American Repertory Theatre

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

by William Shakespeare
directed by Martha Clarke
January 10 - February 28, 2004
at the Loeb Drama Center
photos - cast - synopsis - related links

The third production of the season brings renowned director/choreographer Martha Clarke to the A.R.T. to direct Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Clarke's dance-theatre inhabits a gorgeous, sensual realm, rich in fantasy and the fragmented imagery of the unconscious. Her creation The Garden of Earthly Delights was presented at the A.R.T. in 1985 and we are pleased to be able to bring her back to Cambridge. Together with her long-time collaborator, scenic designer Robert Israel, she has created an earthy world of spectacular beauty for this midwinter Midsummer, complete with dancers and aerial choreography.

running time is approximately two hours, including one intermission

scenery & costumes by Robert Israel
orginal music by Richard Peaslee
stage manager Chris De Camillis

lighting by James Ingalls
sound by David Remedios
Flying by Foy
Above: Karen MacDonald, Paola Styron, Thomas Derrah,
Lisa Giobbi, Erica Berg, Olivia Grant. Photo: Richard Feldman. 

PHOTOS

 
 

Click any thumbnail for a full-size image. Photos: Richard Feldman.

CAST

ATHENS MECHANICALS FAIRYLAND
Theseus ... John Campion Peter Quince ... Will LeBow Oberon ... John Campion
Hippolyta ... Karen MacDonald Nick Bottom ... Thomas Derrah Titania ... Karen MacDonald
Egeus ... Will LeBow Francis Flute ... Remo Airaldi Puck ... Jesse J. Perez
Hermia ... Michi Barall Tom Snout ... Will Peebles Fairy ... Erica Berg
Lysander ... Tug Coker Snug the Joiner ... Jeremy Geidt Fairy ... Olivia Grant
Demetrius ... Daniel Talbott Robin Starveling ... Jonathan Broke Fairy ... Lisa Giobbi
Helena ... Katherine Powell   Fairy ... Paola Styron
  Indian Boy ... Snow Guilfoyle
piano improvisations by Will LeBow  

SYNOPSIS

A design by artist Kelvin Davies
for the production.

Theseus, the Duke of Athens, is preparing to marry Hippolyta, the defeated Queen of the Amazons. As he ponders how to spend the four days till his wedding, Theseus is interrupted by Egeus, an Athenian aristocrat, who has dragged his daughter Hermia into the court. Egeus wishes Hermia to marry the noble Demetrius, but she is in love with Lysander, a younger and poorer man. Theseus confirms that if Hermia does not obey her father's will, the law of Athens requires that she be put to death.

Lysander suggests to Hermia that they should escape to the forest, where the Athenian law cannot harm them. Hermia unfolds their plan to her schoolfriend Helena, who is herself in love with Demetrius. Helena determines to reveal their scheme to Demetrius, and the four young lovers depart for the forest by night.

Meanwhile a group of tradesmen are preparing a play to be performed at Theseus' wedding. They too enter the forest, hoping to rehearse there uninterrupted.

Unbeknownst to the humans, the forest is home to a tribe of fairies, whose King and Queen, Oberon and Titania, are fighting a bitter feud over a young Indian boy. To punish Titania, Oberon instructs his lieutenant Puck to cast a spell on her that will make her fall in love with the first creature she sees. Puck does so, and then bewitches one of the tradesmen, Bottom the Weaver, planting an ass's head on his shoulders. Titania sees him, and duly falls prey to Oberon's magic and finds herself in love with Bottom.

Oberon, in the meantime, has spotted the human lovers wandering in the forest, and commands Puck to help them. Puck mistakes the men, and causes Lysander to fall in love with Helena. Chaos ensues, and it takes all of Oberon's magic and cunning to restore order to the fairies, the tradesmen, and the lovers.

RELATED LINKS

Order the poster by designer Burt Sun via the zazzle.com website.

Opening night sponsors Carol and Harvey Berman, and Beth Pollock.
Reception sponsors Joan and John Bok.
Additional support provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.

This page updated February 29, 2004
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