A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM Comes to Tacoma Arts Live This Month

Tacoma Arts Live’s Regional Theater production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream features an ensemble cast and five interconnecting stories that follow four lovers, six actors, and a host of mischievous fairies who find themselves entangled in intrigue prior to a royal wedding ceremony.

Director Deanna Martinez reinvents this whimsical romantic comedy by rooting it in a celebration of Boricua-Hawaiiana culture. A Midsummer Night’s Dream opens with a preview night on Thursday, August 17 at 8:00 p.m. followed by nine performances August 18 – September 3 at Tacoma Armory. Tickets are $45 and are on sale now.

Performance Schedule:

Preview Night: Thursday, August 17, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.

Friday, August 18, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, August 19, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.

Thursday, August 24, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.

Friday, August 25, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, August 26, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.

Thursday, August 31, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.

Friday, September 1, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, September 2, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, September 3, 2023 at 3:00 p.m.*

*This performance will be ASL interpreted

All performances will be at Tacoma Armory.

The cast will perform within custom digital projections of Hawaiian gardens and landscapes created by flora&faunavisions, the designers behind Utopian Garden.

“When presented with the phrase ‘Utopian Garden,’ my utopian garden is an amalgamation of the garden islands of my people: Puerto Rico and Hawaii, with all of the vegetation, food, music, dance, and mythology that comes with it!” says Martinez, noting the inspiration for the show.

This is a style of ‘Shakespeare in the Park… at Tacoma Armory.’ Guests are invited to wear aloha shirts and hakus (flower crowns), and bring beach towels, lauhala mats, pillows, and low-profile beach chairs to make themselves comfortable on the floor. Guests can also be seated in provided standard chairs; please indicate seating preference when reserving tickets.

Cast

The Royals

Theseus, Oberon – Jesimiel Jenkins

Philostrate, Puck – Jessica Robins

Hippolyta, Titania – Samantha Chung

The Faeries/Mechanicals

Egeus, Quince – Thomas Clatterbuck

Bottom – Travis Tingvall

Flute, Cobweb – Richard Cubi

Snout, First Fairy, Peaseblossom – Cori DeVerse

Snug, Second Fairy, Moth – Malia Silva

Starveling, Mustardseed – Andreya Pro

The “Lovers”

Helena – Tessa Brennan

Hermia – Hana Hahn

Lysander – Rodman Bolek

Demetrius – Roycen Daley

              

Production Team 

Director: Deanna Martinez

Stage Manager: Autumn Reinmuth

Assistant Stage Manager: Ayu Uematsu

Projection Designer: Paul Niederfiniger, Milena Mayer, Julian Kincses

Cultural Costuming and Movement Consultant: Kanoe Galiza

Costume Designer: Alyssa Gries

Costume Assistant: Lillie Steele

Lighting Designer: Olivia Burlingame

Sound Designer: Don Littrell

Set and Platform Designer: Brett Carr

Props Designer: Kelly Zeiler Lynch

Intimacy Choreographer: Zacharee Simms

DEIA Liaison: Eric Clausell

ASL Coach: Kai Winchester

Concept, Design & Production of all projections: flora&faunavisions

Ambient Sound Design: flora&faunavisions

Programming: wirmachenbunt

All stage work on this production is performed by employees represented by IATSE, Local #15.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is multisensory and contains some heightened sound elements, flashing lights, and stroboscopic moments using video projection and lighting technologies.

Tacoma Arts Live’s Regional Theater builds community through a season of live, professional theater. We believe in the intrinsic value of creativity and pay all artists for their services. This allows us to attract some of the Pacific Northwest's best talent to create performances that include and honor all cultures. Our work aspires to refresh audiences by connecting them to a sense of empathy, challenging their complacency, and inspiring them to live with joy and thoughtful inquiry.

Tickets to A Midsummer Night’s Dream are $45 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets, call Tacoma Arts Live Box Office at 253.346.1721, visit Tacoma Armory in person at 1001 S Yakima Ave., or online at TacomaArtsLive.org.

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