Frenchtown Grade Schoolers Take on Shakespeare

The following article is reprinted with permission of Today in Hunterdon / Recorder Community Newspaper.

Kids Share Thoughts on “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

 The stage of the Frenchtown Elementary School may seem like an unlikely place to see one of Shakespeare’s most famous works, but that’s just what will happen on June 21. What’s even more amazing is that the play will only be presented by children in the fourth and fifth grades.

 On the Saturday evening which marks the summer solstice, the longest day of the summer, these amazing students will put on “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” a play about the woodland sprites and spirits who come out to taunt and tease humans on that enchanted night.  It is one of William Shakespeare’s most popular works, noted for its dreamlike, fantasy mood and fanciful costumes.

 The play is being directed by Michael MacCauley, of the River Union Stage, a professional not-for-profit theater based in Frenchtown.  MacCauley has been volunteering his time to work with the students at least one hour per day to prepare for the play, explains Barbara DiLorenzo, a parent of one of the young actresses and a substitute teacher at the school.

 But, since (as many of us recall) Shakespearean language can be difficult enough for high school and college students to decipher, how are these children, with an average age of 10, handling it?

 According to DiLorenzo, Mr. MacCauley has helped them grasp the play’s content using language they can understand, and has helped them in a number of other ways as well.

 We asked the students to give us their thoughts and reactions while learning to perform Shakespeare, and here are some of their comments:

 “Doing a play by William Shakespeare is an opportunity that you don’t get very often.  I learned that it takes a lot of work and it’s not as easy as it looks.  I might do plays in middle school because this play inspired me.  I play Egeus, the father of Hermia (which is Rebecca). I want her to marry Demetrius, but she wants to marry Lysander.”       -- Cody Harmon, “Egeus”

 “The play A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare is a lot of hard work but is entirely worth it.  I am playing Oberon, the fairy king.  He is angry because the fairy queen won’t give him something.  If you come to our play, you’ll find out what.  It’s an incredible experience.”       -- Isaac A. Eckel, “Oberon”

 

“I think it’s cool to have a Shakespeare play in school.  Moth is one of the fairies.”

          -- Krystal Nodes, “Moth”

 “I think this play is cool because I get to miss math and other subjects.  I’ve learned a lot about Shakespeare.  Since I like this play, I think I would like other plays he wrote.”

    -- Peter Dakoglou, “Lysander”

 “It’s fun to work with my friends and classmates.  We’ve had some laughs at after school practices.  Memories last forever.  At first Shakespeare made no sense to me whatsoever and I didn’t understand his language at all.  But now I understand him and his language.  Hippolyta is the queen of the Amazon and married to Theseus.  Michael is a pro actor and he’s really helped us with the sounds of the words.  We also have a journal that we keep and Mrs. Kloos reads it.”

          -- Justine Armocida, “Hippolyta”

 “I love Shakespeare; it’s so fun working on, especially with my friends.  It is showing us how fun plays and acting can be.  Also, when we are in high school we are going to be learning about Shakespeare and me and my class will be great at that class. Shakespeare plays changed my life because I was very shy about acting in front of other people but now, since I have to, I am a lot less scared.  We have a professional actor helping us.  He was like a lifesaver because our teachers didn’t know anything about Shakespeare.  His name is Michael.  He said that we were one of the best classes he ever had.  And I have the role of Titania; I think that Titania is the best fairy in the play.” 

    -- Allie DiLorenzo, “Titania”        

 “In the play I’m supposed to be a lion.  It’s fun to roar.”       -- E.J. Collins

 “I have learned that instead of shouting, you can use your diaphragm.  It sounds good and doesn’t tire you out as quickly.  Also, use all the sounds of the word, it sounds clear. Also, if you want to let the audience understand you, you have to speak really slow.  It might feel funny, but you will be heard and understood.  I play the roles of Flute and Thisby. Flute is a bellows mender. Thisby is a person in a play within the play.”      -- Chelsea Neukum

 “The Shakespeare play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a great experience for our class.  It opened our minds to a different language. I like the way it sounds.  My name is John DenBleyker, I play the role of Demetrius, one of the four lovers who is in love with Hermia.”      -- John DenBleyker, “Demetrius”

 “I play the role of Theseus.  Theseus is the Duke of Athens. He was the main role I tried for. The experience of doing a Shakespeare play was pretty cool.  Though you had to put in 100 percent to do well, it could be fun.  Shakespeare plays are easier than they look.  We were also lucky enough to have a professional actor to teach us about the play.  I think the play will be a success and we will be ready for any play that we are in.  I’m willing to do another Shakespeare play if I have the chance.”

