Theater

Students are considered members of a company and are exposed to acting techniques and exercises, improvisation, voice and movement exercises, directing, and simple scene work. All members of the company work together to ensure the success of the group. Theatre students perform two or three productions each year as well as participate in on-campus Coffee Houses.

 

Past Performances

Metamorphoses

November 8 -10, 2007 -- Metamorphoses opened to a full house of upper school students on Thursday and closed Saturday evening with a public performance. Performance photos.

The play by Mary Zimmerman comprises several of the poignant myths from Ovid’s Metamorphoses; some take place in modern times, some in ancient times, and some are simply timeless. The action throughout centers around a large pool of water, reminiscent of a Roman pool, which is the physical and emotional focus of the play. It is a simple but effective set. This is a creative and clever production and the Brewster drama group works hard to make it succeed, dealing with constant dampness and quick costume changes with equal aplomb. Kudos to the Metamorphoses ensemble for their efforts. Meet the cast.

 

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)

May 17 - 19, 2007 -- Imagine just five students attempting to perform all of Shakespeare’s plays in just 90 minutes – and the result? This irreverent, high-energy, fast-paced comedy full of puns, double meanings, and a great amount of silliness – in other words, a fun evening’s entertainment, even involving some audience participation. This production by Brewster’s acting students ran May 17-19 at the Rogers’ Building and appealed to all ages. The original script was written by the Reduced Shakespeare Company, and was London’s longest-running comedy, playing for 10 years at the Criterion Theater. Photos

Cast members and juniors Amberlee Jones, Nik Krainchich, Alex Moulton, Alison Waldorf, and freshman Brittanie Pierce began rehearsing this demanding script last fall. All of the actors were onstage most of the time and the slapstick action was nonstop, with quick changes of costume consisting mostly of wigs and props such as swords, a butcher knife, and an occasional inflatable doll or baby carriage. In addition to the physical demands, the steady dialogue, at times a bit wacky, needed to be delivered at a quick pace, which made it hard to understand occasionally but the humor came through. “I’ve never had so much Shakespeare come at me so fast and furiously,” declared faculty member BG Hodges ’66 (Anne ’03, Sara ’07).

First was Romeo and Juliet performed by only two students. Waldorf played Romeo and the nurse; and first Pierce, then Moulton, was Juliet, complete with dress and wig. Moulton has appeared in many Brewster productions, but this one showed off his comic talents and physicality at their best. He proceeded to play many female roles for the rest of the evening, always wearing the same dress but changing his wig to suit the character. He is to be applauded for his unabashed willingness to play the fool onstage and for hamming it up so well.

In a gruesome but funny bit, Titus Andronicus became a cooking show, complete with Moulton in chef’s hat, wielding a butcher knife and yelling “Bam!” as often as he could. Moulton was missing one hand, and Waldorf was missing both of hers, as well as her tongue, but she didn’t miss a line.

In the rap version of Othello, Waldorf was the main rapper. She displayed a steady versatility in all her roles, quickly adapting to character after character, her face reflecting each personality’s thoughts on the frenzied goings-on around her. Like Moulton, she cross-dressed, but played one absurd male lead after another, which showed off her energetic spirit. Waldorf’s sense of humor, though more subtle than Moulton’s, was evident through her characterizations. Jones, Pierce, and Krainchich were just as energetic and goofy, constantly overacting.

Explaining that all 17 of Shakespeare’s comedies were alike in that they repeated the same themes over and over, the cast revealed that all of the comedies would be performed as one, with Jones donning a Groucho Marx nose, glasses, and eyebrows; Waldorf, huge yellow eyeglasses, and Pierce, glasses with eyeballs that bounced around each time she moved.

The history plays were performed as football game, with some characters running back and forth across the stage and some cheering on the sidelines. And the piece de résistance, Hamlet, was not only performed backwards but performed three times, each time faster than the previous, in a hilarious bit at the end.

Much hard work and energy was invested in this production, and the result was an evening of laughter. Congratulations to Director Dan Clay, the actors, and the crew.

Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
February 25, 2007 -- In rehearsals since October, it was evident that the cast and crew, along with the drama and musical directors, worked hard to produce Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Roger Miller’s lyrics and music lent a bluegrass sound to many of the song and dance numbers.

Nic Krainchich '08, Brittanie Pierce '10, Sarah Thompson '07, and Jose Docen (artist in residence) were just some of the talented soloists and actors. The scenes were often laugh-out-loud funny, but some were also quite poignant, as Jim revealed his torment at being separated from his family, and Huck pondered the nature of slavery and questioned his beliefs.

"I was completely entertained and amazed at the talent that erupted on the stage last night from our student body and faculty,” commented faculty member Rob O'Blenis.

