Love, Shakespeare

GRADES 11 & 12 PLAY FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2020 | 7:00 PM

DIRECTED BY CALEB GOH

P O LY P R E P P E R F O R M I N G A R T S D E PA R T M E N T P R E S E N T S:

Love, Shakespeare

By William Shakespeare — Dr. Caleb Goh Director David Higham Lighting & Sound Designer & Technical Director Andrew Murdock Scenic Designer Hannah Chalman Costume Designer

A celebration of Elizabethan tales connected by the theme of love.

The Comedies

The Tragedies

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE Act 1 Scene 2

HAMLET Act 3 Scene 1

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Act 4 Scene 1

ROMEO & JULIET Act 2 Scene 5

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Act 2 Scene 1

OTHELLO Act 5 Scene 2

TWELFTH NIGHT Act 1 Scene 5

MACBETH Act 2 Scene 2

MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act 3 Scene 1 THE TAMING OF THE SHREW Act 2 Scene 1

Cast THE MERCHANT OF VENICE Chaliya Holder............................................................................................................... Nerissa Gauri Purohit......................................................................................................................Portia MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Samantha Rodino........................................................................................................Beatrice Jack Yan........................................................................................................................Benedick A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Brandon Jackson..................................................................................................... Demetrius Charlotte Knutsen......................................................................................................... Helena TWELFTH NIGHT Zoe Feuer..............................................................................................................Viola/Cesario Chaliya Holder................................................................................................................... Olivia MEASURE FOR MEASURE Soph Cimmino............................................................................................................... Claudio Samantha Rodino......................................................................................................... Isabella THE TAMING OF THE SHREW Robert Magnus...........................................................................................................Petruchio Beatrice McMurray...................................................................................................Katherina HAMLET Gauri Purohit..................................................................................................................Ophelia Jack Yan............................................................................................................................ Hamlet ROMEO & JULIET Soph Cimmino.................................................................................................................. Nurse Zoe Feuer..............................................................................................................................Juliet OTHELLO Brandon Jackson...........................................................................................................Othello Beatrice McMurray..............................................................................................Desdemona MACBETH Charlotte Knutsen............................................................................................Lady Macbeth Robert Magnus............................................................................................................ Macbeth

Production Staff Dr. Caleb Goh................................................................................................................ Director David Higham................................... Lighting & Sound Designer & Technical Director Andrew Murdock..........................................................Scenic Designer & Videographer Hannah Chalman.....................................................................................Costume Designer Anne Vasquez................................................................................................. Stage Manager Joseph Inglis................................................................................ Graphics/Program Design Tasha Fonstein........................................................................................ Technical Operator

Director’s Note So much has changed in our world over the last eight months. I have watched the city that we love shift in such drastic measures as we try to make sense of it all. The lights on Broadway dimmed in mid-March and won’t return until, at least, next summer. Through it all, I have noticed one thing that has remained—our resilience as people. No matter what is thrown our way, we fight, we strive, we look ahead, and we surge forward, in the hope of keeping afloat through every season of life.

As I was pondering what theater would look like in a time of COVID, I began devising options to still provide our budding performers with the platform to express themselves and continue to be creative. If there has been any takeaway from the past eight months, I have realized that we, as a city, as a nation, and as a people, need theater! We need culture to soothe our restless hearts; we need plays to take us away to lands and places unknown; we need stories to assuage our fears, fortify our strengths, embrace our tears, and envelop us in a warm blanket of make-believe. Theater has always been a platform to speak truth, face hard facts, escape from monotony, stir the creative mind into action, and inspire through words, actions, meaning, design, and voice.

Love, Shakespeare was born from a desire to keep theater alive and provide our versatile performers with an opportunity to sink their teeth into meaty and diverse roles that they may not necessarily get to play on a regular basis.

It was a means to provide them with a platform to express – to laugh, to cry, to rage, to despair, and to rejoice.

This was a challenging piece due to the diversity of the roles I allocated to each performer. But it was also challenging as the show kept having to pivot in order to accommodate the ever-changing socio-political climate. Much was discussed in terms of plans and avenues to mount the show, from virtual options, to theater in the park, and finally to the iteration you see before you as a filmed production.

It was an arduous journey to get here but one that has proved worthwhile, watching each performer embrace their characters with gusto, and flex their creative muscles with passion and aplomb.

I would like to thank my fantastic production team: David Higham for his beautiful technical direction, Andrew Murdock for his ingenious videography and scenic design, and Hannah Chalman for her beautiful and opulent costumes. Thank you to my performers and stage manager for their dedication and ability to rise up to the professional expectations and challenges that I presented to them at each turn in the theatrical bend. Finally, much thanks go to all of you for being here and continuing to believe in and support the performing arts at Poly.

