Interview: Tre’Von Griffith, Creator of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM at St Louis Shakespeare Festival

Tre’Von Griffith’s fresh adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is thrilling audiences all over St. Louis and the Bi-State Metropolitan Area. Huge throngs are turning out to see his exuberant take on the Shakespearean tale of the King and Queen, the fairies, the lovers, and the Mechanicals.

This is the second time in three years that St. Louis Shakespeare Festival has presented Griffith’s adaptation as the traveling show for their touring company. The festival’s Katie Tichelkamp told Broadway World, “The tour has found its audience, and we wanted to take the opportunity to present Tre’s outstanding adaptation again.” She calls Griffith “a brilliant artist.”

Broadway World had the opportunity to chat with Griffith over e-mail and ask about his version of A Midsummer Night’s dream and how the production has evolved since it’s 2022 festival debut.

Griffith said, “The 2022 production gave us the foundation, but his version is more expansive and bolder. We’ve reimagined the pacing, music, and design elements to make the show feel even more immersive.”

When asked how he conceived this concept Griffith said he wanted to create a Midsummer that felt like a block party under the stars that was alive with music, rhythm, and community. “Shakespeare wrote this play as a celebration of love and imagination, so I leaned into that joy. I layered the play with Black culture, sound, and storytelling traditions.” Griffith’s goal was to create something both deeply familiar and totally fresh. He succeeded. The audience laughs, grooves, and dreams right alongside the characters.

This production features six actors, each taking on multiple roles. Their change in character is delineated by their physical acting, vocal intonations, and costuming.

“This cast is pure fire,” brags Griffith, “They’re not just performing Shakespeare, they’re owning it, embodying it, and making it theirs. The vulnerability, humor, and boldness they bring to the stage makes every performance a joy.” Griffith said he couldn’t have asked for a braver, more inventive group of artists to bring his dream to life.

The artists aren’t the only bold thing on the stage. Broadway World critic James Lindhorst was impressed with how Brandin Vaughn’s costumes made a statement that defined each character. In his review he said, “Vaughn’s costumes were especially critical to Griffith’s storytelling. His designs were simple enough to allow for quick change without sacrificing visual appeal and playful details.”

“Brandin is a genius at building clothes that tell stories.” Griffith continued, “The costumes are whimsical but also deeply functional – the kind of pieces actors can move, dance, and sweat in while still looking magical. Every detail from fabric choice to color palette is rooted in playfulness and cultural nods.”

Griffith mentions three-time Tony winning director George C. Wolfe as one of his inspirations for brining Black culture to the stage. “His work redefined what Black storytelling could look like on the American Stage,” says Griffith. “From The Colored Museum to Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk, he infused theater with history, humor, and a fearless Black lens that made space for generations of artists.”

There is no doubt that Wolfe’s inspiration was a factor in how Griffith conceived, adapted, created, and directed this production. While he credits the actors for their brave and inventive performances, there’s no doubt that Griffith’s leadership made this production a crowd-pleasing work.

When asked to choose three words to describe his production of A Midsummer Night’s dream, Griffith responded with, “Joyous, Magical, and Black.”