Director’s Note
I began the search for this play early in the summer; looking for something fun, approachable, and flexible, all while offering a deep and meaningful story. My search led me to reach out to an old Juilliard acquaintance and award-winning playwright, Adam Szymkowicz. Adam thought his new unpublished play, Bart and Arnie, might be a good fit for our needs. I was additionally excited to learn that there have only been a few performances of this work, meaning that we would be one of the first places to present this piece, if chosen. Once I read the play, I was immediately in love—the Waiting for Godot existentialism through the not-so-subtle lens of the beloved Sesame Street characters really struck me. It was exciting to tackle a play that peers into the “real” lives of two fictitious characters as they traverse New York City.
For me, the journey of the play is a series of vignettes that narrate the journey of a pair of pals as they try to find their place in the big city, something I, and a lot of New Yorkers, can relate to personally. It reminded me of my own artistic journey in New York and helped me to remember that things may not always be as they appear; however, friendships, especially those made in our youth, can be the most impactful relationships in our lifetimes. The overall message of the play is “hold on tight to the ones you love and keep on keeping on.”
Thank you for joining us. I invite you to enjoy our presentation of Bart and Arnie by Adam Szymkowicz!
Keith McDonald Director
A Note from the Performing Arts Department
Growing up, I rarely watched cartoons but Sesame Street was larger than life to me. The moments I remember most about the characters of Sesame Street are those of friendship, acceptance, and love—Elmo’s infectious laugh that could make anyone smile, the Cookie Monster’s unflappable love of cookies, and of course, Bert’s song “Rubber Duckie, You’re the One.” I fell in love with learning through their lessons, and continued to love them straight through high school, where, to my parents’ surprise, I requested an Elmo-themed 16th birthday party.
When Keith proposed Bart and Arnie for our fall play, the nod was clear towards the beloved characters of Sesame Street, with its own twist. What clearly remained was the undying friendship of the pair, and the script dug into how to navigate the ups and downs that come with such a bond. In an age where friendships matter so much, this was a wonderful fit for our Grades 9 and 10 students. I’m excited to welcome you to our show and the start of our fall production season. I hope you leave buoyed by the ideals of friendship: connection, happiness, and the ability to be ourselves.
Ashley Hacker Performing Arts Department Chair
Hannah Bienvenu, Taylor Moore, Isaac Wise Bart
Lucy Fleishhacker, Aviva Treister, Mick Waldman .............................................. Arnie
Production Staff
Keith McDonald ........................................................................................................... Director
Samuel Turner................................................................................................ Choreographer
Kim Griffin Costume Designer
Daniel Patrick Hogan .................................................................................... Scenic Design
David Higham Lighting Design/Technical Director
Student Production Team
Blake Baird, Emma Gordon-MooPenn, Madeline Gross, Abigail Jean, Layla Lloyd, Quinn Marloe, Savannah Parks, Gabby Watts
Meet the Production Staff
Keith McDonald (Director) Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Keith received a B.F.A. from The Juilliard School of Drama and his M.F.A. in Interdisciplinary Arts at Goddard College. Additionally, he was trained in improvisation comedy with the Upright Citizens Brigade in Los Angeles. New York Theatre Credits: The Coast Starlight at Lincoln Center. Other theater credits include: Native Gardens at Arizona Theatre Company; Dracula and In the Heights at the Zach Theatre of Austin, In the Heights at the Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma; Edward II at MOCA Chicago and Red Cat Los Angeles, director Sam Gold; A Midsummer Night’s Dream at MOCA Chicago and Red Cat Los Angeles, director Joe Dowling; The Imaginary Invalid at Shakespeare Theatre of D.C.; Hope: Part II of a Mexican Trilogy with Center Theatre Group and the Latino Theatre Company of Los Angeles; Blue Man Group at Briar Street Theatre in Chicago. Keith’s TV work includes: a recurring role on Law and Order SVU, and guest spots on Blue Bloods, FBI, High Maintenance, Go On, The Electric Company, Medium, CSI: Miami, Metro., He has been a principal performer in over a dozen national commercials and industrials for major brands and retailers.
Kim Griffin (Costume Designer) has designed for theater, musicals, dance, and opera; collaboration with directors, the design team, and the actors is integral to her process from beginning to end. Kim has worked at theaters, including the Williamstown Theatre Festival, New Jersey Repertory Theatre, Florida Repertory Theatre, Houston’s Theatre Under the Stars, The Ohio Light Opera, Stageworks Theatre, Boomerang Theatre Company, Opera in the Heights, and The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston. She has toured with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Legends Blue Unit and has stitched for The Met Gala, Broadway shows, and national tours. She has also designed for Theatre for Young Audiences tours, along with university and high school productions. Kim is originally from Houston, Texas and earned her BFA in Theatre Design & Technology with a minor in Music from Baylor University and an MFA in Costume Design from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University. As part of the fulfillment of her master’s degree at MGSA, she studied at Rutgers Conservatory at Shakespeare’s Globe, and The School of Historical Dress in London, England.
Meet the Production Staff (Cont.)
Daniel Patrick Hogan (Scenic/Set Designer) has designed scenery, props, hair, and makeup for numerous productions. As a scenic designer, his favorite projects include; Little Shop of Horrors, The Seafarer, The Pirates of Penzance, In the Heights, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and A Doll’s House. Recently, Daniel designed scenery for The Wallace Theatre’s production of Sweeney Todd. He created an immersive, multi-levelled set that placed the audience in between different locations. His design utilized existing elements of the derelict Wallace Theatre and offered a unique viewing experience for each audience member. Daniel thoroughly enjoys transforming found spaces and designing new works.
David Higham (Lighting Designer & Technical Director) is in his 33rd year at Poly, where he has been responsible for designing the lighting, sound, and scenery for over 180 productions. In addition to his work at Poly, Mr. Higham has designed lighting for productions at The Public Theatre, Lincoln Center, the Irish Arts Center, The Women’s Project, The Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, and The National Shakespeare Company, among others. Mr. Higham also has worked as a lighting designer for several New York City architectural and landscape design firms.
Our Production Would Not Be Possible without the Generous Support of:
John Rankin
Interim Head of School
Michal Hershkovitz P’16, ’18
Assistant Head of School, Academics
Sarah Bates Head of Upper School
Michael S. Robinson Head of Arts
Ashley Hacker Performing Arts Department Chair
The members of the Performing Arts faculty, the Engagement & Communications Department, the Admissions Department, the Poly Prep IT Staff, the Facilities and Maintenance Department, the Security Staff, the Kitchen Staff, and the Upper School Deans.
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Join Us for These Upcoming Performing Arts Events
Middle School Play: Rosemallow House by Monica Flory
Thursday, November 21, 2024
7:00 PM | RICHARD PERRY THEATRE
Grades 11/12 Play: She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen
Friday, December 13, 2024
7:00 PM | RICHARD PERRY THEATRE
Saturday, December 14, 2024
2:00 PM | RICHARD PERRY THEATRE
Winter Arts Festival
Thursday, December 19, 2024
VISUAL ART | 6:00 PM | TOWER GALLERY MUSIC CONCERT | 7:00 PM | MEMORIAL CHAPEL
Afternoon of Student Choreography
Sunday, January 26, 2025
3:00 PM | RICHARD PERRY THEATRE
Stay tuned for more information about our upcoming events!