sibling to
and
Silvio Conte Middle School
North Adams, Massachusetts
of the elementary schools of
the North Adams Public Schools
Melissa Quirk, Conte Drama Facilitator
Lisa Tanner, Elementary Drama Facilitator
North Adams, Massachusetts
The North Adams Public Schools has a comprehensive academic theatre program in all grades.
The Drury Drama Team offers theatre courses in Drury High School.
The Conte Drama Team offers students an exciting and educational theatre experience at Conte Middle School.
In December, Conte students gathered in room 107 to learn about Shakespeare and his comedy, A Midsummer Night?s Dream. What?! How can a middle schooler relate to Shakespeare?? Consider some of the themes of the play: unrequited love, disagreements with parents over whom you can date, playing tricks on your friends, trying to get some positive attention, and trying to fit in, . . . well, how can a middle-schooler NOT relate? Once they learned the story, students were cast in roles and began rehearsing the show.
These thirty-five students ?own? this show. They make the interpretations. For example, after a discussion among the cast, students decided to set the play in traditional time period. In addition to learning about Shakespeare?s language and time period, students have been practicing daily vocal and physical warm-ups, learning about staging, blocking and ?balancing the space,? and have learned interpretation skills and development of character.
Students will be running the technical aspects of this production as well as being the performers on stage. Ann McKenzie, a truly reliable sixth grader, is our Head Stage Manager, and keeps track of attendance, blocking, and all of the details inherent in organizing a production such as this. She also has a staff of Assistant Stage Managers who are designing sound, lights, costumes, etc. She is learning to delegate and stay organized, and has truly been a reliable resource to the directors, Ms. Quirk and Ms. Remington. While Ms. Quirk has been lead director, Ms. Remington has taken on useful roles, as well. She is organizing the set and stage crew as well as programs and publicity.
We are still in negotiation with Main Street Stage for performance dates; however, at this time, we are planning for performances on March 28th ? March 30th, including performing for all Conte sixth-graders (details below).
Please take some time to come and see us. We rehearse Mondays ? Thursdays, 2:30 ? 4:45 at Main Street Stage. We will have our performance times confirmed this week, and hope to see many School Committee members there! Please feel free to contact Melissa Quirk (mquirk(at)napsk12.org) if you have questions about this particular production, or Dr. Len Radin for questions about the theatre programs in the North Adams School System in general.
Melissa Quirk, Conte Drama Team Facilitator
Students to present 'Midsummer Night's Dream'
TheTranscript.com
04/03/2008 10:19:35 AM EDT
Thursday, April 3
NORTH ADAMS -- Students in the Conte Middle School Drama Team will present William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" on Friday, April 4, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, April 5, at 2 and 6 p.m.; and Sunday, April 6, at 2 p.m., at Main Street Stage.
The Conte Drama Team also will perform for Conte Middle School sixth graders during the day on Monday, April 7.
Melissa Quirk, the sixth-grade team leader at Conte and director of this production, has been working with these students since late November.
"At first we simply played around with the language and plot elements." she said in the news release. "The goal was for each student to understand the story of the play. Once they got to know the characters, they named their top choices and I tried to match them up as best I could."
Quirk, along with Brooke Remington, assistant director, worked with the students to learn various aspects of the theater, including the technical aspects. Students not only act in this production, but are also responsible for stage management, light design, light operation, sound design, set construction, props coordination, costume design/shopping/building, and publicity.
Led by Carlee Huttle and Allison Gageant, Conte seventh graders who built many of the fairy costumes, each actor had a role in designing his/her own costumes.
Dr. Len Radin, district drama coordinator for the North Adams Public School District, has been at the helm of this production, and has met regularly with Quirk regarding the progress of the team.
Alexia Trainor, executive director of Main Street Stage, is excited about the collaboration with Conte.
"As a company, we have been developing our relationship with the community," she said in the news release. "Our growing educational programs, along with relationships like the one we now have with the Conte Drama Team, have been integral to our grassroots community outreach."
The hour-long performance is open and free to the public. Since the theater only seats 50 audience members at a time, guests are encouraged to reserve their seats by e-mailing Quirk at mquirk@napsk12.org and stating what day/time they plan to attend.
For more information, visit the drama team Web site at www.drurydrama.com.
Transcript photo
Luke Sisto performs with Susan Bloom.
