Midsummer/Jersey

Have you ever wondered what Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream would look like if it took place on the Jersey Shore? The York Rose Players (with St. George’s) just wrapped up their spring production of Midsummer/Jersey.

Midsummer/Jersey is the hilarious high-octane re-telling of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream set on the boardwalk of a seaside town in modern-day New Jersey. The story revolves around the impending marriage of the Governor of New Jersey, the love affairs of four beach-bound high school crushes, a lively crew of fairies and the staff of the local beauty salon (run by Patti Quince and Stylist Nikki Bottom). The night takes a magical turn when Oberon and the impish Puck arrive on the scene armed with a powerful love potion and a desire for mischief making. With several weddings and the acting careers of six beauticians hanging in the balance, the lovers take to the boardwalk, backed by pop music and an iPhone-obsessed wood sprite.

Over 50 cast and crew were involved in this production. Special thank you to: Shannon Harrigan (Director), Monique Marcotte (Set and Crew), Sam Berry (Technical Crew and Sound), Skyler, Gr. 11, and Chloe, Gr. 11 (Choreography), all of the actors and crew.

Celebration of Community

Thank you to all the families who joined YHS staff and students for our annual Celebration of Community at the Chan Centre on Wednesday, December 12. Each year, we begin the holiday season with this festive event, which invites our community to share in the gifts and talents of our students.

The afternoon featured performances from Grades 1 to 12, including renditions of “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” (Grade 7), “Imagine” (Ragazza), and “From a Distance” (Chorista and Ragazza). In the finale, all students joined together to perform “Peace Round/Shalom Chaverim”.

Interspersed throughout the afternoon of performances were sing-a-long carols, readings, including multilingual readings in Spanish and French, as well as a presentation by our Sr. Improv Drama group.

Thank you to Ms. Ninan, Ms. Froese, and Ms. Haylett for their work with our very talented music students; thank you to Ms. Harrigan and our Improv Team; and thank you to our Modern Languages Dept for the inclusion of French and Spanish in our celebrations this year.

A special thanks to Leith Wheeler Investments, our sponsor of this event for 20 years. We truly appreciate their commitment to York House as well as the broader community. Donations from those who attended the concert went to the Quest Outreach Society.

The impressive venue, carol singing, and festive atmosphere continue to make for a wonderful holiday tradition. Thank you to Annie, one of our new Student Social Media Ambassadors, for covering the event on Instagram stories (@YorkHouseVan). See the highlights under the Celebration of Community icon.