By Nick Badgio

Salisbury Post

On Nov. 2, members of the Salisbury High School drama club performed the fourth act of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at The North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. The other four acts were performed by different schools throughout the state.

The performance was sponsored by the program “Shakespeare Lives!”

“Shakespeare Lives!” was created to help educators teach the works of William Shakespeare. The goal is for students to become passionate about Shakespeare and his work.

Salisbury High senior Danny Resner, who played Egues in the performance, described “Shakespeare Lives!” by tagging it with his own motto: “Resurrecting Shakespeare from the grave of the page!”

Salisbury High students performed in front of paying audience. Patrons paid $100 for a single ticket or $150 for per couple.

English teacher Maureen Shay directed Salisbury’s act. She was proud of her students’ performance.

“They were spectacular as characters and as a team,” she said.

Shay was also impressed with the drama club’s chemistry and interaction with the audience. Shay credits the success of the play to the student actors. “The most amazing thing was how the students mastered Shakespeare’s personality and actions,” she said.

The success of the play is even more impressive considering Salisbury High had no drama teacher at the start the school year. Maggie Warden, Salisbury’s drama teacher last year, departed, leaving a hole that appeared impossible to fill. Because of strong student interest, Shay was asked to continue the drama program.

Practices for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” began in mid-September.

Salisbury High’s performance at the North Carolina School of the Arts left an impact on both the students involved and the audience.

“The School of the Arts was a great environment (to perform) in,” Resner said.

Shay said she has received several e-mails from people present at the play calling Salisbury’s act “dazzling” and “wonderful.”

For Salisbury High senior Jason Drye, the collaboration involved in the entire spectacle will always astonish him.

“This production was unique because very few plays in the world have had different schools with such great age ranges come together in one giant performance,” he said.

Rowan County will get a chance to see Salisbury High perform their act from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13 and 15 in the Salisbury High auditorium.

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Nick Badgio is a senior at Salisbury High School and an intern for the Post.