Peyton Fisher ’27, News Staff Writer

Cast and Crew of Midsummer/Jersey. (Image courtesy of Mr. Worrell)

The school’s musical this last winter was “Urinetown,” a satirical comedy mocking the legal system, capitalism, and more.  Last fall’s play was Midsummer/Jersey, which puts a Jersey Shore spin on Shakespeare’s renowned comedy, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” But how do NA’s heads of theatre decide on these productions? 

Ms. Shapiro Cooper, director of theatre arts at NA since 2017, explained that those who assist in selecting the productions all want the theatre program to “be a place where storytelling is told with excellence and professionalism, but also that it’s a space and an opportunity to cultivate new stories.” The theatre department also considers the diversity of the students and brainstorms productions that will best reflect them. They consider what is going on in current events that year and pick a play that will best resonate; last year was the election, so an uplifting feel-good comedy like Midsummer/Jersey was a fitting option to prevent division and stress in the community.

Ms. Ferentinos, choreographer of the musical, adds “I like to look at a student’s four-year career in the Aarts Ddepartment and I like to choose musicals that are varied throughout the four years. So I’d like to do something that’s new, something that’s older, something that is a little more contemporary…we look at some of the things students are really interested in.” When looking at the past three3 years, these characteristics described by Ms. Ferentinos are definitely apparent.

“Mamma Mia,” 2022’s production, was a comedy featuring pop rock music and contemporary dance. It was much more cheerful than “Chicago,” performedshown in 2023, which was a drama that depicted jazz-style dance. In 2024,’s the school put on a production of “Something Rotten,” which was also a comedy, but was set in the 1500’s and had Shakespearean themes and references. This year’s musicalThe upcoming play, “Urinetown,” is a parody with and has several big dance numbers, such as “It’s a Privilege to Pee” and “Run Freedom Run.” 

Another majorbig part of NA’s productions, the musicals in particular, are the choral numbers and music from the pit band, orchestrated byis Mr. Bender, who orchestrates the choral numbers and directs the pit band. He reflects that the best part of the musicals the Aarts Ddepartment has selected is when it comes together and “when all of a sudden everyone has everything memorized, and like when the music’s all memorized and people start really having fun.” As Ms. Shapiro Cooper, Ms. Ferentinos, and Mr. Bender all agree, the intention of NA’s productions is for the students to enjoy themselves as they bring the music and script to life. 

The musicals and plays put on by NA bring joy into the lives of the participants as well as the audience. “Urinetown” will be shown on March. 6, 7, and 8 this year. Tickets are free and, after the careful consideration taken by the theatre department in deciding these productions, coming to these musicals will allow the cast, crew, directors, and producers to present what they have put so much effort and heart into. After all, as Ms. Shapiro Cooper says, they pick and design the productions to be “meaningful to all our students!”