take that long to get right. And Harand Camp now celebrating its 71st summer — is still going.
Beyond the Film
This is more than a documentary. It's a reunion.
On this site, you'll find:
The Film — Watch the one-hour cut, crafted for public broadcasting
Extended Stories — Scenes, performances, and interviews that couldn't fit one hour (there was enough for a series)
Alumni Updates — A living, growing space where Harand campers share where life has taken them: video, audio, or written
Community — Because once you were a Harand camper, you always are