A Midsummer Night’s Dream

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
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Oberon (Daniel Kash) is about to squeeze the magic flower juice into the sleeping Demetrius’ eyes (Sergio Di Zio)	Helena (Stephanie Belding) accuses Hermia (Tara Rosling) of betraying their friendship while both Lysander and Demetrius are smitten with Helena.


Quince (Sean Sullivan) tells the tradesmen/players about the play they must rehearse for the Duke’s wedding	Bottom, transformed into a donkey, prepares for his nap while smitten Titania watches adoringly
Considered to be the loveliest of Shakespeare’s romantic comedies, A Midsummer Night’s Dream poses some interesting and troubling questions on the nature and cruelties of love. Under the influence of a magic flower, Lysander - who has convinced Hermia to run away with him to get married - abruptly leaves her and begins to court her best friend, Helena. And Demetrius, who entered the forest also in love with Hermia, suddenly switches to Helena as well. The fairy queen who has spent the night winding herself around the ass-headed Bottom, wakes up to declare that she now hates the very sight of her former love. Whether we blame the cruelty of love and the unreliability of love-at-first-sight on Cupid’s arrow, or on Oberon’s magic flower, the suffering of those who have been told to “get lost” remains the same.
	In the tradesmen’s play, Pyramus (Eric Weinthal) and Thisbe (Lynne Griffin) talk to each other through a chink in the wall (Brett Heard)
Our narrator (who doubles as the fairy Queen Titania) is our guide to the powerful and mischievous world of the fairies, and she voices concerns about the long lasting effects of flower- induced passion. (except when her character falls victim to it) Discussion topics in the teachers’ guide involve students directly in the characters’ predicaments.
Screen Credits Cast and Crew Production Notes

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