Stoneman Douglas HS to Present ' ROCKIN' Midsummer Night's Dream

The Drama Department at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida will present a rock and roll version of Shakespeare's MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM.

Parkland, FL - Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Drama Department presents A ROCKIN' Midsummer Night's Dream - a regional premiere adaptation of Shakespeare's play in a new musical version adapted by Michael Unger and Eric Svejcar with a score by Mr. Svejcar. Orchestrations are by Broadway's Kim Scharnberg.

Performances are set for March 7th, 8th, & 9th,2019 beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (5901Pine Island Drive, Parkland, FL). Tickets are $8-$15 and can be purchased here.

Directed by Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School drama teacher and special Tony© Award-recipient, Melody Herzfeld and co-directed by Michael Unger, the cast features Peri Harris (Puck), Alex Wind (Oberon), Sawyer Garrity (Titania), Avery Anger (Hermia), Alex Athanasiou (Lysander), Dylan Redshaw (Helena), Ethan Kaufman (Demetrius), Andrea Peña (Hippolyta), Tanzil Philip(Theseus), David Prengler (Bottom), Jared Block (Quince), Logan Weber(Flute), Alex Duffy (Starveling), Bailey Feuerman (Snout), Gabe Glassman (Snug), Hayden Redshaw (Philostrate), Delaney Metcalf (Egeus), Morgan Koss(First Fairy), Ashley Paseltiner (Second Fairy), Jessica Bass(Peaseblossom), Caroline Eaton (Cobweb), Sarah Crescitelli (Moth), MelanieWeber (Mustardseed), and Tehaan Philip (Changeling Child).

The ensemble includes Emma Brogna, M'kaila Brown, Nikki Bruner, Ruby Harris,Heather Hart, Desire Lora, Ashley Paris, Milan Parodie, Leah Ronkin, Jersey Roth, Sam Schelin, Lexi Schwartzberg, Sarah Wyner, and River Haneski (Moon'sDog).

The creative team includes Choreography by John Barnitt and Isabela Barry, Orchestrations by Kim Scharnberg, Music Direction by Ed Kolcz, Vocal Direction by Andrea Peña. The Production Stage Manager is Jocey Krooks.

Several original cast members from the Newtown production will attend the MSD production. A ROCKIN' Midsummer Night's Dream was created in the summer of 2014 by NewArts of Newtown, CT, an arts and youth empowerment organization started by local father, Dr. Michael Baroody, in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy on December 14, 2012.

To date, NewArts has presented 13 large-scale musicals involving over 550 local youth, onstage, backstage, and in the orchestra. These young artists, ages 5-25, work with Broadway professionals on a daily basis and, often, alongside them on stage as well.

Michael Unger, who conceived and co-adapted the production, was first introduced to the Newtown community when he directed From Broadway With Love: A Benefit Concert for Sandy Hook in Waterbury, CT. Michael also co-directed From Broadway With Love: A Benefit Concert for Parkland, USA at the BB&T Center in FL. "I was inspired to create this musical version of A Midsummer Night's Dreamin 2014, NewArts' second year, because few endeavors can challenge a group of young artists more than creating a new musical and, therefore, few endeavors can make children feel more empowered to look back on what they have created with such pride," stated Michael Unger.

"More important, however, is that in Shakespeare's adored masterpiece, love (and the occasional magical botanical) has the potential to restore order out of chaos. This theme of restoration would resonate anywhere in the world, but certainly in no places more than Newtown, CT and Parkland, FL. In the first scene of the play, Hermia says, 'I know not by what power I am made bold.' I think this production, having been created in Newtown and now being performed in Parkland, is proof of how the arts have helped to make bold the young artists in these two towns that share this horrendous common bond.None are bolder, nor more worthy of national pride, than the young MSD activists, some of them 'drama kids,' and the national youth movement they have started; who are actively creating change in this country. It is my hope that, as in the play, love, alongside the type of boldness that demands compassion, builds community, and promotes understanding, will combat the negative forces that inevitably get thrown in our paths. After working with the young people of both Newtown and Parkland, I am certain that we leave the world in impressive and eminently capable hands."

Melody Herzfeld, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Drama Teacher, shared "A Midsummer Night's Dream is the definition of a world turned upside down but then is righted because at the end of the day, love is everything. I had planned on one day producing A Midsummer Night's Dream at our school and contemplated it for the 2018-19 season, after last year after everything happened. When I spoke to Michael Unger about what shows I might be doing the next school year, he made mention of his musical adaptation and it really seemed the perfect choice. The fact that it was created in a community much like ours, that had experienced the same pain and tragedy, made it seem meant to be. In our production we have student leaders who have assisted in direction, choreography, art, music, and really in every aspect of the show - putting their hands in to make it come together. We are a blessed group and we do know that when all else goes wrong, love is truly what it's all about; how much you give, how much you take and how much youshare with others - in the end love will right this world we live in."

