Plimpton, Ferguson, Etc. Join Public's 'Midsummer' Cast

Martha Plimpton will play 'Helena' in Shakespeare in the Park's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare.  Plimpton will replace the previously announced Missi Pyle, who has withdrawn from the production due to an unexpected scheduling conflict.

Plimpton returns to The Public Theater, where she performed in Boston Marriage, Pericles, and The Hagaddah. For her performance in The Coast of Utopia, she was nominated for a 2007 Tony Award and won Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards.

Complete casting has been announced for the production, the second and final of Shakespeare in the Park's 'Summer of Love.' A Midsummer Night's Dream is "a sparkling romp that proves 'the course of true love never did run smooth,'" state press materials.  Previews will begin on Tuesday, August 7th with performances continuing for five weeks through September 9th.  The press opening will be Thursday, August 23rd.

The complete cast of A Midsummer Night's Dream includes Chelsea Bacon as First Fairy, Ken Cheeseman as Starveling, Christine Corpuz in the Ensemble, Jesse Tyler Ferguson ("The Class," Spelling Bee) as Flute, Herb Foster (The Rivals, Kiss Me, Kate) as Philostrate, Simon Garratt as a Fairy, Erica Huang as a Fairy, Ben Huber in the Ensemble, Cassidy Leonard as Fairy, George Morfogen (Fortune's Fool, An Inspector Calls) as Egeus, Isis Ashai Mullen-Hansen as a Fairy, Mallory Portnoy in the Ensemble, Lina Silver as a Fairy, and Keith Randolph Smith (King Hedley II, Salome) as Snug, and Jack Tartaglia (not to be confused with the Avenue Q star) as a Fairy, in addition to the previously announced Jason Antoon (Snout), Keith David (Oberon), Mireille Enos (Hermia), Jon Michael Hill (Puck), Austin Lysy (Lysander), Tim Blake Nelson (Quince), Daniel Oreskes (Theseus), Laila Robins (Titania), Jay O. Sanders (Bottom), and Elliot Villar (Demetrius).

Scenic design is by Eugene Lee, costume design is by Ann Hould-Ward, lighting design is by Michael Chybowski, and sound design is by Acme Sound Partners.

Performances of Shakespeare in the Park will be Tuesday Through Sunday at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are FREE and will be available on the day of the performance (two per person) at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park beginning at 1:00 p.m. and at The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street (near Astor Place), from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The closest entrances to the Delacorte are at 81st Street and Central Park West or 70th Street and Fifth Avenue.

For additional information about Shakespeare in the Park, call (212) 539-8750 or visit The Public Theater website at www.publictheater.org.

Photo of Martha Plimpton by Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.