94th Annual Class IV Shakespeare Production
Opening with roiling seas and flashes of lightning, the Class of 2029 presented four performances of Twelfth Night. This year’s production took two forms, with one show set in the Renaissance and the other in 1980s Miami Beach. A Class IV tradition, the shows mark the 94th annual Shakespeare production at Winsor.
The Winsor community enjoyed the comedy over two days with shows during all-school assembly, Lower School community time, and a double header evening performance for families featuring both productions.
Preparing for two shows simultaneously and then performing in back-to-back productions is a tremendous amount of work that comes with big benefits. “Two shows across two distinct settings allows students to engage with the content in both historical and modern ways, and see William Shakespeare’s relevance today,” explains Theater Director Jeremy Johnson. Since there are two productions, students are also able to alternate roles so that everyone gets a chance to perform as part of one cast and then support the other show behind the scenes with set, costumes, or music. This onstage and backstage holistic look at theater is a bonding experience for students that creates lasting memories well into their alum years. At Winsor’s alumnae weekend, attendees often compare “their” Shakespeare productions.
Twelfth Night centers on the twins Viola and Sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck. Viola, disguised as a page named Cesario, falls in love with the Duke Orsino, who in turn is in love with Countess Olivia. Upon meeting Viola, Countess Olivia falls in love with Cesario (really Viola). Whether students were performing in South Beach or along the Adriatic coast, they brought to life Shakespeare’s story of love and mischief with sword fights, forgery, and disguised identity. Using physical comedy to their advantage, actors strutted about in cross-gartered stockings, became clingy, obsessed lovers, and stumbled about with tankards of mead.
A Winsor tradition dating back to 1931, the Class IV Shakespeare play is a culmination of interdisciplinary learning between English, acting, theater tech, music, and costume courses. In celebration of their hard work and in honor of the Bard of Avon, Class IV families mingled at a reception after back-to-back shows on Thursday night, while the cast and crew enjoyed a festive lunch and cast party on Friday.
Brava to the Class IV cast and crew who managed all aspects of the production, including set design, lighting, stage management, costume creation, and live music. A special thank you to Head of Performing Arts Felicia Brady-Lopez, Theater Director Jeremy Johnson, Technical Director Andres Puigbo, Assistant to the Theater Director Anna Vogler, Costume Designer Jessica Pribble, Music Director Andrew Marshall, Teaching Assistant Mina Feldman, Class IV Coordinators Mary Butcher and Annie Huntoon, and all the Class IV faculty who helped make this wonderful production possible.
