Love is in the air, and the fairies are ripe for mischief! Shakespeare… with a twist! returns just in time for Pride with our silliest, dreamiest show yet: A Midsummer Night's Dream. WITH ORIGINAL MUSIC BY Sandile Mhlaba & Zak Houston SHOW DETAILS A Midsummer Night's Dream runs approximately 120 minutes with no intermission. This play contains sexual situations, strong language, and bawdy humor. Visit https://www.eccentricbear.com/twist for more information.
In the forests of Athens, four young lovers unknowingly find themselves in the middle of a feud between the King and Queen of the fairies. Their lives soon take a magical twist, when one meddling fairy causes chaos with the aid of a powerful love potion. Meanwhile, a bumbling troupe of amateur actors rehearse a play to be performed for the Duke's wedding.
Cast and Creative team for A Midsummer Night's Dream... with a twist! at Brooklyn Art Haus
Cast
Laurel Anderson
Nick Bottom
LAUREL ANDERSEN (They/Them) is an nonbinary, NYC-based actor who is so thrilled to be here! NYC work includes: Sleepy Hollow (Players Theatre); Romeo and Juliet (Match: Lit); and originating roles in The Other Woman (Turn to Flesh Prod.), All One Forest (Barefoot Shakespeare), The Coward, The Tragical Historie of Maximilien Robespierre (workshop, The Fled Collective), and the new musical Ladies' Lady. They’re also a frequent player at Serials and at The Drunk Texts. Regional includes Into the Woods (Playhouse on Park), The Resolute (Wyoming Theatre Festival), and two seasons with Adirondack Shakespeare. More info at: laurelandersen.com. @laurelmrc
Carmen!
Demetrius
CARMEN! (They/He) is a multimedia artist specializing in acting, playwriting, and fiber arts. Originally from Jacksonville Beach, Florida, they are currently based in Brooklyn where he lives with his partner, two cats, and a frog. Their play Taking the Plunge first received a reading at Cherry Lane and later performed at The Tank and The Chain off-Broadway and in the 2023 Fresh Fruit Festival. Carmen has worked as an actor, stage manager, and house manager for prominent theaters such as Portland Playhouse, Emursive, New Dramatists, and Futureproof. Their crochet work was showcased in Sheila Pepe’s My Neighbor’s Garden hanging in Madison Square Park in 2023. Carmen’s mission is to use play to create meaningful representation by and for underrepresented communities and to bring stories into the light that have long sat in darkness.
www.carmenburbridge.info
Erika Michelle Davis
Francis Flute
ERIKA MICHELLE DAVIS (They/She) is a clown, actor, and physical theater artist based in NYC. They are a co-founder and company member of trans-led movement theater company Gesture Theater. Gesture is in residency through WADE Dance and NYU developing WAITING / POINTING, a physical theater show exploring gesture, clown, and durational work with and about the trans community. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in physical theater from Coastal Carolina University (2020) as well as a One-Year Certificate in physical theater from the Accademia dell'arte in Arezzo, Tuscany (2019). In addition to Gesture Theater's residency through December, her recent NYC credits include Benvolio in Romeo & Juliet... with a twist! with Eccentric Bear! Erika is overjoyed to be playing with the Bard and the Bear once more!
Breezy Diabo
Theseus & Oberon
BREEZY DIABO (She/They) is delighted to join the cast in their first production with Eccentric Bear Theater Co.! Breezy is a New York City artist with past shows including A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Goodwill Theatre, A Bold Stroke For A Husband and Romeo and Juliet at Island Shakespeare Festival, Hansel and Gretel at the Tri Cities Opera House, and Alyssa in The Goddamn Tooney Lunes at Rat Queen Theatre Co. Breezy has shown original work at The Muse, The Tank, Dixon Place, Bizarre, Rockwood Music Hall, etc. She holds a BFA from Savannah College of Art & Design and an MBA/MA from Ithaca College and NYU. A warm shoutout and thanks to my grandmother for always believing in my dreams! @little.moon.fae
Aubree Chanel Dixon
Peter Quince & Peaseblossom
AUBREE CHANEL DIXON (She/Her) is so excited to be combining two of her favorite things: Shakespeare and imbibing! She truly believes that this is what Will would have wanted (and she has a Master's degree in classical theatre from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts so she is *informed*). From playing Beatrice in Much Ado about Nothing to Duke Orsino in Twelfth Night, she's always down to clown with the Bard. Some past credits NOT involving alcohol include April Jenkins in FLEX and Thelma Higgins in Julius: Harlem's Caesar. To see what other shenanigans she's getting up to check out her website aubreechaneldixon.com.
