When students return from winter break, it is time for the upper school play to begin. This year, the theater department is putting on a rendition of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” by William Shakespeare. Auditions for the upper school play began online on Jan. 4 and concluded on Jan. 6. The first two days of auditions were for monologue readings, and the final day was to practice selected scenes.

This year’s play auditions looked different than pre-COVID years because of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases. During the first week of second semester, the administration announced students and faculty would be remote due to the delay in testing results. Rather than postponing auditions, play director Tracy Poverstein decided to go ahead with online auditions.

“Part of the reason we had our auditions online is [because] we didn’t want to miss that first week of rehearsal,” Poverstein said. “I didn’t want to push things back since we already have so little time to rehearse for the play.”

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is set to take place on March 18 and 19, which leaves the cast and crew just over two months for rehearsals. Due to the short amount of time before the performance takes place, Poverstein cut down the original script from being a three-hour play to 1:15. This alteration makes the play more manageable for the cast to rehearse, and easier for viewers to watch.

The short duration of rehearsal time was a key component in the decision to hold the auditions online. During the time of uncertainty in the world, Poverstein said it was not worth it to postpone auditions.

“We could push it back a week but then we’d still be missing people,” Poverstein said. “Some [people] would still have to audition online. I didn’t know if things were going to be any better the next week, so I thought, let’s just do it and move forward.”

Poverstein believes that though there were challenges in hosting auditions online, the virtual auditioning process went extremely well and students felt comfortable.

“I thought the auditions were some of the best auditions I’ve ever seen,” Poverstein said. “I don’t know if that’s because people weren’t as nervous doing it in their own homes and having the distance of the screen, but I felt like people made braver physical choices.”

Assistant Director of the play, Lily Kerner (’22), has been an active part of the audition and casting process, and after auditions, Kerner and Poverstein worked together to determine the final casting list. Kerner has been participating in Archer productions for six years and never doubted the productions’ ability to host auditions online. Kerner agreed with Poverstein and said that there were many benefits to conducting virtual auditions.

“There’s a bit more comfort, being at home,” Kerner said. “You’re within a space that you can control, so there’s that element of security.”

Senior Avery Fox, was cast as Helena, agreed with Kerner that there is more comfort when auditioning from home.

“Online auditions are more convenient because they’re at your house,” Fox said. “You still have that sense of comfort and convenience.”

Despite the positives that came with the virtual auditioning process, there were some challenges.

“I feel like, for ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ specifically, because it is such a physical show, it would’ve been nice to have more of my body being shown,” Fox said. 

Kerner believes that being online does not allow for the auditioners to fully immerse themselves in the scene the way they are able to in real life. She said that one of the most important factors when it comes to theater is building off of your fellow castmates.

“There’s chemistry with other people when you’re in person,” Kerner said. “You can’t replicate that on Zoom.”

Both Poverstein and Kerner agree that they have a lot of work they need to do to prepare for the show. Fox said, regardless of the challenge, she is eager to be a part of the process. 

“I’m most excited to get to know the cast and crew members,” Fox said. “I want to get to know people just because I know that the theater community is such a strong one.”

Kerner, like Fox, said she is also excited about the upcoming show and will always have a love for the Archer theater program.

“I really love the Archer theater community,” Kerner said. “I’ve made wonderful connections there … It’s really a great way to have a creative outlet that is also very inclusive of other people and allows you to make those interpersonal connections.”