OpenStage Theatre Presents A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, Now thru 6/29

By: Jun. 01, 2013
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True love tumbles and bumbles as OpenStage Theatre presents William Shakespeare's most popular and beloved comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream, in an outdoor setting tonight, June 1 through 29, 2013. When a domestic dispute between the king and the queen of the fairies creates chaos in an enchanted forest, mischievous imps, hapless actors, and star-crossed lovers play a game of blind love and moon-drenched madness where anything can - and will - happen.

"A Midsummer Night's Dream presents two realities - that of the human world and that of the magical world," says director Denise Burson Freestone. "The situation in the human world is influenced, and perhaps even controlled, by that of the magical - or dream - world."

"Our production of Midsummer is not an "airy-fairy" experience," she continues. "It has humor, yes. And it has romance. But there is an edge and a danger to the magical world, just as in our dreams. The play is a madcap adventure that provides pure laughter and entertainment to audiences of all ages. But it also exists in ever-depending levels of understanding and revelation, which are virtually infinite - as indeed, are all of Shakespeare's masterpieces."

Given the theme and the supernatural aspects of Midsummer, Freestone felt an outdoor setting was a natural choice for the OpenStage production. "When OpenStage Theatre began producing plays in 1973, there were no performance venues in town outside of schools and churches. Our first production of Thieves' Carnival was performed outside in City Park. Over the next few years, several of our shows were performed outside. Last summer we decided to return to our roots and perform Shipwrecked outside in June. The play was incredibly well received, and audience members continually told us how delightful the outside venue at Columbine Health Systems was. It was vital that we have the right vehicle for an outside performance this summer, and Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream fit the bill perfectly."

But performing outside also provides challenges. "The venue at Columbine requires that we keep the cast to a minimum. As a result, when I selected Midsummer, I knew that we would have to double-cast most of the roles. As I delved deeper into double-casting, I found it worked so perfectly for the play that I began to suspect that Shakespeare may well have had double-casting in mind. And indeed, during my research, I discovered that there is not only a history of doubling the roles, but an excellent reason for doing so."

"The connection between the human and the dream world becomes so powerful when the actor playing Theseus, Duke of Athens, also portrays Oberon, King of the Fairies, and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, portrays Titania, Queen of the Fairies. The resonance between the roles becomes deeper as Philostrate, Oberon's Master of Ceremonies, becomes Puck, Oberon's madcap imp; Egeus, Hermia's controlling father, becomes Bottom the ass; and the Rude Mechanicals, who perform the play-within-the-play at Theseus' wedding to Hippolyta, become Titania's Fairies. The only characters not doubled are the Lovers, who travel through both realities and upon whom the plot revolves."

The play has been edited down to a running time of approximately 90 minutes. The result, Freestone believes, "captures all the magic of Shakespeare's play and also creates a fast moving adventure. In addition, Midsummer is one of Shakespeare's most accessible plays. The language is delightful and the plot will entertain people of all ages."

"The venue is itself a magical experience," she says. Audiences are asked to bring lawn chairs or blankets. Seating begins at 6pm for the 7pm curtain, and everyone is encouraged to bring a picnic dinner to enjoy before the show.

OpenStage Theatre is supported by grants from the Downtown Development Authority, the City of Fort Collins Fort Fund, Colorado Creative Industries and the National Endowment for the Arts. OpenStage Theatre's student programming is underwritten by grants from The Thornton Family Foundation and OtterCares Foundation.

A not-for-profit organization, OpenStage Theatre relies heavily on the support of sponsors and patrons who help make each season a success. With assistance from corporations, foundations and the general public, OpenStage has been able to maintain high quality productions for 40 years. For information on sponsorship and charitable gifts and on how you can support OpenStage Theatre, visit OpenStage's website at www.openstage.com or call 970-484-5237.



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