The merry band of Rude Mechanicals perform for the Duke and Royal court. From left to right: Janea Hundley as Nick Bottom, Ella Jane Hoffmaster as Snout, Dalin Newerls as Francis Flute, Sarah Campbell as Starvling, Christian Lewis as Snug, and River Dakota Russo as Peter Qunince.
While Lysander’s famous line is mostly true, the cast of our production of A Midsummer Night’s dream is making sure their show is nothing but smooth. This cast of students ranging in ages from 16-22 have been working hard to bring Shakespeare’s classic comedy to life on our Mainstage.
A Midsummer Night's Dream is the dreamy comedy written by William Shakespeare sometime around 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus the duke of Athens and Hippolyta the Queen of the Amazon.
Nicolas Fenger as Puck
Another subplot involves a conflict between four young Athenian lovers. Another follows a group of six amateur actors rehearsing the play which they are to perform at the Duke’s wedding. Both groups find themselves in a forest inhabited by mischievous fairies who manipulate the mortals and are engaged in their own domestic intrigue. The play is one of Shakespeare's most popular and most beloved works.
We have moved the time period of our production up to the late 1930’s and added a few updated touches. I am excited to say that I have the distinct pleasure of directing this Treehouse production.
““The audience will never understand what you are saying if you don’t!””
This advice was given to me a very long time ago during my first endeavor into performing Shakespeare at the impressionable age of 15. This statement may seem like common sense, but like most young actors, I thought Shakespeare was scary.
Jacob Summers as Lysander and Carsen Campbell as Hermia asleep in the enchanted forest.
Shakespeare’s works are considered literary spinach, good for everyone, but hard to stomach by the majority. Many often see the Bard’s writing as intimidating and hard to understand. Well I am here to tell you that this simply isn’t true. When you have a cast that truly understands the language and intricacies of the story, a beautiful play can be enjoyed by all!
Anna Queen, a student at PSC who plays the lovesick Helena explains “I love this show because it really shows how even during Shakespeare’s time, there are universal things that we as a collective will always find humorous and entertaining.” A Midsummer Night’s dream touches on such themes as love and jealousy, but also self-confidence, the bonds of friendship, and gender dynamics.
Anna Queen as Hermia and Jamie Philpott as Demetrius asleep in the enchanted forest.
Although the story follows three separate subplots, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is surprisingly easy to follow and is considered one of William Shakespeare’s most performed works because of its comedic moments and fantastical imagery. “It’s very interesting to see how much of this script can implement so much humor without having overly comical lines. The plot line is very engaging, and the play’s overall theme and message is absolutely lovely”, says Nicolas Fenger who plays Puck, the fairy king's mischievous minion. Fenger goes on to explain, “I love this show mainly because of its physicality. I auditioned because of my love for Shakespeare and my interest to do another Shakespearean comedy, which I haven’t done in a while”.
As a director in the time of COVID, I knew that figuring out how to communicate loving relationships, and physical conflict while keeping my young cast safe was going to be a challenge. Through creative blocking and some theatre magic, I think you will enjoy the portrayal of the different relationships on our stage.
Luckily this cast is completely on board with keeping everyone safe during the rehearsal process. “I auditioned for this show because we are currently in the middle of a historical change in how theatre is being done and I wanted the opportunity to be a part of it”, Explains Ella Jane Hoffmaster who plays the double role of Mustardseed, a member of the fairy court and Snout the Tinker. “Rehearsing Shakespeare in a mask can be difficult because you have to focus more on over-annunciating and projecting so that your scene partners can hear and understand you.”
Yet, even through the difficulty the cast understands the importance of what they are doing. Nicolas Fenger said it best when he explained, “Although the masks can be slightly hindering at times, it’s miles more important to keep our cast and crew safe so we can present our best work possible in the healthiest of conditions.”
Be sure to catch A Midsummer Night’s Dream opening March 5th, with live and streaming performances available.