Based on Mark Twain’s incredible story of Huckleberry Finn, the family-friendly, Tony Award-winning musical traveled back in time to 1840s Missouri to tell the epic tale of an outcast boy’s adventure of self-discovery. Escaping his abusive, drunken father, Huck joined Jim, a runaway slave and together they sailed their small raft down the mighty Mississippi River toward freedom and a better life, using all their wits to outsmart the con artists, slave hunters, and gun-toting farmers they encountered along the way. Meet the Cast and Crew

 

Alice In Wonderland

“It was just AMAZING! I was impressed that every single song in the play was written by Mr. Campbell. It was perfect. I could see how hard they had practiced and how everyone worked together to make the play a success! I loved this show!”    ~ Eri Nagao ’06, Aichi, Japan

April 14 - 15, 2007 -- This play perfectly depicted the mayhem, insanity and intrigue that every kid feels when they first read the book or watch the movie. The adaptation that Brewster Academy did was fantastic. The cast of characters all made their roles their own and brought a little of themselves to the story for a very unique experience. The atmosphere is one of fear, excitement, and amazement as Alice, play by Alexa Brassard (Hollis, New Hampshire), tries to figure out the purpose in the entire experience. While sitting in the audience watching scenes like Tea Time or The Court Room you could not help but join in Alice’s wonder of the place in which she has found herself.  Photos

One of the best things about the entire play is the music that was written and directed by Andy Campbell. The orchestra is absolutely phenomenal and brings to life the Wonderland that director Dan Clay really tried to show. The music is a mix between Victorian classics and more modern pieces. The cast, stage, and story are spellbinding and you cannot but help get caught up in the evening. It is a dream brought to life by an excellent cast, great staging, amazing music, and a talented director all of whom proved their passion and love of the theater in this piece. As I left the theater thinking about everything that I had just experienced I truly felt as though I had ‘finally found the Wonderland in me! Meet the cast  ~ Kyle Berns ’06, Brookside, New Jersey, and San Francisco, California

This is a Test

November 10–12, 2006 -- This fast-paced ensemble comedy had just the right blend of wit, slapstick, and mayhem.

The play, written by Stephen Gregg, was test anxiety at its best!  Set in a classroom, during a single period, the audience saw through the eyes of Alan (Jared Anderson) just how difficult concentrating on class work can be when the other students are distracting, the teacher isn't helpful, and he is hearing (and seeing) voices inside his head. More.

The Fairy Queen

April 22 and 23, 2005 -- In April the Performing Arts department presented Henry Purcell's "The Fairy Queen." This semi-opera or masque, first performed in 1692, is an adaptation of William Shakespeare's play, A Midsummer Night's Dream, from a century before, telling the unforgettable love story set against the charm of an enchanted summer forest. Shakespeare's dialogue is retained between Purcell's dances and songs set to words by an anonymous 17th Century poet. The hilarity of young lovers under magic spells combined with a captivating and colorful blend of arias and dances was adapted, directed, and conducted by Andy Campbell with technical direction by Dan Clay, set design by Peter Ferber, orchestral preparation by Chris Nourse, choreography by Alana Harold, and masks by Duncan Eagleson, master maskmaker. Eagleson's masks can be seen in the currently-playing Wes Craven film, Cursed.

On his birthday, King Oberon, sung by Greg Donovan (Tuftonboro, New Hampshire), baritone, attempts to control his Queen, his fairy kingdom, and the love interests of several mortals with assistance from his mischievous sidekick Robin Goodfellow, the Puck, sung by Dan Clay, tenor. Soprano Corey Hill (Tuftonboro, New Hampshire) debuted as the alluring Titania who, under a spell, falls in love with a donkey-headed mortal, Nick Bottom, played by Jared Anderson (Morristown, New Jersey). Rounding out the cast were Joe Montana (Exeter, New Hampshire) as Lysander, Hollis Boyd (Bethesda, Maryland) as Hermia, Alex Moulton (Wolfeboro) as Demetrius, Kelsey Harger (Libertyville, Illinois) as Helena, Alex Curran (Hollis, New Hampshire) as Theseus, Jane Cormier, Brewster Academy's voice teacher, as Fairy Godmother, Gabe Katzenstein (Warwick, New York) as the dancing Green Man, and Eric Reusche (Lake Forest, Illinois) as the stuttering and stumbling Starveling, a drunken poet. Many other cast members joined in the antics, including a team of meddling monkeys, a gathering of dancing fairies, and a bumbling crew of "rude mechanicals" hoping to perform a play before the Duke at his wedding to the Amazon warrior, Hippolyta. Cast.

Little Shop of Horrors

February 17 - 19, 2005 -- Review

Romeo and Juliet

November 11 -13, 2005 -- Review

Pirates of Penzance

April 30, May 1 - 2, 2005 -- The greater Wolfeboro community was treated to a wonderful production of this funny and silly opera, a collaboration among Brewster Academy, the Village Players (the local theater group) and the Clearlakes Chorale (the local choral group). Joined by a mix of professional and amateur musicians, this production provided an exciting evening of entertainment. The combination of great voices, nonsense lyrics, melodramatic acting, and spirited choreography all made the production an enjoyable one to participate in, according to the Brewster student players. Read More
The Chronicles of Jane Book VII

February 19 - 21, 2004 -- Jane is a teenager of such prowess that, at last count, 37,000 people in 18 countries wanted to be her. She assembles friends and followers so that can she retell the story of one of the greatest challenges in her infamous career: the dreaded term paper. Can she defeat her teacher, time, procrastination, and her evil brother Stewart and finish her term paper in one night? Of course she can! She's Jane! Read More.

Amahl and the Night Visitors

December 4 - 5, 2003 -- A well-deserved standing ovation greeted the cast at the conclusion of Brewster Academy's Performing Arts production of the opera, "Amahl and the Night Visitors" on December 4 and 5. Wolfeboro's Erica Reithel, a sophomore, was delightful in the title role of this charming one-act opera by Giancarlo Menotti who wrote both words and music. The opera tells of a crippled boy, Amahl, and his impoverished mother, played by junior Hannah Tameling of Oak Brook, Illinois, whose world changes when the Three Wise Men stop at their spare cottage on their way to Bethlehem to ask for shelter for the night. Hannah's voice was a wonderful surprise in her first Brewster production. Read More