SARANAC LAKE – For most of the summer, 12 high school actors from the Tri-Lakes region have sacrificed time in the summer sunshine for their true love – time under the stage lights on a windowless theatre stage.

Camp Pendragon is a four-week professional theatre workshop running annually since 2013 to extend high schoolers’ theatre season into summer months. Their weeks of rehearsing lines, singing songs and learning to navigate the stage like a pro will culminate this weekend with a performance of the show “Rags” on Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 11 a.m.

The performance is a musical written by Joseph Stein, author of “Fiddler on the Roof,” with music by Charles Strouse, known best for composing songs for the play “Annie.” Lyrics were written by Stephen Schwartz, who wrote for the plays “Pippin” and “Wicked.”

The story takes place in the early twentieth century when the United States braced a flux of new ingredients to its cultural melting pot, following a group of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe as they navigate the streets of New York City in 1910. Lured by fantasies of western excellence, its characters marvel at the magnificent city, but soon realize the American dream isn’t quite loaded with fortune as they expected. The play mixes song and dance to their ups and downs as characters face the less than luxurious city life for immigrants to the United States.

During our current contentious period of immigration-centered politics, the show offers a fictionalized yet accurate glimpse at the history of open doors to outsiders in the U.S. Times have certainly changed, but one thing remains the same: America inhabits the daydreams of foreigners looking to forfeit their misfortunes for a better life.

The camp is led by Matt Sorenson, a veteran actor of the Pendragon Stage, and Elizabeth Cordes, a Tupper Lake High School music teacher. Terpsie Toon, managing director of the Lake Placid School of Ballet, gives choreography guidance to campers.

The process campers go through mirrors the professional acting process as close as possible. Before camp starts, each member shows up for mock auditions in June to help them with character assignment. Starting July 5, campers hit the ground running with 13 days to put together a professional-grade performance.

“I would guess that this is probably the most difficult musical these kids have ever worked on,” Cordes said, explaining that the level of professional rehearsal, dramatic storytelling and musical complexity is far higher than a standard high school production.

From 9-3 every weekday, Sorenson and Cordes walked the actors through the play, giving them valuable tips on performance along the way. There were also times for fun and games, of course, including a weekly lip-sync battle between campers. Cordes recalled a time in which a male camper rocked the stage in a scantily clad outfit to the song “Barbie Girl.”

Awkward moments and ensuing laughter are in no short order at the camp as performers learn nuances to dramatic performance, such as faking stage kisses and communicating anger.

“What’s interesting is you never know what kind of dynamic they’re going to have when you’ve got kids from all over the area,” Cordes said. “This year the kids are highly committed, and what’s cool about it is they are learning in a way that lasts beyond camp.”

Some campers already plan a college education in the arts, be it dance, acting or singing. Others simply enjoy the professional atmosphere they dedicate 30 hours a week to.

“It definitely has a more professional feel than a high school play,” said Dorran Boucher, an 11th grader from Tupper Lake. “It feels a lot more serious and I think we learn a lot more.”

Actors in this year’s performance are Jameson Batt, Dorran Boucher, Sarah Dalton, Kirsten Denis, Annachristi Cordes, Noah Cordes, Kendall Davison, Max Gole, Will Gray, Natalie Orman, Andrew Scanio and Matt Varden.

Proceeds from this play will offset production costs for “Rags” and future Camp Pendragon performances.