A Midsummer Night’s Dream 12-13
Spend your holiday dreaming under the light of the Fairyland moon, with Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Mismatched lovers Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius and Helena encounter a supernatural squabble that will alter their destinies forever. Will mischievous Puck create harmony or cacophony within the forest? Love, magic and wonder fill the air as dreams blend with reality in this must-see Shakespeare classic. Ethan McSweeny returns after last season’s Much Ado About Nothing, hailed as “feel-good holiday fare” by The Washingtonian.
Learn more in
ASIDES MAGAZINE
View a program from the production.
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[accordion-item title=”Synopsis”]
Theseus, the Duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, anticipate their wedding. Egeus enters the court and implores Theseus to force his daughter Hermia to marry Demetrius. Hermia, however, loves Lysander. Theseus gives Hermia an ultimatum: marry Demetrius, enter a nunnery, or be put to death as Athenian law dictates. Hermia and Lysander, left alone, resolve to flee to the woods that night. Hermia’s friend Helena enters and laments her unrequited love for Demetrius, who only has eyes for Hermia. Meanwhile, a group of Athenian working men resolve to put on a play, in the hopes that they will be chosen to perform at Theseus and Hippolyta’s wedding celebrations.
In the forest outside Athens, a fairy and Puck, a mischievous spirit, discuss the quarrel between Oberon, the Fairy King, and Titania his Queen. Oberon enters and demands custody from Titania of a changeling child in her care, but she swears never to give him up. After Titania storms off, Oberon decides to take revenge by making Titania fall in love with a beast. He orders Puck to find a magical flower, whose juice causes a person to fall in love with the next creature he or she sees. Meanwhile, Demetrius enters, looking for Hermia and spurning Helena’s advances. Overhearing their conversation, Oberon orders Puck to squeeze the love-juice in Demetrius’ eyes. Entering Titania’s bower as she sleeps, Oberon then squeezes the love-juice onto her eyes. Puck, meanwhile, sees Lysander sleeping, mistakes him for Demetrius and squeezes the flower’s juice onto his eyes. Waking, Lysander spots Helena and falls in love with her.
After Puck happens upon the rehearsal of the Athenian working men, he transforms the head of Bottom, a weaver, into that of an ass’s. Bottom’s companions flee, and Bottom inadvertently wakens Titania, who, enchanted by the love-juice, falls in love. Elsewhere, Oberon realizes that Puck mistook Lysander for Demetrius, and orders him to correct his error by enchanting Demetrius. Puck does so, leading the four all over the forest, until, exhausted, they all lie down to sleep. Puck then squeezes the juice onto Lysander’s eyes, so that he will love Hermia again.
Titania, having entertained Bottom, falls asleep with him in her bower. Oberon enters with Puck and, waking Titania, releases her from the juice’s power. Titania agrees to give Oberon the changeling boy, and Puck removes Bottom’s ass’s head. In another part of the forest, as day approaches, Theseus and Hippolyta enter with a hunting party. Seeing the four young lovers asleep on the ground, Theseus wakes them and approves the new matches. They leave for Athens. Bottom awakens and recounts his dream. Rushing back to Athens, Bottom promises his companions that their play will be played at court that evening.
At the wedding celebration, Theseus selects the working men’s play, “Pyramus and Thisbe,” to be performed. The working men perform their play, to the great amusement of the court. After the play’s conclusion, the lovers retire to bed. Puck enters and declares that he will chase away any evil spirits. He is followed by Oberon and Titania, who bless the marriage beds. The play ends with an epilogue by Puck, addressed to the audience and asking for their applause.
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[accordion-item title=”The Cast”]
Nancy Anderson*
First Fairy
Maxwell Balay
Changeling Boy
John Bambery+
Ensemble
Robert Beitzel*
Lysander
Christopher Bloch*
Robin Starveling
Tim Campbell*
Theseus/Oberon
Christiana Clark*
Helena
Robert Dorfman*
Snug
Bruce Dow*
Nick Bottom
Adam Green*
Philostrate/Puck
Jacqui Jarrold+
Ensemble
David Graham Jones*
Francis Flute
Joe Mallon+
Ensemble
Chris Myers*
Demetrius
Amelia Pedlow*
Hermia
Lawrence Redmond*
Egeus
Max Reinhardsen+
Ensemble
Rohan Saxena
Changeling Boy
Herschel Sparber*
Tom Snout
Gracie Terzian
Ensemble
Jessica Thorne
Ensemble
Sara Topham*
Hippolyta/Titania
Katherine Renee Turner
Ensemble
Ted van Griethuysen*
Peter Quince
* Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers.
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[accordion-item title=”The Artistic Team”]
Ethan McSweeny
Director
Peter Pucci
Choreographer
Lee Savage
Set Designer
Jennifer Moeller
Costume Designer
Tyler Micoleau
Lighting Designer
Fitz Patton
Composer/Sound Designer
Leah J. Loukas
Wig and Makeup Designer
Nancy Anderson
Music Vocal Coach
Brad Waller
Fight Director
Binder Casting
Jay Binder, CSA/Jack Bowdan, CSA
Casting
Daniel Neville-Rehbehn
Resident Casting Director
Ellen O’Brien
Voice and Text Coach
Drew Lichtenberg
Literary Associate
Jenny Lord
Assistant Director
Joseph Smelser*
Production Stage Manager
Brandon Prendergast*
Stage Manager
Hannah R. O’Neil*
Assistant Stage Manager
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[accordion-item title=”Reviews”]
★★★★★
-DC Metro Theatre Arts
“The show is a great introduction to the Bard for younger theatergoers, who will get a special kick out of the dazzling entrances devised for the actors.”
-The Washington Post
“It’s the kind of gusty storm of a performance that satisfyingly renews a very weathered play.”
-The Washington Post
“This could be an easy enough show to interpret, particularly come holiday time, when all anybody wants is magic and a sense of joy. But this thoughtful, relatively risky take on a familiar classic is well worth experiencing.”
-Washingtonian
“Ethan McSeeney’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a feast for the senses. The Shakespeare Theatre Company has turned McSweeney loose to traffic in the magic of the theatre that weaves its potent spell in Sidney Harman Hall.”
-DC Theatre Scene
“This is a bold and delightful production of one of Shakespeare’s best comedies – not to be missed among this season’s events!”
-Maryland Theatre Guid
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