By Erick Joven
The drama students performed William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” in the beginning of November. Originally published in the year 1600, the play follows two couples who run away to the forest only to be tricked by a fairy named Puck who manipulates their romantic affections. Bringing in hints of love, comedy, and magic, this classic play can be considered one of the first rom-coms ever created.
This year the play was a bit different due to Covid-19 restrictions. The play takes place in a forest, and so the drama team performed the play in the agricultural area by the Q building instead of on stage in Highlander Hall. The outdoor setting allowed for an audience despite the pandemic, but also fit Shakespeare’s original setting.
“The most exhilarating part was performing in front of a live audience for the first time since my freshman year. The musical was cancelled due to the pandemic in my sophomore year. I got to see my close friends and parents laugh and enjoy the play, and hearing a live response from the audience really made me and the rest of the cast push ourselves to perform better,” senior Maddison Trist said.
The challenge of performing outside did not stop the actors and stagehands from delivering an amazing show. The nature setting was different as performers were not limited to a single forward facing view, and that really allowed the performers to be able to use the whole area as their stage.
The student actors went to great lengths to truly fill their roles, especially with the unique play-going experience, different from a traditional on stage play.
Fan favorite scenes include when Puck and the fairies turn Bottom’s head into the bottom of a donkey. Another hilarious scene was a play within the play where one of the actors was to revive a Gladiator by pumping the warrior’s helmet into their chest.
“It was rewarding to bow in front of people I care about and be proud of the work I’d done on the stage.We had to be outside for multiple reasons–safety, primarily–but I think it worked with our play; most of it takes place in the forest and it immersed the audience in a way we wouldn’t have been able to inside. Ultimately, I’m very proud of the work we did and everything worked out great,” Trist said.
At the end of the play, all the actors came together and shared a lovely moment where they showed their appreciation for each other. They also took the time to thank the audience both those in person and those watching the livestream online.
You can watch the play online on YouTube: A Midsummer’s Night Dream.
The Plaid Press 