Close Encounters of a Shakespearean Kind at TheatreFor

Adaptation by Dee O'Brein:

Close Encounters of the Shakespearean Kind Act I opens with Shakespeare’s Richard, a sharply focused adaptation of The Tragedy of Richard III. At its center is Richard himself: charming, ruthless, and terrifyingly theatrical. He schemes his way toward the crown by eliminating anyone who stands between him and power.

Act II turns from the violence of Richard III to the comic world of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In this version, Theseus and his bride are replaced by hecklers, giving the performance a modern, playful edge. The comedy builds as Bottom tries to play every role, the rehearsal falls apart in the woods, and Puck, Titania, and the bewitched local stage manager add further confusion. By the end, the workers have traded drinking, pub games and karaoke for the harder labor of acting, at least until the show is over.