Theo Duclo
Lysander
THEO DUCLO (He/Him) is a trans actor and theatre artist from the Sonoran Desert, based in NYC. His work explores the intersections of gender, dykehood, abolition, and radical Love. Theo received his BA in drama at Vassar College with a focus in queer and prison studies. He has studied classical theatre at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA) and the Powerhouse Theatre, and is a trained puppeteer, clown, and opera singer. He is a founding member of Nocturne Theater and Gesture Theater, which was awarded the 2024 WADE residency through NYU.
HJ Farr
Egeus, Philostrate, & Others
HJ FARR (They/Them) is an actor/writer/aerialist originally from Cleveland, Ohio. They graduated with Honours from Sheridan Institute’s Music Theatre Program and moved to Madison, Wisconsin before finding a home here in NYC! Favorite experiences include playing Mac in Dumpster Flower (Broom Street Theater), Jason in Falsettos (StageQ), Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (TheatreLILA), Al in And the Lights of the Borealis were Shining (The Tank NYC), Pax in A Very Queer Holiday (available on Amazon Prime Video), voicing Nat in BawdCast (the podcast), Singing for Chrismukkah in July (Feinstein’s/54 Below), directing black & white (Broom Street Theater), and performing various aerial circus acts with Cycropia Aerial Dance, Madison Circus Space, The Muse Brooklyn, Aerial Arts NYC, and at The Slipper Room with Big Top and Let Them Eat Cake! “HJ loves Kip!”
Megan Gwyn
Helena
MEGAN GWYN (They/Them) is thrilled to be joining Eccentric Bear Theater Company for this twisted production of Midsummer! Some of Megan's favorite credits include: Edgar (King Lear), Macbeth (Macbeth), Beatrice (Much Ado About Nothing), and Kate (Taming of the Shrew).
Tristan Miller
Puck
TRISTAN MILLER is an actor and comedian from Minnesota. They have recently returned from a sold out tour of their solo show, Manic Impressive, in Aotearoa (New Zealand) Tristan is thrilled to be a part of this production and to play Puck a role they’ve wanted to explore since they were a kid!
Alle Mims
Robin Starveling
ALLE MIMS (They/Them) is a Black genderfluid artist living in Harlem. They mostly write plays about Black, Queer and Radical history, but sometimes they perform Shakespeare for 100 of their closest friends. If you’d like to become a friend, follow them on IG and TikTok @allemims.
Mukta Phatak
Tom Snout & Cobweb
MUKTA PHATAK (She/Her) is an actor, playwright, singer and teaching artist based in NYC. This is her second time twisting Shakespeare with Eccentric Bear Co., having last performed with them as Feste in Twelfth Night. Mukta is a project-seeker and much of her work blossoms from the creative communities she cultivates. Recent acting: The Wrong Box (Pendragon Theatre), Crushed Earth (People’s Light). Recent playwriting: Made in Pakistan (Ancram Opera House), The Night Diary (Children’s Theatre of Charlotte). Mukta’s intersectional identities are at the core of her artistry. Her work strives to elevate the stories of her ancestors and her inner child, and make space for others to do the same. Through her projects she strives to be a force for justice, learning, and play. @xmukta
Jett Roberts
Hippolyta & Titania
JETT ROBERTS (They/Them), a recent graduate from Molloy University CAP21, is elated to be performing in their first professional Shakespeare production! They have also been recently seen as Little Becky Two-shoes in Urinetown and Pythio, the nonbinary oracle from Head Over Heels! Jett will also be in an upcoming pilot called Sirene playing Christina Peters! They are ecstatic to portray two divinely feminine roles because, in their eyes, Shakespeare is a perfect medium for gender exploration which is exemplified by this cast!
