TR UE
TA LE
O F
2023
DI RE CT ED
BY
AN DY
CO O PE R
-L EA RY
TH E
SO M EW H AT
MIDDLE SCHOOL PLAY
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21 7:00 PM
RICHARD PERRY THEATRE
Director’s Note My younger son, Marcus, played his last travel baseball game back in August. I know that the word “travel,” placed before the name of any sport, just prompted a sense of anxiety and exhaustion in many of you in attendance tonight. For all the hopes and dreams that fuel drives to strange destinations, overindulgence in fast food, and restless stays at spartan hotels, it is easy to forget that kids play games for fun. If I have any parental regret, it’s that I did not find enough simple joy in watching my sons play and interact with their teammates. Similarly, when choosing a play, I can fixate on plays with lasting moral messages that reflect the current zeitgeist. Thankfully, I came across The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood. As I perused it, I found myself flooded with childhood memories of Hanna-Barbera cartoons, Adam West’s Batman, The Muppet Show, and other entertainments that served as wonderful diversions from school and other things that seemed so serious. For this generation, every action—from playing a sport, to writing a paper, to taking a picture—seemingly has lasting effects. Pandemics, politics, and international crises bombard them with turmoil, fear, and moral difficulties. Against that background, our brilliant young actors worked to create a story where the forces of good and evil clash in a whimsical arena filled with satire and silliness. We do not wish that you “forget about life for a while.” Rather, we wish that you first laugh and then reflect upon those things that make life joyful and fun. May tonight’s show serve as a springboard into the unfolding holiday season. May it give you something to smile about, especially when simply packing the car turns into a dysfunctional passion play. To our actors and crew, thank you for your commitment and invention. To my designers, your brilliance as storytellers continues to shine. To my department, your presence and friendship is invaluable. To our families, your trust and encouragement are extraordinary and humbling gifts. And finally, to our audience: thank you for your support of the theater and the arts at Poly Prep. Andrew Cooper-Leary Director
A Note from the Performing Arts Department When I recall the story of Robin Hood from my childhood, the phrase “to steal from the rich and give to the poor” comes to mind. And although Robin and his band of Merry Men did engage in less than legal activities to do just that, what I understand now is that by acting this way, their hope was to help those in need while trying to do what they believed was right. Middle School students are experiencing rapid brain development comparable only to that of a child’s first few years of life. By eighth grade, students undergo much growth in their ability to reason, become independent thinkers, and understand consequences. And as educators, it sometimes feels like we are leading classrooms full of Robin Hoods, where students engage with us at length about the decisions they’ve made based on their beliefs of what’s right—especially as we get closer to Winter Break. I’ve learned to appreciate these moments the most as they allow students the opportunity to develop their voice and learn how to engage as part of our community. Thank you for joining us to celebrate the Grade 7 and 8 students who have worked so diligently on this play throughout the past few months. Their dedication, rapport with each other and Mr. Cooper-Leary, and investment in the production shows. I hope this play brings additional joy and laughter to your holiday celebrations and ushers you into a wonderful break. Enjoy. Ashley Hacker Performing Arts Department Chair
Cast Mick Waldman....................................................................................................... Robin Hood Lila Dubin................................................................................................................ Lady Marian Harper Blumberg...................................................................................................Town’s Guy Drew Brandmeyer................................................................................................ Prince John Savannah Parks..............................................................................................Lady in Waiting Jax Powers Wojtowicz............................................................................................ Friar Tuck Tyler Chan..............................................................................................Sheriff of Nottingham Nico Chamorro..........................................................................................................Little John Bryson Sylvain.........................................................................................................Will Scarlet Josh Lippert.............................................................................................................Allan Adale Aviva Treister, Gabby Pipitone, Alessandra Lisk, Kitty Unis.......................................................................Fawning Ladies Jackson Poindexter.................................................................................................. Rich Man Alex Mezhburd............................................................................................. Lady with a Baby Esteban Mierisch, Jackson Poindexter, Samara Charles, Lillian Ziff, Alex Mezhburd............... Prince’s Guards/Merry Men MERRY RECRUITS Aviva Treister....................................................................................Beulah of Bellowsbank Kitty Unis.................................................................................................. Mary of Marymount Gabby Pipitone............................................................................................ Lady Laugh a Lot Samara Charles ............................................................................................................... Lionel Alessandra Lisk............................................................................................................... Donna Lillian Ziff..........................................................................................................................Debbie
Production Staff Andrew Cooper-Leary................................................................................................ Director Kim Griffin..................................................................................................Costume Designer Daniel Patrick Hogan..................................................................................... Scenic Design David Higham............................................................ Lighting Design/Technical Director
Student Production Lillian Ziff, Carlyle Muldrow, Cyrus Batliboi, Charlie Plosser....................................................................................Crew Junie Blaise and Juliet Michaelis............................................................. Costume Crew
Meet the Production Staff Andy Cooper-Leary (Director) has directed over 40 plays and musicals with students ranging in age from kindergarten through high school during his teaching career. Before coming to Poly Prep in 2022, Andrew was the Performing Arts teacher at Leadership Prep Brownsville Elementary Academy. He has also taught/directed at New York area independent schools, including the Hackley School and Friends Academy. From 2009 to 2018, Andrew was part of the Emmy Award-winning research team at MLB Network. He has a degree in Drama & English from Tufts University and an MA in Educational Theatre from NYU. In between degrees, Andrew trained professionally as an actor at Circle in the Square and Brandeis University. 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, 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. & Barnum and 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 her MFA in Costume Design from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University. As part of the fulfillment of her master’s at MGSA, she studied at Rutgers Conservatory at Shakespeare’s Globe, and The School of Historical Dress in London, England. 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.
Meet the Production Staff (Cont.) David Higham (Lighting Designer & Technical Director) is in his thirty-second year at Poly, where he has been responsible for designing the lighting, sound, and scenery for over 170 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.
Note about our theater lighting: Thanks to a generous gift from the late Robert Martinson ‘59 in support of technical theater improvements, David Higham, Technical Theatre Director, has been working with lighting technicians from Roundabout Theatre Technical Workforce Development Program to upgrade our lighting equipment. We’re currently installing 179 new LED lighting instruments as well as a new power and distribution system that will provide not only a more professional and flexible palette for design, but is also significantly more energy efficient—reducing by 1/4 the wattage usage of every instrument. In addition to the theater lighting, we’ll be retrofitting 60 units to LED for use in the Chapel as well.
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 Daniel Doughty Head of Middle 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 Middle School Deans.
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Join Us for These Upcoming Performing Arts Events Afternoon of Student Choreography Sunday, January 21, 2024 3:00 PM | RICHARD PERRY THEATRE Upper School Musical: The Prom Book and Lyrics by Chad Beguelin, Book by Bob Martin, Music by Matthew Sklar Friday & Saturday, March 8 & 9, 2024 7:00 PM | RICHARD PERRY THEATRE Sunday, March 10, 2024 2:00 PM | RICHARD PERRY THEATRE Spring Dance Concert Friday, April 12, 2024 7:00 PM | RICHARD PERRY THEATRE Saturday, April 13, 2024 2:00 PM | RICHARD PERRY THEATRE Spring Vocal Music Concert Thursday, April 18, 2024 7:00 PM | MEMORIAL CHAPEL Spring Instrumental Music Concert Thursday, April 25, 2024 7:00 PM | MEMORIAL CHAPEL Middle School Musical: TBD Friday, May 17, 2024 7:00 PM | RICHARD PERRY THEATRE Saturday, May 18, 2024 2:00 PM | RICHARD PERRY THEATRE
Stay tuned for more information about our upcoming events!