          -- Kevin Slack, “Theseus”

 “Working on a Shakespeare play is amazing!  There are a lot of languages, Spanish, French, German and Shakespeare!  Our crazy director, Michael, has helped us out so much with acting, expression, and basically everything!  No matter how long the practices go, or how many times we have to do a line over and over again, it is still so much fun!  I personally love my character, which is Bottom. Bottom is self-absorbed, and thinks he is the greatest actor in all of Athens!  He is such a ham!  Michael says I was born to play Bottom.  Even though it is so much work, it is the best experience!  (and totally worth it)”       -- Lana Epstein, “Bottom”

 “I very much enjoy doing A Midsummer Night’s Dream.  I got a lot more familiar with William Shakespeare and his writing.  I’m having a lot of fun acting, but it’s hard work memorizing and moving and talking exactly the way I’m directed to.  The cast is working very hard and making great progress and I know the play is going to be a hit.  Hermia is a young woman who is in love with a man, but if she doesn’t marry another man she doesn’t love, her father will kill her. Find out more about Hermia and the rest of the play by coming to see A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”       

    -- Rebecca Stewart, “Hermia”

 Indeed, this unusual performance of one of Shakespeare’s best works promises to be something memorable, not to be missed.  The play will be presented Saturday, June 21 at 8 p.m. at the Frenchtown Elementary School. Admission is $5 general; $2 students and senior citizens.  All proceeds will benefit the school.

The following article is reprinted with permission of Today in Hunterdon / Recorder Community Newspaper.

Shakespeare Revisited

by Julie Farneski - July 3, 2003

The last time I saw a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream was in Stratford, England as  a college junior majoring in English, I had the privilege of seeing a number of great works performed by the esteemed Royal Shakespeare Company.

Last night, I again experienced A Midsummer Night’s Dream, this time sitting among an intimate gathering of local children and adults in Frenchtown Elementary School’s gymnasium.  The performers this time around were not professional Shakespearean, but rather fourth and fifth graders, ranging in age from nine to eleven, from this modest, charming town on the Delaware River.

While seeing the Royal Shakespeare Company was certainly a highlight of my college days, I’d have to say that, in comparing the two versions of “Midsummer’s Night,” I enjoyed the Frenchtown production a lot more!

The reason: the magic that emerged from combining the fanciful genius of Shakespeare with the wonder, honesty and enthusiasm of children learning and growing, emerging into individuals with newfound feelings and capabilities.  Children this age also seem able to relate to this particular play -- which takes place in a woodland forest on the first night of summer and involves fairies and fantasy -- more closely than their older counterparts.  In fact, although the young cast followed the original script, their body language and expressiveness made the story easier to understand, even for my eight year old daughter, who accompanied me.

The production was wrought with enthusiasm from all involved.  The youngsters did a beautiful job 

 memorizing the difficult script and the end result was nothing less than amazing, causing thunderous applause and a standing ovation which brought tears to several of the cast members’ young eyes.  I could see those tears because the intentionally small, intimate stage set-up allowed the audience to be close to the actors, creating a feeling of interaction.  It was impossible not to get caught up in the emotion that flowed not only from the kids, but also the teachers, parents and coaches who worked on the endeavor for 15 weeks. 

Even the director, Michael MacCauley, a professional actor and member of the River Union Stage theater company, Frenchtown, seemed choked up with pride and affection for his young students.

MacCauley was primarily responsible for making the memorable event happen, devoting his time and talent to working with these children at least one hour per day and never losing faith in their ability to pull it off.  As MacCauley puts it, “These fourth and fifth graders embraced this play and the rehearsal process without fear and with unbridled enthusiasm.  What they are capable of is beyond most of our imaginations.  They have taught me more than I could ever have taught them.”

The River Union Stage focuses on education through the arts, providing outreach programs in schools as well as classes offered to the public and private coaching for children and adults.  Though providing New York caliber quality and expertise, the River Union Stage is located right in Frenchtown.  For more information, call 908-996-3685 or visit the website: www.riverunionstage.org.