Above: the cast of A Midsummer Musical in a promotional image created for the show.

The Hotchkiss Dramatic Association transformed the Ford Dining Facility into a sparkling dinner theater for their spring production, A Midsummer Musical, May 21-23. The musical was a re-imagined version of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night’s Dream, one of his most famous plays. A Midsummer Musical contained all the familiar characters including Puck, Hippolyta, and Theseus, with pop music interludes performed by the cast. A recording is available at this link and a gallery of photos can be seen here.

This year, H.D.A. has devised creative ways to present performances during the pandemic. The fall production, A Festival of Fables, was held outdoors as a moving, promenade-style event at various campus locations, while the winter production, ΜΕΤΑΓΡΑΦΕΙΝ (Rewrite) was conceived as an on-demand, episodic video project. 

The spring musical production found its form when co-directors Keeilah Jewell ’22 and Tori Murray ’22 consulted with Parker Reed, instructor in English and Theatre. He made initial edits to the play to keep the length to an hour and to create a more fluid production when the music was added. Original choreography was conceived by Stella Ren ’22. “Choreographing and teaching was super fun - the cast learned really quickly because the pieces are meant to be fun and simple. I really enjoyed the experience!” she said.

All performances took place in the Ford Dining Facility, which has proved to be a versatile venue for the School this year. The overhead lights were dimmed while strings of colored lights illuminated the stage. Tables were reconfigured to allow for a good view of the stage from every seat. Cast members ventured into the audience for some of the musical numbers.  

“We presented three performances and really appreciated our audiences,” said Parker Reed. “Some people probably haven't seen a live show in over a year, and the entire company was thrilled to share the space and have a bit of fun!”

The cast and crew of A Midsummer Musical is listed below:

Theseus/Oberon: Benjamin Weiss ’21

Hippolyta/Titania: Richie Mamam ’23

Nerissa/Peaseblossom: Mehar Bhasin ’23

Hermia: Atalia Navarro ’21

Lysander: Kiki Henry ’22

Helena: Tori Murray ’22

Demetrius: Harry Morelli ’23

Puck/Philostrate: Isabella Wei ’23

Patty Quince: Stella Ren ’22

Nikki Bottom: Mary Tyree ’23

Sandra Snug: Emilie Clitus ’24

Francis Flute: Mazie Witter ’22

Dewdrop: Annie Robinson ’22

Moth: Olivia Taylor ’22

HDA Tech Crew:  Reka Ladanyi ’22, Kyral Ogazi ’21, Olivia Taylor, Eric Yin ’21

Technical Director: Derek Brashears

Choreographer: Stella Ren ’22

Musical Director: Tori Murray

Medical Consultant: Dr. Jared Zelman

DreamTeam: Keeilah Jewell, Tori Murray, Parker Reed