Switchyard Theatre Company Presents A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM in April

Switchyard Theatre Company brings their inaugural production of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream to the stage this spring. This touring production will be presented in outdoor locations in Cary and Chapel Hill. Midsummer... follows the intertwined tales of pompous Greek royalty, fickle young lovers and an amateur theater troupe, as they are caught up in the machinations of a feuding faerie court.

Some of Shakespeare's most memorable characters are brought to life by the 18-member cast, which has some nontraditional surprises that give new depth to the story. Young lovers Hermia and Lysander are portrayed by Kelly McDaniel and Emily Yates, while Gale Riggs brings the impish faerie Puck to life. Noelle Azarelo and Ryan McDaniel play the older-but-not-wiser lovers Helena and Demetrius, and local Shakespeare educators and actors Katie Anderson and Liam Yates lead the faerie court as Oberon and Titania. John Paul Middlesworth plays Nick Bottom, the hapless leader of the theater troupe, who is transformed into a donkey by the faeries and provides comic relief. Rounding out the cast are Jason Christ, Lara Coutinho-Dean, Gerardo Elizondo, Drew Gulino, Matthew Lubin, Lydia Machalicky, Sarah Richardson, Grace Siplon, Travis Walsh and Katie Zimmerman.

This production brings a Renaissance-faire flavor to the classic Shakespeare comedy. Variety and improv performers in period costume pieces will entertain audiences prior to showtime, performing close-up juggling and audience improv. Food trucks will be on site, and audience members are encouraged to bring or purchase snacks and non-alcoholic beverages to enjoy during the show. Larger groups may also be escorted to their seats and "blessed" by a member of the faerie court.

The first weekend of performances will take place April 29-May 1 in Chapel Hill at Southern Village Amphtheatre, 400 Market St. Cary performances run the following weekend, May 7-8, at the Sertoma Amphitheatre at Bond Park, 801 High House Rd. Tickets for all performances are $20 general admission, $10 for seniors and students, with a discount for groups of 4-8 people. Tickets are available online at https://switchyard.booktix.com/.

For more information, visit the STC website (https://switchyardtheatrecompany.org).

About Switchyard Theatre Company: Changing times require new ways to look at the world. At STC, our goal is to tell stories with modern and diverse voices, and derive new meanings that are relevant today. Our mission is to engage, entertain, and inspire residents of the greater Triangle area with productions of new works and reimagined classic plays, and to provide opportunities for aspiring theater professionals of all ethnicities and gender identifications to grow through experience and education.