Melody Herzfeld (Director/MSD Drama Teacher) Melody Herzfeld has been teaching at Marjory Stoneman Douglas H.S. since 2003 and has won many awards for doing so. Most recently, she was honored with The Tony Award from Carnegie Mellon University, Theatre Educator of the Year in 2018. She holds a B.F.A. in Drama from New York University, Tisch School of The Arts (Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute NY & London), and received her M.A. in Secondary Education from Adelphi University. For the International Thespian Society, she has been the District 7 Chairperson of Broward County since 2012 and a South Florida Cappies Mentor for the past 15 years. Cappies was founded in the wake of the Columbine High School massacre in 1990 to bring more positive attention to teenagers engaged in creative pursuit of the arts and to celebrate their achievements as a form of healing in the face of adversity and trauma. This has now become very personal to her and her students. Stoneman Douglas' Children's Theatre Project has been a proud achievement for her students and was recognized as an Innovative School for the Arts. Thousands of elementary school age students attend over the years.Earlier professional experience included working as assistant to Broadway producer Joan Stein 1987-1989 at Theatre Pop, Inc., where the 1st Annual Broadway Cares Benefit was produced - among many other Broadway, film, and television projects. She was an assistant to producer/actress Linda Lavin at Big Deal, Inc. and also worked with Abby Wolfe in project development at Warner Brothers. Proudest productions have been as wife to Mr. Richard Herzfeld for 30 years, mother to Richard, a Special Education Teacher at Stoneman Douglas H.S. and Alec a member of the PGA, 2018.

Michael Unger (Co-Director/Adaptor) is a theatre and opera director whose work has been seen on stages from Los Angeles, to Chicago, to New York, to Yekaterinburg, Russia - and many places in between. He is the Associate Artistic Director and Director of Education of Off-Broadway's The York Theatre Company. He is also the Producing Artistic Director of NewArts,which brings high-level performing arts education and youth empowerment programming to the resilient community of Newtown, CT. For NewArts, he has directed thirteen large-scale musicals involving over 550 children onstage,backstage, and in the orchestra. Michael conceived and directed the world premiere of NewArts' A ROCKIN' Midsummer Night's Dream, which is featured in the award-winning documentary, "Midsummer in Newtown". World premieres include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Haven, Two Point Oh, and Caligula (NYMF - Audience Award-Winner). Selected directing credits include:A Christmas Carol (McCarter Theatre - from 1998-2015 / NewArts, 2016 &2017), My Sister in this House (DeafWest), and new versions of Kander and Ebb's The Happy Time and The Rink. Michael has directed over a dozen operas,two of which are available on DVD through Naxos Classical. He recently directed the York Theatre's 2018 Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre, honoring Susan Stroman and hosted by Matthew Broderick.

Eric Svejcar (Adaptor/Composer) is a composer and music director based inNew York City. Works include Caligula, An Ancient Glam Epic (NYMF Audience Award-winner), A ROCKIN' Midsummer Night's Dream (featured in the documentary Midsummer in Newtown), The Murder of Isaac, White Noise, and the musical podcast Loveville High with David Zellnik. He adapted and arranged Disney's Peter Pan Jr. which has been performed by thousands of schools around the world. On Broadway, he conducted the Roundabout/Deaf West revival of Big River and played in the pits of The Little Mermaid and A Chorus Line(City Center). Off-Broadway he arranged and performed in the Zipper Theatre revival of Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, orchestrated Evil Dead, The Musical, and music directed several productions at the York Theatre including Marry Harry and the Musicals In Mufti presentations of Big, Berlin To Broadway With Kurt Weill, and Jerry's Girls. He was a solo pianist with Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and played piano and sang backup for Debbie Gibson at Harrah's in Atlantic City. Graduate of the Indiana University School of Music.The 12.14 Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering well-being in children by instilling grit and resilience through a character development program (ARC), which is coupled with a high-level, performing arts mastery experience (NewArts). Conceived by Sandy Hook parent, Dr.Michael Baroody and developed with volunteers from the Leadership Development Program at the Yale School of Management, Inspire Corps, and the University of Pennsylvania School of Applied Positive Psychology, ARC fosters empowerment by pushing individuals to define themselves, identify their passions and exercise confidence. NewArts Producing Artistic director Michael Unger leads the performing arts mastery program which, combined with ARC, encourages children to live in their stretch zone, accomplishing more than they ever dreamed possible.