Press Agent Jonathan Slaff Joins A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM Cast From Shakespeare in the Parking Lot
Slaff will appear as Robin Starveling, the tailor-turned-thespian who famously portrays Moonshine in the romantic comedy's play-within-a-play.
In an unexpected twist worthy of Shakespearean comedy, Jonathan Slaff, longtime press agent for Shakespeare in the Parking Lot, will step out from behind the laptop and onto the stage July 31 to August 2 in the troupe’s 30th anniversary production, "A Midsummer Night’s Dream." Slaff will appear as Robin Starveling, the tailor-turned-thespian who famously portrays Moonshine in the romantic comedy's play-within-a-play.
The production, directed by Hamilton Clancy, will be performed free to the public from July 17 to August 2, 2025 in the parking lot at 145 Stanton Street (between Norfolk & Rivington).
Slaff, who has been press agent of Shakespeare in the Parking Lot since its early years, is known not only for his PR acumen but also for shooting his clients' production photos himself—an unusual dual role in the theater world. Now, in an even more unorthodox turn, he’ll join the ensemble as part of the troupe of hapless “mechanicals” who rehearse and perform a delightfully disastrous play for the Duke’s wedding.
His sudden entrance is prompted by one of the quirks of Off-Off Broadway life—a principal actor landed a better-paying job, creating a ripple effect in the cast. Amid the resulting shuffle, Slaff gamely accepted the call to perform, embodying the hapless tailor Starveling, who comically portrays Moonshine in the play’s riotous “Pyramus and Thisbe” finale.
This marks a return to performing for Slaff, whose earlier acting credits can be found at www.jonathanslaff.actor. When asked about his sudden theatrical debut in Parking Lots, he quipped, “I’ve always worked behind the scenes and behind the camera. But in this show, I not only have to shine the moonlight—I have to be the moonlight!” He adds, “In Off-Off Broadway, you do what’s needed. I already write the press releases, take the pictures and move the chairs—so why not also portray celestial phenomena?”
The Drilling Company's Shakespeare in the Parking Lot (SITPL) is presenting its 30th season this summer. Its concept--presenting free Shakespeare plays with a "poor theater" aesthetic in a working parking lot--is now widely imitated around the US and around the world, with productions as far away as New Zealand.
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