Enjoy the show!

Dr. Caleb Goh

A Note from the Performing Arts Department While in-person rehearsals and live performances were not an option this year, that did not stop director Caleb Goh and the cast of the Grades 11 and 12 play from bringing you “Shakespeare in the Park�. We are so proud of the creative and tenacious work of the cast, crew, and the production team, and we applaud their efforts to bring you tonight’s performance of Love, Shakespeare.

While it is in a different form this year, I feel it is worth noting that the Grades 11 and 12 play is not only the product of the weeks spent in rehearsals this fall; for many, especially our seniors, it is a culmination of years working to refine their craft as artists. Thank you to family, faculty, and administration who have supported these students and their endeavors in the arts at Poly.

Daniel Doughty Performing Arts Department Chair

Meet the Cast Soph Cimmino (Claudio & Nurse) Soph is in Grade 11 this year and is enthused to be performing in Love, Shakespeare. This is Soph’s fifth performance at Poly, their others including End Days, Urinetown, Our Town, and Grease. In a year like no other, Soph would like to thank Poly’s Arts Department for being flexible enough to still put on such a great show. They hope you enjoy watching!

Zoe Feuer (Juliet & Viola) Zoe is in Grade 11 this year and is very glad that Poly is able to put on a production this year despite the circumstances. Last year she was Mrs. Soames in Our Town and funnily enough played Juliet during her freshman year in a scene in the 2018 freshman and sophomore production of End Days. She thanks Dr. Goh for working hard on the show and hopes you enjoy watching!

Chaliya Holder (Nerissa & Olivia) Chaliya is in Grade 11 this year and is very excited to be a part of this production of Love, Shakespeare. This is her first production at Poly and she is so happy that we are able to do theater during a pandemic. She would like to thank the cast, crew and especially Dr. Goh for working hard to give performers a space to continue acting and being creative. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Brandon Jackson (Demetrius & Othello) Brandon is in Grade 11 this year and is excited to see how the production of Love, Shakespeare will turn out. Some past performances in Poly include Eugene in Grease, George in Our Town, and Officer Barrel in Urinetown. He would like to thank Dr. Goh for trying to make this experience as normal as possible in the middle of this pandemic, as well as his family and fellow cast members for making this experience as good as possible!

Charlotte Knutsen (Helena & Lady Macbeth) Charlotte is in Grade 12 this year and is so excited to be in her first Shakespeare production! Some recent Poly roles include Sandy in Grease, several characters in The Laramie Project, and that one angry pregnant rebel in Urinetown. She thanks Dr. Goh for all his hard work and perseverance in giving Poly’s theater kids a chance to keep doing shows during the pandemic. She hopes you enjoy the show!!

Meet the Cast (Cont.)

Robert Magnus (Macbeth & Petruchio) Robert is in Grade 12 and is excited to be a part of this cinematic production, even though this will be his last performance in a play at Poly. Some of the previous Poly productions he was involved with include Grease (Teen Angel/ Ensemble), The Laramie Project (Ensemble/Various Characters), Urinetown (Old Man Strong), End Days (Ian, Jeremy), Into the Woods (The Birds), and Snow Angel (Stage Manager). He would like to thank Dr. Goh for his leadership and hard work to make sure a fall production could be possible this year.

He would also like to thank his family and the cast and production team.

Beatrice McMurray (Desdemona & Katherina) Beatrice is in Grade 11 this year and is very excited to be a part of this production.

Gauri Purohit (Ophelia & Portia) Gauri is in Grade 12 and is so excited to be a part of this amazing production of Love, Shakespeare! Gauri is an avid performer and has always loved to participate in the musicals and art shows at Poly since she was in the sixth grade.

She would like to thank the cast, crew, and specifically Dr. Goh for enabling the theater kids of Poly to keep pursuing acting and performing in a time where it would be easier to cancel the fall production completely.

Samantha Rodino (Beatrice & Isabella) Samantha is in Grade 11 and is excited to be a part of her fourth production at Poly. Last year, she played Mrs. Webb in the freshman-sophomore play Our Town. Outside of Poly, she has been in many productions, including The Wizard of Oz as the Wicked Witch of the West at the Rockaway Theater Company. She thanks Dr. Goh and the entire Poly Prep Arts Department for the opportunity to be a part of Love, Shakespeare.

