A Midsummer Night's Dream at Santa Barbara High School Theater Department

Santa Barbara High School Theater Department presents A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Gioia Marchese, featuring Shakespeare's original text with a deep edit to incorporate songs, dances, and a near-complete gender reversal of roles. Set in a Renaissance Revival world, the production blends costumes and staging inspired by Ren Faire culture with music from the late 1960s and early 1970s, featuring original arrangements by a composer/arranger. The gender reversal was a deliberate choice by Marchese to bring new energy to the relationships and offer students an exploration of gendered expectations. Themes of humanity's connection to nature, the lengths people go to for love, and the comfort of dreams run throughout this production.