The Princeton Repertory Company [PRC] may be using the auditorium in the near future. Negotiations are currently underway between the acting troupe and the school board that will give the PRC access to the auditorium from June 1st to the end of September. In return, the PRC will offer professional mentorship to Hopewell students.

Dr. Judith Ferguson, superintendent of Hopewell Valley schools, has led the negotiations. She described the proposition as win-win.

“Princeton Repertory Theater gets a home. We really want them to advertise and experience a theater-in-residence concept. They’re not just using our facility, they’re actually becoming part of the program, becoming part of the high school,” Dr. Ferguson said “The advantage for us is that they [the PRC] will provide apprenticeship programs for twenty to twenty-five of our students this summer.”

Until several years ago, the PRC had performed in the parks of Princeton during the summer. However, the Princeton Recreation Organization, the body in charge of public entertainment, curtailed the amount of time the PRC was able to perform.

“This essentially put them out of business since they needed the whole summer,” said Dr. Ferguson “They were looking an alternative place to produce their plays, and we have this great theater which is seldom used in the summer,” said the superintendent.

Several meetings between the school board, high school performing arts staff, and the PRC have taken place. Dr. Ferguson assumed that the PRC would pay for the space. However, in consultation with Principal Mangiaracina, Dr. Ferguson decided that the apprenticeship programs that the PRC offered in exchange were more valuable than a monetary exchange.

Dr. Ferguson said Mr.Hritz, auditorium manager, estimated it would have cost the PRC about $32,000 to rent the space for the summer. The total value of the apprenticeships is $36,000 - $45,000 in waived tuition. In addition, the PRC deal will add value because of the technical and professional knowledge of the PRC personnel.

The Princeton Repertory Company has been running its summer apprenticeship programs for about ten years, usually for tuition of $1800. During the typically four-week programs, professional PRC staff will tutor students in various elements of theater, including set design, directing, acting, lighting, and sound. Students accepted for apprenticeship will not pay.

“An apprentice would work under a mentorship program in all aspects of the theater,” said Dr. Ferguson.

Since the actors of the Princeton Repertory Company are not accredited to teach in a public school, students cannot receive credit for the apprenticeship program this year. The New Jersey administrative code for high school graduation allows the district to give credit for learning experiences that are provided outside of school without certified instructor, but the school district is not ready to take that step, according to Dr. Ferguson.

Although the details could change, Ms. Hatch and Mr. Elpus will most likely control the admission process, according to Mr. Elpus.

“An interested student would turn to me or Ms. Hatch and we would review the applications if there were too many. We would make cuts only if we got into an overcrowded situation,” said Mr. Elpus.

The PRC will produce three plays, two Shakespearean and one modern, during the summer. Rehearsals will start on June 6th and the plays will end in late September. The PRC actors want to make a few changes to the auditorium in order to duplicate the intimate theater they are used to, according to Dr. Ferguson.

A stage extension will go into the orchestra pit and allow the actors to come out closer to the audience.

“They’re used to intimate theater. To be that far from the audience is unnatural. The other change would be to curtain off the two back wings. It would make the auditorium feel smaller,” said Dr. Ferguson.

The dates of the PRC auditorium use could be problematic. Ms. Hatch has classes in the auditorium in the last weeks of June. In addition, the auditions and rehearsals for the fall play happen in September, and would thus be truncated by the PRC deal. An occupied auditorium could also interfere with awards ceremonies and graduation. Dr. Ferguson alluded to an agreement whereby the Princeton Repertory Company would have more flexible hours until the summer, so that the school could use the auditorium as necessary.

Many faculty members expressed support for the program.

“I think [the PRC] could provide our students who are interested in technical theater the ability to expand their skills and to really understand how modern theatre is put on from a technical standpoint,” said Mr. Elpus “It would be beneficial because it would provide [our students] with skill and information we currently don’t provide them with.”

“Who knows? Maybe they’ll come in and be unhappy with the lighting and want to add a few lamps. Gee, we wouldn’t fight that, would we?” said Mr. Suabedissen.

The Hopewell Valley School Board must approve the proposition. Dr. Ferguson indicated that the Board expressed strong support for the program. A contract is in the final stages of debate and the Board will vote on the proposal by early March.