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A Midsummer Night’s Dream ()

Produced by

Canadian Stage

Playwright: William Shakespeare
Director: Richard Rose

Venue

High Park Amphitheatre

Run

June 26th, 2012 – September 2nd, 2012

Synopsis

In this production, director Richard Rose has given the play a unique Toronto twist, bringing it closer than ever to High Park today. Celebrations are planned to mark the marriage of the Duke Theseus to Hippolyta. A frustrated townsperson, Egeus, comes to Theseus for help — his daughter Hermia refuses to marry Demetrius because she is in love with Lysander. Theseus orders Hermia to obey her father but she and Lysander decide to escape together. They confide in their friend Helena and she, in love with Demetrius and hoping to win his heart, betrays their plan. That night, all four lovers sneak away into the forest — Hermia and Lysander together, with Helena and Demetrius following.

A group of amateur actors, led by Pierre Le Coing but dominated by the diva Bottom, go to the woods to rehearse The Tragedy of Pyramus and Thisbe, which they will perform for the Duke’s wedding.

Oberon and Titania, fairy rulers of the forest, have been arguing. To spite Titania, Oberon uses the juice of a magic flower which makes her fall in love with the first creature she sees. This happens to be Bottom, whom jester Puck has bewitched, giving him the head of a donkey. Oberon tells Puck to use the juice on Demetrius so he will return Helena’s love, but Puck mistakenly bewitches Lysander instead and he falls in love with Helena. We watch the characters’ mishaps as they struggle their way out of and into the knots of love. (canadianstage.com)


Cast

Dmitry Chepovetsky Theseus / Oberon
John Cleland Nick Bottom
Mark Crawford Francis Filchenkov
John Dolan Egeus
Gil Garratt Puck / Philostrate
Sophia Kolinas Hermia
Richard Lee Tom Chow
Ali Momen Demetrius
Tamara Podemski Hippolyta / Titania
Eric Morin Lysander
Pierre Simpson Pierre le Coing
Sarah Sherman Helena

Creative Team

William Shakespeare Playwright
Richard Rose Director
Karyn McCallum Set Designer
Karyn McCallum Costume Designer
Karyn McCallum Prop Designer
James Rolfe Composer
Jason Hand Lighting Designer
Michael Laird Sound Designer
Ker Wells Assistant Director
John Stead Fight Director

Production

Jennifer Roberts-Smith Text Consultant
Sandy Plunkett Stage Manager
Laura Baxter Assistant Stage Manager
Dilara Aksak Production Assistant
Dilara Aksak Assistant Stage Manager
Christopher Whitlock Production Assistant
Leana Mukhina Wardrobe First Hand
Michael Legouffe Head of Wardrobe
Ming Wong Head of Wardrobe
Alex Vass Props Builder
Vanessa Janiszewski Props Builder
Karen Rodd Props Builder