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by William Shakespeare
directed by Jim Helsinger Presented by
"And in the spicéd Indian air by night" love is afoot. Set in British India, dreams mix with reality as kings, commoners and faeries whimsically stumble in and out of love as legendry prankster, Puck leads all on a merry chase into the night. Opens April 3 - May 3, 1998
Previews April 1 & 2, 1998
Special matinee Performance Sunday, May 3 at 2:00 p.m.
A.Bruun, M.Nichols, R.Width
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R.Martini, C.Calfas
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C.Calfas, R.Martini
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C.Calfas, P.Nolen
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Dramatis Personae The British Court | | Theseus, the Duke of Athens, India | Alan Bruun* | | Egeus, father to Hermia | Michael Nichols* | | Hermia, in love with Lysander | Suzanne O'Donnell* | | Lysander, in love with Hermia | Tom Huston* | | Demetrius, in love with Hermia | Richard Width | | Helena, in love with Demetrius | Kelly Collins Lintz | The Indian Court | | Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus | Catherine Stork | | Philostrate, Master of the Revels | Michael R. Marinaccio | | Indian Servant | Kevin Reams | | Indian Servant | Delmi Cartagena | The Mechanicals | | Peter Quince, the carpenter (Prologue) | Tom Paitson Kelly* | | Nick Bottom, the weaver (Pyramus) | Philip Nolen* | | Francis Flute, the bellows mender (Thisby) | Marc O'Donnell | | Tom Snout, the tinker (Wall) | Kevin O'Donnell | | Robin Starveling, the tailor (Moonshine) | Jay T. Becker | | Snug, the joiner (Lion) | Don Fowler | The Faeries of the Forest | | Oberon, King of the Faeries | Robert Lee Martini* | | Puck or Robin Goodfellow, Oberon's lieutenant | John Daggett* | | Oberon Attendant | Michael R. Marinaccio | | Oberon Attendant | Kevin Reams | | Titania, Queen of the Faeries | Christine Calfas | | Indian Boy | Shayna Albertson | | Cobweb, a faery in Titania's service | Brenda Shea | | Moth, a faery in Titania's service | Catherine Stork | | Mustardseed, a faery in Titania's service | Melanie Whipple | | Peaseblossom, a faery in Titania's service | Delmi Cartagena |
*denotes member of  Understudies
Jay T. Becker - Bottom, Alan Bruun* - Oberon, Rio Maria Doyle - Helena/Moth/Mustardseed/Cobweb/Peaseblossom, Don Fowler - Demetrius, Anthony James Holsten - Theseus/Oberon Guard, Kevin O'Donnell - Lysander, Marc O'Donnell - Puck, Kevin Reams - Flute/Snout/Snug/Quince/Starveling, Brenda Shea - Hippolyta, Catherine Stork - Titania, Melanie Whipple - Hermia.
Reviews Reviewed by: Brad Haynes, Orlando Weekly
Published: April 16, 1998 A Hindu Dream |
| Director Jim Helsinger has found an inspired vehicle for presenting "A Midsummer Night's Dream," Shakespeare's classic play of magic and mayhem. The Athenian cast has been relocated to India during the British Raj of the Victorian Era, and the faeries of the woods have become enchanted Hindu gods and goddesses. As Theseus (Alan Bruun) the Duke of Athens, India, prepares to marry Queen Hippolyta (Catherine Stork), other more complicated romantic entanglements begin to unravel. Hermia (Suzanne O'Donnell) is betrothed to Demetrius (Richard Width) yet she is in love with Lyysander (Tom Huston). To complicate matters even further, Helena (Kelly Collins Lintz) is in love with Demetrius. The lovers all flee to the woods outside Athens as Oberon (Robert Lee Martini), the King of the Faeries, enlists chief faerie Puck (John Daggett) to straighten out the romantic complications. Chaos ensues when Lysander and Demetrius fall under Puck's spell and shift their affections to Helena. Meanwhile, a group of "rude mechanicals" prepare a play to be presented on the wedding day of Theseus and Hippolyta. As the troupe heads to the woods for rehearsal, Oberon calls on Puck to | exact revenge on his queen, Titania. The sleeping Titania is given a potion to make her fall in love with the first thing she sees after waking - in this case Bottom, an actor in the woods who Puck has give the head of an ass. As the four star-crossed lovers, O'Donnell, Width, Lintz and newcomer Huston bring a youthful and winsome vitality to their roles .
Christine Calfas injects the Hindu goddess Titania with an exuberant sensuality and Helsinger's vision lends magical elements to her portrayal of the Queen of the Faeries. The one misstep in the proceedings is Daggett's simian version of Puck. More malevolent than mischevious, the Puck often breaks the tone of the play and his frequent ad-libs are jarring. As Bottom Philip Nolen applies his unique brand of physical humor and an expert sense of comic timing to maximum effect. He may be made an ass of in the play, but he knows how to use it for all its worth. With Cooper Ladnier's evocative Indian music, a sumptuous set design by Bob Phillips and the aroma of burning incense wafting through the air, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" delights all the senses in an evening that is truly magical. |
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