Jack Yan (Benedick & Hamlet) Jack is in Grade 11 and he is a new student at Poly! He is excited for this year’s very special production of Love, Shakespeare and his debut at Poly! He is relatively new to the drama and musical theater experience, though he has been actively engaged and passionate about acting and performing arts, and he is currently a classical vocalist studying under the Juilliard Pre-College Division.

He is delighted to meet with the wonderful cast and wants to thank Dr. Goh for this opportunity! He looks forward to being involved in future projects here at Poly, and wishes you a pleasant experience with Love, Shakespeare.

Meet the Production Staff Dr. Caleb Goh (Director) Dr. Caleb Goh moved from California to the East Coast a few years ago. He is the director of theater and speech in the Upper School.

Dr. Goh graduated with a BA in Drama from QUT (Australia), an MFA in Musical Theatre from SDSU (California), and a Ph.D. in Musical Theatre at WAAPA (Australia). He has worked professionally as an actor, singer, dancer, playwright, director, and choreographer in over 70 stage productions, a dozen television series, and four feature films. Previously, Dr. Goh was the glee club director and taught drama, dance, and musical theater at La Jolla Country Day School.

He was also musical theater lecturer at the National University of Singapore and Lasalle College of the Arts (Singapore), and US drama program director at St. Margaret’s Episcopal School. In addition to his role at Poly, Dr. Goh has concurrently assumed the position of adjunct professor at SUNY Purchase, lecturing in Musical Theater History & Performance.

David Higham (Lighting & Sound Designer & Technical Director) This is Mr. Higham’s 28th year at Poly where he has been responsible for designing, lighting, sound and/or scenery for over 160 productions. Mr. Higham serves as the Manager and Technical Director for the Richard Perry Theater and teaches classes in Stagecraft, Set Design and Film Production. In addition to his work at Poly Mr. Higham has designed lighting for productions for, amongst others, the Public Theater, the Irish Arts Center, The Women’s Project, The Alvin Ailey II Company, The Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, The National Shakespeare Company and the Lincoln Center Institute. Mr. Higham has also worked as a lighting consultant for numerous New York based architectural, landscape architectural and interior design firms. It continues to be a pleasure to create theater of a very high standard and to work with such accomplished colleagues and exceptionally talented students.

Andrew Murdock (Scenic Designer & Videographer) Andrew Murdock is an interdisciplinary artist and educator. He has worked at Puppetry in Practice and Marquis Studios teaching classes in video, puppetry and stop motion animation (K–12 in NYC public schools). His personal work often bridges the tangible and digital by utilizing techniques in video, physical theater and puppetry.

He holds a customized BFA dual major in Sculpture and Film, Animation, Video (FAV) from the Rhode Island School of Design and an MFA in Theatre from Sarah Lawrence College focusing on collaborative theater making and the integration of technology. Recent credits include: Video Designer and Livestream Technician for 36.5 / PROCESS by Sarah Cameron Sunde (Socrates Sculpture Park/Hallett’s Cove, NYC) and commissioned video project AMASS (ArtYard, Frenchtown, NJ).

He is a current resident artist at Object Movement (Center for Park West, NYC) in collaboration with Gabrielle Schutz on a new multimedia puppet piece titled BE(INGS). This is Mr. Murdock’s first year at Poly Prep and he is very excited to help showcase the students’ work in video form.

Meet the Production Staff (Cont.)

Hannah Chalman (Costume Designer) Hannah Chalman is a costume designer, costume technician, and makeup artist from Tennessee. Ms. Chalman earned her MFA in Costume Design from Virginia Commonwealth University and her BA in Theatre from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Before joining Poly Prep, Ms. Chalman worked as the Costume Design Assistant for Long Wharf Theater’s 2018–2019 and 2019–2020 season. Other credits include working as Assistant Costume Designer for Othello (The Public Theater—Shakespeare in the Park), Assistant Costume Designer for Admissions (Lincoln Center Theater) and as a Personal Assistant to Toni-Leslie James for Come From Away (Broadway).

Anne Vasquez (Stage Manager) Anne is in Grade 11 this year, and is excited to be working on this unique production this year at Poly. This is her sixth Poly production, having been an assistant stage manager for Grease and The Laramie Project last year and Urinetown the year prior. She was also stage manager of Our Town last year and of End Days in her freshman year.

She would like to thank Dr. Goh and the Poly Arts Department for working to make a safe fall production during the pandemic possible. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Our Production Would Not Be Possible without the Generous Support of: Audrius Barzdukas P’20 Head of School Michal Hershkovitz P’16, ’18 Assistant Head of School, Academics Sarah Bates Head of Upper School Michael Robinson Head of Arts Daniel Doughty Performing Arts Department Chair The members of the Performing Arts faculty, the Engagement & Communications 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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