As I was sifting through plays for my first directing adventure at CB West, I considered many different genres. Not knowing the students here, and what their interests were, it was a challenge to find a show that I felt was the right fit. In my research I came across the play Midsummer/Jersey by Ken Ludwig, a playwright I respect a great deal for his comedic wit and clever writing. Although I was not familiar with this play, in reading it I quickly discovered it had all the elements for an exciting and rewarding theatrical adventure, including colorful characters, an active storyline, and tremendous opportunities for comedy. And the fact that it so seamlessly retells one of the most brilliant plays ever written, A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, made it an obvious choice.
Ken Ludwig originally undertook this play with a high school theatre department. Playwrights of his stature would usually workshop such a play with professionals, however, Ludwig’s focus on blending current pop culture with the timeless play of A Midsummer Night’s Dream lent itself to working directly with high school students who are surrounded by pop culture while studying the literary masterpieces of Shakespeare. Ludwig brilliantly matched up the plot line, down to each monologue and line of dialogue to the original play, blending in current Jersey shore culture wherever possible. You might notice that several lines, including some of the most famous lines from Puck, Titania, and Oberon, are the original text. The final product of Midsummer/Jersey shows that the story written by Shakespeare over 300 years ago is timeless and that the humor, although updated, is still just plain funny.
Stepping into a new project, in a new school, and with students I have never met, is always somewhat daunting. However, I was immediately impressed by the level of dedication and passion the students of the Harlequin Club have, not to mention talent. As I write these notes, we have just finished blocking the entire show and are about to embark on full run-throughs. These students have already embraced these characters and made them their own. Comedy can only be truly entertaining if the actors are so fully invested, and these actors have made my job as director a pleasure.
I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank my amazing designers and colleagues, all of whose talents continuously astound me: Naomi Haus-Roth, friend and spectacular set designer; Cheri Snook, lighting designer extraordinaire; Jenn Lanyon, creatively brilliant costume designer; and Leanne Schrier, our fantastic business manager (thank you for answering hundreds of my questions!). I would also like to thank Dr. Joseph Ohrt for his support throughout this process and the administration at CB West, led by Jason Bucher. Lastly I would like to take the opportunity to thank Bret Bostock, without whose support none of this would be possible.