Daniella Rodriguez
Hermia
DANIELLA RODRIGUEZ (She/Her) is an NYC-based actor and recent BFA graduate from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. She has trained at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, Stonestreet Studios, and the Commedia dell’Arte intensive in Florence, Italy. Recent credits include: The Oresteia (U/S Chorus) with Gallery Players, The End of the Party Line (Grace) at the Producers Club, and most recently, as the lead in a SAG short film titled, "ROSA". She is thrilled to be a part of A Midsummer Night’s Dream…with a twist! as Hermia. Daniella would like to thank Isaac, the cast, crew, and her mom for always supporting her. daniellarodriguez.com @daniellacrodriguez
Emma Spencer
Snug & Moth
EMMA SPENCER (She/Her) is a graduate from NYU Tisch (Class of 2023) with a BFA in Drama after three lovely years of training from The Stella Adler Studio, Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, & Stonestreet Studios. She loves her cat (Otis), fantasy books, cozy video games, & feminist Shakespeare. Some recent credits include: Uncle Vanya? (Columbia University), Shakesday (Classics on the Rocks), and Oresteia (Gallery Players). Deep thanks to this wonderful company.) emma-spencer.com
Sandile Mhlaba
Band
SANDILE MHLABA (They/He) is a queer nonbinary Zimbabwean multidisciplinary artist living on the unceded Lenape territory colloquially known as Brooklyn. A barista by day and performer by night, Sandile’s creative endeavors span the disciplines of music, theatre, film, fiber arts, and movement. Recent stage credits include readings for the Makers’ Ensemble’s Short Play Fest and Playwright’s Realm’s INK’D Festival. They can often be found gigging around Brooklyn and Queens with their band, who released their debut album “america’s boyfriend” on June 1st. Sandile’s work explores the nature of human interdependence under late stage capitalism.
Zak Houston
Band
ZAK HOUSTON (He/Him) is a songwriter and performer from New York City. He makes songs and multidisciplinary performance with his band Go Home. Their album "Bug" is out now, and the follow-up record is being released this summer. Recent composing credits include: Uncle Vanya (UCSD), Twelfth Night (Co-production, Classical Theatre of Harlem and Columbia University). As an actor, some favorite credits include The Conclusion of Henry VI (Utah Shakespeare Festival), Hamlet (New Swan Shakespeare), Completeness (Normal Ave).
Creative Team
Isaac Young
Director
Becca Canziani
Intimacy Director
Aran Montare Savory
Production Stage Manager
SUBMIT UPDATES
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Brooklyn Art Haus is at 24 March Ave., New York, NY.
Compendium of Death (5/24/25-5/31/25)
Georgia Mertching is Dead (3/28/25-3/30/25)
Rage Against Medical Debt! (11/17/24-11/17/24)
ACAB: Angry, Crazy & Black! Sydney Duncan's One Woman Show (11/16/24-11/16/24)
Walls and Windows (8/29/24-9/15/24)
A Cowboy From The Bronx (4/19/24-4/20/24)
ACAB: Angry, Crazy & Black! (3/31/24-3/31/24)
Eccentric Cabaret (2/6/24-6/4/24)
Clown Flex (12/7/23-12/7/23)
Compendium of Death (5/24/25-5/31/25)
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Mars
The Chain Theatre (1/27 - 2/1)
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Always Young The Musical
Theater For The New City (1/15 - 2/1) NEW MUSICAL
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Broadway Magic Hour
Broadway Comedy Club (1/1 - 6/30)
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Lobby Hero
Manes Studio Theatre of Long Island (1/9 - 1/25)
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The Legend of You
Caveat (1/31 - 1/31) | |
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An Enemy of the People (Equity Approved Showcase)
American Theatre of Actors (1/28 - 2/8)
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Empower State of Mind
City Winery NYC (2/2 - 2/2)
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Corona Crazy: The Musical
Teatro LATEA (1/29 - 2/1) | |
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AAPI: Playlist Volume 1
The Green Room 42 (1/22 - 1/22) BUY NOW & SAVE CONCERT | |
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Two Birds And A Bag Of Bones
The LATEA Theater (1/21 - 1/25) OFF-OFF-BROADWAY PREMIERE
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Brody Went Missing
Caveat (2/1 - 2/1) COMEDY | |
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TABLAO: An Intimate Flamenco Experience
(Le) Poisson Rouge (1/30 - 1/31) | |
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Water for Elephants
Proctors (4/7 - 4/12) | |
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Selected Shorts: Spring Training with Brian Lehrer
Symphony Space (4/29 - 4/29) | |
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THE DRESSER
MuCCC (7/24 - 8/1) | |
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Selected Shorts: O. Henry Prize Stories with Edward P. Jones
Symphony Space (1/28 - 1/28) | |
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