Stuck in Vermont: Students Sing and Dance in Shaina Taub’s ‘Twelfth Night’ in North Hero

The pandemic has been brutal to performing artists. Broadway is shut down until summer 2021, and live performances across the country have been canceled. In Vermont, Full Circle Theater Collaborative was formed to provide theater opportunities to young people during this unusual time.

On October 24, a group of seventh graders through college students performed a musical adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night to a small audience at Island Arts Center in North Hero. The students wore masks during most of the performance, occasionally taking them off to sing. The barn doors and windows were left wide open to provide adequate ventilation.

The songs were written by native Vermonter Shaina Taub, who performed in the musical in 2018 to rave reviews in New York City. Shaina met with the students via Zoom to discuss the production. This is the first time the show has been staged in Vermont, and viewers were also able to stream it for a limited time.

Eva visited the group for a rehearsal the week before the show opened and learned what it’s like to perform during a pandemic. You might recognize some of these young performers — such as former Broadway star Oscar Williams — who have been featured in Stuck in Vermont videos over the years and performed in local theater productions.

Filming date: 10/18/20