Upper School Spring Play Announced: Shakes-year Continues

Some of the students who participated in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern preproduction process: Sarah Heath; Elliot Nye, James Jujareon, Jonas Maines, Caroline Kyros, Mike Rodway

The Waynflete Drama Program is proud to announce the spring show, Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead!  The play, written in 1966, follows the existential and absurd misadventures of Hamlet’s childhood friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, which allegedly occur in the wings of Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, Hamlet. This humorous yet thought provoking tragicomedy follows these two minor Shakespeare characters as they muse upon subjects such as probability, life, reality, and death, phasing in and out of Hamlet’s reality.

The show is to be directed by students Elliot Nye ’15 and Mike Rodway ’15.  We believe that a group of students, with the guidance of experienced, professional director-teachers, learn essential skills that are only comprehensible by doing rather than watching.  Our stage is already a “learning lab” and throughout the school year students have numerous opportunities to participate in all aspects of theater.  Waynflete students are intimately involved in all levels of production, from scenic design and construction through acting, singing, and dancing on stage.  Our productions always have student Technical Directors, for sound, lighting, and set, as well as student Stage Managers, student Costumers, and student Choreographers.

Despite these rich opportunities, in the last several years we have experienced an overwhelming number of requests from students to be Producers and Directors as well.  In response in the past few years, we have opened up the last show of the year, typically in late April or early May, as a Student Show. The students are in dialog with instructors as they take the reins of selecting, directing, and producing a show. This year’s play was selected over several brainstorming meetings attended by a group of committed students and theater faculty. This brainstorming process encouraged students to expand their theater literacy as they read and discussed various plays and developed curiosity about attending performances.

Production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead! begins in early to mid March; performance dates are May 1 & 2.  Information on auditions is coming soon!

Happy Shakes-year!