With the excitement of the upcoming play, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, Poly Prep is reminded of the role theatre has had in facilitating the growth of students. The Middle School play has been a longstanding tradition, with many students auditioning and participating in it each year. From the collaboration and bonding it requires to the work ethic that it promotes, the experience of Poly theatre has left a lasting impression on all the faculty, cast, and crew involved. Working on the current production, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, has provided both students and staff with new experiences, challenges, and connections.
Andrew Cooper-Leary, Middle School Theater Teacher, and Daniel Hogan, Head of Set Design for Poly Arts, have decided to add their own twists to the famous Shakespeare play. Previous productions of it, as well as the original story, have been located in a magical forest and the court of Athens, according to the Royal Shakespeare Company. In Poly’s retelling, there are a few key differences. “So it’s Shakespeare, obviously, but we wanted to go a little bit different direction,” said Hogan, “he [Cooper-Leary] wanted to set it kind of in a Coney Island era area in the 1950s. We’re not setting it in Coney Island, but it has that same feeling of an ‘exciting summer night’. Instead of setting it in a fairy woods, the theme park is called ‘The Woods’, and we’re in a carnival kind of setting.”
“I think the fun thing about it is watching people think that they can control other people’s lives, and watching them fail to do so. Because, as parents, we think ‘I can control so much of what happens with my children’, and more often than not, they find a way to do what they’re going to do –and hopefully do it the right way– or learn from their mistakes,” said Cooper-Leary when asked why he chose “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. The overall themes of the production are love, comedy, resistance to control, and friendship, according to Shakespeare’s Globe. While the Poly production adds a modern twist, its heart remains true to the original messages, which continue to resonate with students. However, not only its themes, but the actual experience of being in the play, has greatly impacted participants.
“It’s always amazing, seeing people who were shy or quiet, who are now showing up with confidence and being able to perform at a level that they were just learning how to do a couple of years ago. It’s exciting,” said Hogan. Through their time performing, students build abilities that allow them to grow into the leaders and actors they become. These traits that they gain play into not only their journey on the stage, but also their daily life, in things such as developing confidence and discipline.
“As you go further into the play, your roles become bigger. You have a higher level of responsibility. But, it’s also really fun, because you get to have a community of kids that you never thought you would be friends with,” remarked cast member Sameer Kalhans ’30. He believes that working on the play teaches him key skills from the time rehearsals start until the final show ends. The production embodies and teaches a ‘work hard, play hard’ balance, with students managing the combination of dedication, focus, and fun throughout the process.
For students who may not engage in Poly athletics, the play provides a team-like environment. Participating in the play “gives a space and opportunity for kids that aren’t as athletic to still be a part of a team of some kind,” shared Gabby Pipitone ‘28, who has been involved in Poly Arts since Middle School. The Middle School play, as well as theatre productions as a whole, offers inclusivity for students who might not have found it elsewhere. It encourages and allows them to experience the bonding, camaraderie, and accomplishment that you find in a team. “And I think that without [the play], a lot of kids would feel like they didn’t have a place,” added Pipitone. In this sense, the play ensures that every student has a place to belong, contribute, and thrive.
The Middle School play provides students with opportunities to collaborate, take on responsibilities, and develop skills through their participation. Experiences on the stage, as well as the lessons learned throughout their time working on the production, help students grow in both their personal and daily lives. The theatre has had a consistent impact on not only Poly’s middle schoolers, but also the teachers and staff who work with them as well.
