Play status uncertain after educators suspended
CATSKILL — Rehearsals for Catskill High School’s spring musical have struggled to continue after the play’s director was suspended, with the superintendent looking to another theater to find a new director.
“Cinderella” is slated to premiere March 15. But last week, the musical’s director, teacher Michelle Storrsryan, was suspended along with high school principal Juniat Shah over a situation at a winter break rehearsal. Students and parents have called the situation a “non-incident” and have rallied several times since the suspensions.
Scott Hallam, whose daughter plays Cinderella in the musical, said she attended rehearsal Wednesday night and that they were ongoing, with no plans to postpone the show. The show’s choreographer, Marcus Mcgregor, is “doing what he can to hold things together.”
However, Karen Van Wie, a member of the Catskill Music Parent and Student Association, said the play was in doubt in part because the student actors didn’t know if they wanted
to continue without their beloved director.
Students could not rehearse in the auditorium Monday because no one was sure of the status of the building use permit, so the rehearsal was held at a local park, Van Wie said. The costumes were locked in a closet only Storrs-ryan had a key to. The actors had not rehearsed with the orchestra, and dress rehearsals are supposed to be this weekend.
Even if the play is postponed, the association’s members are unsure if it could still be put on because of its licensure, which states it must be performed in a limited time window, according to Van Wie. Mcgregor works at other
school districts and teaches dance classes, making the time-consuming task of putting on a student production difficult.
The two educators were suspended to investigate a complaint over an incident involving a piece of Scotch tape. After students would not quiet down during a rehearsal, Storrs-ryan handed a piece of tape to student Madison Mudge, who then placed it over her mouth and continued talking. Students at the rehearsal have said the incident was a joke, with Mudge, who like many of the students, called the teacher “Storrs” or “Mom,” saying “everyone was laughing.”
Student walkouts and rallies with hundreds of parents started Friday and continued into this week.
Efforts to replace the director
On Friday, Catskill Superintendent Dan Wilson called John Sowle, the director of Catskill’s Bridge Street Theatre, and asked him to direct the musical.
Sowle said the superintendent didn’t tell him why Storrs-ryan had to stop directing.
“I didn’t know what was going on so I was trying to be helpful,” Sowle said. “And then I found out what was going on, and I got very upset and angry.”
Sowle, who draws up the set designs for plays at the school and whose theater hosts Storrs-ryan and her students for summer plays, said he left a very angry message on Wilson’s voicemail after learning about the suspensions.
“She does everything, Michelle, and I don’t see how the musical can go on without her,” he said. “She runs the sounds board for the show usually, she’s there finishing up the set, she works on the orchestra, she coordinates everyone — it’s just like a nightmare without her. Frankly, I don’t even see how it can go on, but we’ll see.”
Since he has shows of his own the weekend of the “Cinderella” premiere and would have trouble taking on the multitude of roles Storrs-ryan filled, Sowle said it was doubtful he could step in either way. He was aware Mcgregor had taken over as many of Storrs-ryan’s duties as possible.
Mcgregor, who was at a protest at a closed-door Catskill school board meeting Monday night attended by hundreds, did not return messages seeking comment.
A small protest was held after school Wednesday following a protest with hundreds outside a closed-door meeting of the school board Tuesday. The meeting was announced as a private discussion between the school board and an attorney. It is legal to hold closed-door meetings if only client-attorney privileged issues are discussed, according to the state Committee on Open Government.
The board released a statement afterward saying it was not going to comment on the investigation, and noting its regularly scheduled board meeting is next Wednesday. The school board’s bylaws state that attendees can address the board for 15 minutes on matters being discussed by the board, and for 15 minutes about issues not on the agenda, with each speaker allotted a maximum of three minutes.
Students are preparing to attend the board meeting, according to student leader Alexander Holliday.
“We’re going to flood the place,” he said.
Students were going to protest until the two educators were teaching again and the superintendent was gone from the school, according to Holliday.
Hallam, whose daughter plays Cinderella, said all three of his children had great experiences with Storrs-ryan when they had her in class or as a director.
“She’s just been a standup person for students, which is why this was so surprising,” he said of the suspensions. “Mr. Shah is just the same — the guy just bleeds Catskill colors. … He’s been a great mentor and friend to my daughters.”
Wilson, who earlier said both educators were still employed at the district but would not discuss the investigation, did not return a message left with his secretary about the status of the play.