Story and Photo by Cameron Kelly, Student Columnist
The upcoming play, “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” is nearly here! Dates of production are January 25, 26, and 27 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets cost $8.00 for students and $10.00 for adults — buy them online. All money raised goes directly back to the Performing Arts Program for future productions. Below is some inside information about the play from Mr. McConaughey, the Theater Director/Teacher at Newberg High School, as well as insights from two NHS administrators.
Mr. McConaughey shared a published summary of the play: “In this comedy, Sir John Falstaff decides to fix his financial woes by seducing the wives of two wealthy merchants. The wives find that he sent them identical letters. They are quite angry that he would try to engage with each one without the knowledge of the other, so they plan to take revenge by playing tricks on Falstaff when he comes calling. The premise is that the wives can be merry and still be faithful to their spouses. Our production is set in a 1990's sitcom. The slapstick comedy and crazy situations lend themselves beautifully to the theme of the sitcom.”
“The Merry Wives of Windsor” was chosen as part of the curriculum by students in the NHS Shakespeare class last year, which Mr. McConaughey and Shauna Peterson both teach. Both of them are also there to offer a director's leadership to the two student directors, Finn Meader and Imogen Long. The student directors and teachers/directors lead the 65 to 70 students who are involved with the production of the play in one capacity or another. Peterson says that creating a play for students to see is incredibly important.
According to Peterson: "It's important to remember that Shakespeare's plays were not meant to be read; they were meant to be performed and experienced by an audience. By studying plays in a way that is more authentic to its original purpose, Lit of an Author students do the deep analysis and interpretation that we always ask for in English classes, but in a way that has more meaning and relevance, plus higher stakes. We give our students a fair amount of freedom to select the play and develop a concept for our production, which means they feel a sense of ownership of it and are responsible for figuring out how the story is relevant today, as well as how to make it interesting for a contemporary audience. I am always impressed by what our students are able to achieve!"
One interesting fact I learned when researching this play is that the planning for it began back in April of 2023! Months of hard work have gone into this play, only to be showcased a few times, so it is important to appreciate the dedication and devotion that these students put into their performance.
According to Mr. McConaughey, most of the planning for the play takes place during class time so that students have time to collaborate, build, paint, memorize lines, and create costumes. In-class rehearsals began in October, while after-school rehearsals started in November, five days a week from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. The amount of effort that has gone into this production is amazing!
When Mr. McConaughey was asked if he was proud of the students, he said, “We are very proud of what the students in these classes have produced so far. They always find ways to surprise us with their creativity, insight, and hard work.”
Mr. McConaughey was also asked what the students’ hard work means to him and the other staff, in which he said, “It means they are engaged in the learning, taking ownership, and that they have bought into the project.” One of Mr. McConaughey’s favorite things about “The Merry Wives of Windsor” is the comedy in the play. According to him, it is a ton of fun and a silly story worth seeing.
NHS Assistant Principal Mr. Ben Patterson and Athletic Director Mr. Mark Brown were also interviewed about the upcoming production. When asked what the students’ hard work means to Mr. Patterson, he said, “It’s just really cool to see students put so much effort into something and then see the fantastic results. A lot of credit goes to Mr. McConaughey and his leadership of the program. Each production is such a collaborative effort with so many behind-the-scenes folks contributing to the success just as much as those on stage.”
Mr. Brown stated, “Working hard means giving your best effort, regardless of the outcome or in spite of whatever barriers, obstacles, or challenges you may face. When students work hard, it means that sometimes they fail or don't reach their big goal, but that's ok. The learning process is sometimes messy, but when students are working hard, they learn valuable lessons and gain incredible experiences along the way. But what's also cool is that when students work hard, they often do reach their goals and succeed! When our Performing Arts students work hard, the end result is always a fun event and production that our community gets to enjoy. They put in incredibly long hours, working late into the evenings and on the weekends to make sure they were ready for opening night. And their hard work always pays off with a fun run of shows!”
Both Mr. Patterson and Mr. Brown were also asked how the Performing Arts Program demonstrates the core values of NHS.
Mr. Patterson responded, “The Performing Arts Program has successfully pursued excellence for many years. It’s a great reminder that talent, teamwork, work ethic, leadership, and community involvement can make for a truly amazing program. I’m thankful that we have that here at Newberg High School.”
Additionally, Mr. Brown expressed, “We have an incredible Performing Arts Department. They embody our NHS core values in terms of the sense of community and belonging they have for everyone involved in Performing Arts. They have created a family atmosphere and environment in that building and within their programs where everyone feels welcomed and that they belong there. Because of the positive relationships and sense of belonging that everyone has, they are able to work incredibly hard and push themselves and each other to reach their goals. I am so proud of our Performing Arts Department and always love watching their performances!”
Both Mr. Patterson and Mr. Brown are extremely involved in all NHS programs and will constantly praise the hard work that NHS students put into their extracurricular activities.
When reflecting on my research about Performing Arts at NHS, I learned many things about the process and time that goes into the production of plays. From the amount of planning that it takes to build a set and create costumes to the countless hours of rehearsing, there is a ton of work behind the scenes that happens to help make each play successful. Dozens of students and numerous NHS staff come together to create an enjoyable experience for the community. NHS Performing Arts students pour their blood, sweat, and tears into these productions.
Treat yourself to a night out filled with entertainment and laughter at the upcoming play, “The Merry Wives of Windsor”!