To kick off the year, Mitty’s Performing Arts Department has planned something truly innovative: two productions—Six: The Musical and Shakespeare in Love—running simultaneously. While this means twice the entertainment for audiences, it also brings twice the commitment for stage directors like Mr. Doug Santana and the student leaders involved. Nevertheless, they expect nothing less than double the effort in bringing a long-pursued goal to life.
Ever since he began seeking the rights to Six: The Musical, Mr. Santana has envisioned performing these two plays concurrently. Because Six features six female cast members, he wanted to complement it with a second production that would highlight the talents of male actors. Thus, Shakespeare in Love was chosen—a production stylistically distinct from Six yet connected through their shared ties to the Elizabethan era. While one is a pop-rock Broadway musical and the other a romantic comedy inspired by a modern film, Mr. Santana is confident that Mitty’s students can rise to the challenge. He explains, “It was the right moment to try this because our program has grown to a place where we have the depth of [student] talent to pull it off.”
Performing two plays at once requires the Performing Arts Department to utilize all of its resources and energy. Stage managers Cade Lewis ’26 and Caitlin Nguyen ’26 each lead their own shows, noting that the two productions have little direct overlap. Both productions are rehearsed primarily in separate spaces, meaning every available area on campus is allocated for technical rehearsals. Additionally, costume design and lighting for both shows must be developed independently.
While many aspects of preparation differ between the two productions, Six and Shakespeare in Love also evolve together. Cade and Caitlin frequently collaborate to manage shared deadlines and coordinate technical rehearsals. A clever Elizabethan stage design by Mr. Justin Karr serves both productions, allowing the same set to transform seamlessly between shows. Though the plays are rehearsed and developed separately, their shared historical context and common stage design make it possible to prepare them simultaneously.
Caitlin, stage manager for Six, believes there are deeper reasons behind the pairing of these particular productions. She explains, “I think the message of Six is about separating the queens’ stories from King Henry VIII’s—seeing their point of view in history rather than through a man’s perspective, as is common in traditional narratives.” Despite the contrast in themes, Caitlin sees a shared takeaway between the two shows: “We should compete less with others and unite to work together. In an academically rigorous community, competition sometimes takes over. I hope people, instead of comparing themselves, can collaborate so everyone grows together.”
As stage manager for Shakespeare in Love, Cade experienced a major increase in responsibility compared to his previous years on crew. When on crew, he typically handled a single area such as lighting or sound. Now, as stage manager, he tracks cues, ensures cast attendance, and takes rehearsal notes to communicate with the creative team. “My [previous] crew responsibilities usually lasted around three weeks during performances,” Cade remarks, “but stage management starts with auditions and ends with the final bow.”
Despite the challenges of coordinating two shows at once, Cade has been impressed by the quality of both productions, saying the “shows reflect an amazing feat of hard work” and that the two-show format is “definitely worth it.” Both Cade and Caitlin agree that their collaboration has been key to keeping the production process organized and on schedule. “I’d love to shout out Cade Lewis,” Caitlin says with gratitude. “Since day one, we’ve been cheering each other on!”
Producing two shows within the same season has provided more opportunities for cast and crew members to participate in Mitty’s thriving Performing Arts program. Though the process has been demanding, Cade and Caitlin take pride in what they and their peers have accomplished—a once-in-a-lifetime experience that brought the community together in new ways. As Mr. Santana reflects, “Never say never… but I expect we’ll return to our regular format next year.”