At Middlesex, theatre is a vital part in the life of our school: three theatrical performances throughout the year and a winter semester dance program fill out a robust program that introduces students to all aspects of production. Based out of the magnificent Cornelius Ayer Wood '13 Theatre, we approach drama with a seriousness of purpose and a passionate sense of humor, with the expectation that students will work hard to have fun.
Our program is designed to invite the participation of all students, providing a solid foundation and ample opportunities for first-timers while also challenging veterans of the stage to constantly expand and hone their repertoire.
Classes
Middlesex offers a variety of semester-long courses in acting, scene-writing, directing, set design, and children's theatre. All of our courses center on the making of theatre and we believe the best way to study the different disciplines of this art form is through the practice of them. Accordingly, our Introduction to Drama course, designed for underclassmen, ends with a public performance of student-written scenes in our black box theatre.
This focus on performance continues through to the end of our curriculum, when seniors are given the opportunity to create independent projects and courses of study. In the past, these projects have ranged from a production of a full-length student-written, student-directed play to a year long exploration of character study culminating in a two-person show. See our course listings.
Performances
Each year Middlesex produces three main-stage events: a fall play, a winter festival of student-directed one acts, and a spring musical. In choosing each year's selection of plays, the department strives to offer a wide variety of styles from Euripides to Shakespeare to contemporary works. In the course of four years at Middlesex, a student could expect to see a multitude of classic plays and musicals, as well as a selection of recently produced contemporary shows and original commissioned plays. In addition to the main-stage events, many courses in the theater curriculum perform scenes in our black box theatre at the end of each semester.
Technical Theatre
Under the direction of our full-time Technical Director, Ryan DuBray, Middlesex students are involved in all aspects of technical production in the Cornelius Ayer Wood '13 Theatre. For each show, students build the set, hang and focus lights, and run sound, lights, and backstage operations. Additionally, over the course of the year, all tech students are offered a chance to do tech work for the one act festival and the dance concert. Advanced students are also offered the opportunity to design the lighting plot or set for a full-length play or musical.
Students serve as the stage managers for all shows and are responsible for calling cues for the performances. The well-equipped, two-story scene shop includes pneumatic air tools and easy stage access. Our recently updated ETC dimmer system features 169 circuits and an ETC Expression 250 computer lighting board. The extensive repertory lighting plot includes programmable moving light technology and six Forerunner color scrollers. The sound system features a new 32 channel mixing board. The Green Room black box performance space also provides a flexible design lab for student projects. See facilities for more technical information.
New Plays Project
All great theatre starts with the playwright, yet most high school students never work with one. To bring our students directly to the source, Middlesex founded the New Plays Project that commissions new plays from nationally recognized working playwrights. Since 2000 we have worked with playwrights in residence on two full-length, original productions; we will be able to commission up to five more plays over the course of the next decade, allowing students the opportunity to work with the creation of theater on yet another level.
Middlesex Theatre in London
Every other year, during spring vacation, students are offered an opportunity to spend a week immersed in the theatre in London. During this week-long trip, students see four or five shows, tour Shakespeare's Globe, the Royal National Theatre, shadow students at a performing arts school for a day, spend a day in Stratford-on-Avon, and participate in several days of Shakespeare workshops through the acclaimed British American Drama Academy.
Children's Theatre
Recently the department launched a course focused on creating an original thirty-minute performance piece for young children. Members in the class are all responsible for the writing, adapting, designing, building and acting of this production that is performed at a local elementary school.
Dance
Middlesex's dance program takes place during the winter. Under the direction of our own choreographer, the dance ensemble prepares a full evening performance with a focus on jazz and modern dance. Each piece for the concert has lighting designed by the full-time faculty designer and advanced design students. A new marley dance floor completes the professional look and feel of the winter dance concert. Dance students are also given an opportunity to choreograph and perform original pieces.
