MHS Alumni Protest Dismissal of Beloved Limelight Director

MILLBURN, NJ – In a recent email sent out to Millburn High School (MHS) theater students, Theater Director Paul Weinstein announced his departure from MHS. He wrote, “This wasn’t my choice, but I am especially bummed that I won’t get to direct those of you that I have worked with the past three years in your final show at MHS. I want to thank you all for your hard work and dedication. You’ve made the last number of years some of my best in all of my years of directing.” At the July 22 Board of Education Meeting, five MHS alumni took the issue to the podium, expressing their disappointment at Weinstein’s dismissal and calling for his reemployment.

The first speaker was AJ DeAugustine, who graduated with the MHS Class of 2023 and is a current student at the University of Rochester. At the Board meeting, he provided some background information on Weinstein. “Mr. Weinstein earned his Bachelor's degree in English and Film Studies and his Masters in Education. He’s been a teacher since 1997 at David Brearley High School in Kenilworth, New Jersey. Since 2007, he has directed a mix of fall dramas and spring musicals at Millburn High.” DeAugustine then described Weinstein’s highly-effective teaching methods. “He asks each student poignant, precise questions about their characters and patiently guides them towards deeper understandings of the text and its messages. This thorough approach prepares students for collegiate-level analysis."

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DeAugustine cited specific examples of the valuable educational experiences that existed under the direction of Weinstein. “One of my first experiences as a freshman was performing She Kills Monsters. Mr. Weinstein recognized my drive and gave me meaningful opportunities to contribute.” Later, he remarked, “Mr. Weinstein directed two virtual plays [during the COVID-19 Pandemic], encouraging all high school students to join them, including those unfamiliar with theater. This led to a uniquely unifying and uplifting experience during a time of genuine confusion and frustration for many.” He ended his statement urging MHS and the Board of Education to rehire Weinstein.

The next speaker was Owen Mathay, who graduated with the MHS Class of 2021. During his comment, he reflected on his own acting career and the role that Weinstein had in it. Mathay performed for only one half-year under the direction of Weinstein, in two short shows that took place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, he believed he wouldn’t be able to use the opportunity to grow as an actor, but, as he put it, he “couldn’t have been more wrong.”

He emphasized the role that Weinstein’s teaching method had on him – specifically, how Weinstein encouraged his students to obtain a “three-dimensional” understanding of their characters. Mathay went on to describe how Weinstein encouraged him to enter the “real world” and pursue acting over a more “serious” degree in college. This caused Mathay to reconsider: “I didn’t want to do something in the hope that I could buy myself the freedom to do it later. I attribute the majority of the motivation behind this to these experiences and to Mr. Weinstein.” It was after Mathay’s three-minute long comment that Acting Superintendent Kate Diskin assured the students that she would look into what happened.

The next speaker was Abby Pierson, who graduated this year with the Class of 2024 and will be attending Northwestern University in the fall. In her comment, she focused on the effect that Weinstein had on, not only her experience at four fall dramas and four spring musicals, but also on her overall high school experience. “Limelight and the Fall play were everything to me, and Mr. Weinstein was everything to the play.”

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Like DeAugustine and Mathay, Pierson was impressed with how Weinstein handled his position as director during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Additionally, Pierson expressed gratitude for Weinstein’s support for the students. “He gave me and my cast mates opportunities to thrive on the stage and created a space where I felt supported and was able to be truly happy.” She added: “Being in the play saved me — not to be dramatic, but it did — in innumerable ways. The play gave me a place to feel seen, appreciated and supported. I’ve been in shows at many local theater companies, and I can confidently say that I’ve never experienced that same compassion from a director.”

As the next speaker was coming up to the podium, Board President Viswa Reddy began to interrupt the process. However, before he could finish his sentence, an audience member, township resident Jeffrey Feld, interrupted him, reminding the Board that the students have freedom of speech and encouraging the students to continue with their comments. However, Reddy seemed to be unhappy with this interruption and encouraged him to “bring respect to the chair” of the Board President. Feld retorted by suggesting that Reddy bring respect to the students that wished to speak. The Board President, however, ignored this and informed the students that the message was received and that Dr. Diskin will look into the matter. He turned to Dr. Diskin, asking her to provide a timeline to the students detailing the process for her investigation. However, Dr. Diskin finally encouraged the students to continue with their comments, so she could take the comments into consideration for an update that she will provide on July 30.

The next speaker was Shona Dave, who graduated with the MHS Class of 2023. She focused on Weinstein’s direction and how it empowered her in her pursuits of acting and producing. Dave performed under the direction of Weinstein for three years, and she was impressed with the “care and compassion” he showed for every student. She also noted the sense of community he fostered, making reference to the team-building exercises after the first few rehearsals of each season. Dave expressed admiration for Weinstein’s ability to challenge his students to become better performers through “honest and constructive feedback.” Similarly to Pierson, Dave was grateful for the environment that rehearsals offered, noting that it gave her a time to “let loose” even at times when she was the “busiest and most stressed.”

Dave has continued her acting career at Northwestern University, where she has also discovered a passion for producing on-campus shows. As a producer, she strives to emulate the mindset of Weinstein, “focusing on creating community, facilitating joy and encouraging individual growth.” She also noted the more measurable influence Weinstein had on his students, describing the high retention rate for cast members after their first show and describing how most of Weinstein’s students pursue a degree in theater, or at least pursue theater as a hobby, beyond high school.

The final speaker was Judith DiMinni, another graduate of the Class of 2023, who is entering her sophomore year as an acting major at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. In her comment, she focused on Weinstein’s methodology as a director. She cited the emphasis that Weinstein placed on community-building and cast-bonding and his focus on character work and script analysis (which DiMinni believes are “the most important parts of theater, at least from an educational point of view”). She discussed her experience under the direction of Weinstein in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, describing how the group “wouldn’t just run scenes for the sake of stage pictures.” Rather, they would “rehearse scenes over and over again, knowing that Mr. Weinstein was watching for moments that felt ingenuine, needed work, or could be clearer.” She then emphasized the glory that Weinstein has helped bring to Millburn. She provided handouts to the Board of Education members, listing the awards the group has been nominated for under Mr. Weinstein’s direction. She added to this point by saying, “Not every high school is able to find people that can work with students in this way. It would be a huge loss to the Department, and to future students, who will never have the chance to learn from him the way that I did.”

Feld delivered a comment of his own before the meeting proceeded with a Board member discussion. He began his comment by applauding the students for exercising their right to freedom of speech and for not feeling “intimidated” or “bullied” by the Board. He continued by making clear the reason he showed up to the meeting: to discuss the impact of Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOTs) on the district’s budget. “You have to change some of your priorities. I know you’re focused on grading, but now you really have to focus on the PILOT issue. Whether what statute they go under, we can get money to go into the school system,” said Feld.

He then made reference to Land Tax Credits, by which “monies are allocated pursuant to the tax bill.” He encouraged the Board to discuss the matter with their legal counsel or negotiate with the township for some of the revenue from those monies. Finally, he made reference to the collective bargaining between the Millburn Educators’ Association, the Millburn Administrators’ Association, and the Board, and said that the groups should unite to ensure that the school system takes advantage of PILOTs and Land Tax Credits to preserve the district’s revenue flow.

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