By Demi Rose
Santa Clara Shakespeare in the Park presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Santa Clara Park in Santa Clara, Utah. Directed through the talented hands of Heide Lee, Midsummer has a vision that is delightful. The location, although unorthodox at first, weaves in as a perfectly strategic location to star one of Shakespeare’s most well-known comedies. With an ethereal and woodsy ambiance, it comes with great ease to be transported into a world where humans and fairies exist. What happens when the two worlds collide ensures a great catastrophe that leaves no one character unchanged.
With a paradoxical twist of fate, the parade of mismatched lovers Hermia (Rebecca Wright), Lysander (Brennan Walters), Demetrius (Michael Lee), and Helena (Alexis Poulsen) show physical comedy through height differences and appropriately placed shameful displays of both scorned and forlorn lovers. To compete with the slew of comedy, Oberon (Tyson Chanticleer) and Titania (Lori Olsen) play the part of the contentious couple.
Chanticleer’s Oberon is quick witted, good humored, and leisurely with his speech and physicality, while his counterpart Olsen’s Titania is branded strong-willed and stubborn to a fault. Oberon’s confidant and friend Puck (Ginger Nelson), who is typically cast as a boy, is rightfully cast to Ms. Nelson. Nelson’s Puck is infectious with energy and entertaining to watch as she goes from slapping flowers in the lovers’ faces to how she interacts with Chanticleer’s Oberon. No sooner is the cast introduced, the energy shifts with the introduction of the infamous simple players who do a play within this play.
Quince (Marissa Walters) leads the merry players as a cheery and naïve idealist and calls out each player to show you a taste of what is to come later on. The rest of the players are as follows: Bottom (David Love) the evolutionary and overly confident performer, Flute (Kirk Jackson) who plays the unsure of himself and oblivious player, Snout (Hollie Reina), the happy-go-lucky player and is comically eating a different fruit or vegetable every scene , Snug (Sheldon Demke), the nervous but eager to please performer, and Starveling (Josh Christensen) perhaps with the fewest lines had a constant dumb-founded facial expression and socially inept air about him. Overall, every performer including those unmentioned has been cast effectively and plays the part well. The critique I do have to give is that every actor performing a Shakespeare play should learn iambic pentameter to honor Shakespearean language; however, there was a select few cast members who noticeably utilized iambic pentameter. It is not detrimental to the show but it does make a difference in the clarity of the language.
Furthermore, a stage production is never complete without the hard work put forth by the hands of the technical crew. It is obvious that the stage (Sara Schulz), lights (Jennifer Roberts), and costumes (Jill Bearden) are a decoration done with superb thought and attention to detail with simplicity in mind. The set is a perfect capture of elegance, beauty, and ethereal grace brought out by the compliment of the lights, as were the costumes a clear distinction of both worlds on every performer. It is also well tied together with a great selection of music/sound design (Mike Bearden) and choreography (Megan Young).
Beware when you come to see A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with only one performance left, they will be sure to enchant you. Come hungry because yummy food from food trucks and refreshments are provided and be sure to bring blankets or chairs to sit on. The play has no intermission and runs for a short 90-minutes appropriate for all ages and sure to keep children entertained.
Santa Clara City Shakespeare in the Park presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare
Santa Clara City Shakespeare In the Park, In the Park across the street from SC Town Hall, 2603 Santa Clara Dr, Santa Clara, UT 84765
April 12 – April 15, 2019 Friday, Saturday, Monday 8:00 PM
Tickets: Free!
Contact: 435-669-8006
Santa Clara City Shakespeare In the Park Facebook Page
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Facebook Event
Photo credit: Mindy Case, primary photographer, and Debbie Cope
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