A Midsummer |
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Young lovers, human and fairy royalty, and an amateur theater troupe reel through romance and spellcraft in one of Shakespeare's most hilarious and enchanting works. Cal Shakes welcomes Aaron Posner—Two River Artistic Director and co-founder of Philadelphia’s Arden Theatre—in his Cal Shakes directorial debut.
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Highlights from A Midsummer Night's Dream.
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Don't take OUR |
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Listen to Resident Dramaturg Philippa Kelly give a grove talk about A Midsummer Night's Dream |
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Got a question about Midsummer? Ask Resident Dramaturg Philippa Kelly and Director Aaron Posner! |
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Midsummer’s Happy Days |
Events
Inside Scoop
Aug 31, 7pm.
Meet our directors, design teams, and cast members as they discuss their creative choices during these free Monday evening events at the Orinda Library (24 Orinda Way). Seating is limited, please arrive early. Free tickets will be handed out at the door beginning at 6:30pm, event begins at 7pm. Complimentary Loard’s Ice Cream and Peet’s Coffee & Tea will be served.
Grove Talks
Nightly, beginning 45 minutes prior to each performance.
Our resident Grove Talk speakers provide invaluable insight into our work as they discuss the relationship between play (text, history, critical theory) and production (directorial point of view, design, character interpretation). Talks are approximately 20 minutes long.
Previews
Sep 16, 17 & 18. Be part of the process by seeing the show before opening night at deeply discounted prices.
Opening Night
Sep 19. Attend the opening night and mingle with the cast and critics at a post-show party with food, drinks, and music.
Pizza Night
Wednesday, Sep 16, 6:30pm; performance at 8pm. Pre-show pizza party for our college-age friends, free with your ticket to the show.
Meet the Artists
Sundays, Sep 20 & Oct 4, following the 4pm performance (approx. 7pm). Discuss the production with the cast! Takes place in the amphitheater. Free and open to the public – you need not be a ticket holder for that day’s performance to attend.
Tasting Nights
Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Sep 22, 23, 29, 30, Oct 6 & 7.
Sample some of the Bay Area’s finest food and drink for free. Yes, we said FREE! Each of these special performances features tastings from one or two local purveyors. NEW: if you follow us on Twitter, you can get the names of your performance’s Tastings vendors texted to you in advance.
Behind the Scenes
Thursday, Sep 24. Share an intimate chat with actors from each production. The evening includes a backstage tour, hors d’oeuvres, wine, and a catered dinner before the show. Participants meet at 5:30pm in the North Star Grove.
InSight Matinees
Sunday, Sep 27, Performances followed by a conversation with the dramaturg exploring the world of the play. InSight takes place in the Bruns Amphitheater immediately following select 4pm Sunday matinee and is free and open to the public.
LGBT Night
Friday, Sep 25, 6:30pm; performance at 8pm Pre-show cocktail party for the LGBT crowd featuring music and games. 6:30pm.
The Shindig
Friday, Oct 2, 6:30pm; performance at 8pm. Pre-show party for young professionals with cocktails, music, and more.
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Set model design by Brian Sidney Bembridge |
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Publicity photos by Kevin Berne |
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CAST
(In alphabetical order)
STARVELING/ Ted Barker
P.T. QUINCE / Patty Gallagher*
FLUTE / Lance Gardner*
HELENA / Lindsey Gates*
PUCK / Doug Hara*
SNOUT/EGEUS / Dan Hiatt*
TITANIA/HIPPOLYTA / Pegge Johnson*
SNUG/PHILOSTRATE / Joan Mankin*
LYSANDER / Avery Monsen*
BOTTOM / Danny Scheie*
OBERON/THESEUS / Keith Randolph Smith*
DEMETRIUS / Richard Thieriot*
HERMIA / Erin Weaver*
CREATIVE TEAM
DIRECTOR / Aaron Posner
SET DESIGNER / Brian Sidney Bembridge
COSTUME DESIGNER / Olivera Gajic
LIGHTING DESIGNER / Peter West
SOUND DESIGNER / Andre Pluess
DRAMATURG / Philippa Kelly
FIGHT DIRECTOR / Dave Maier
CHOREOGRAPHER / Erika Chong Shuch
VOCAL/TEXT COACH / Domenique Lozano*
STAGE MANAGER / Elizabeth Atkinson*
CASTING DIRECTORS /Jessica Richards & Liz Green
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER/ Briana J. Fahey*
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT / Christina Hogan
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR / Kate Jopson
*Member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
“Aaron Posner's inspired creation at [Cal Shakes] is nothing short of brilliant. … Mr. Posner found that the beating heart of A Midsummer Night's Dream is the mischief and humor and…gave it a new life.” —The San Francisco Appeal
“The rude mechanicals… are hilarious. The young lovers who get mixed up in the forest are fetching and funny in turn.” —San Francisco Chronicle
“A mesmerizing production full of sleight of hand, physical prowess, and wonderful music.” —Contra Costa Times
“a magical, creative and continually surprising production.” —The Daily Californian
“If there were some creative adjective to combine ‘wonderful’ and ‘delightful’ and a hundred other pleasing words, Danny Scheie's Nick Bottom would earn it as an epitaph.” —The Daily Californian
