Midsummer Night’s Dream Play

Courtesy of PDS Flickr

Courtesy of PDS Flickr

Jazelle Covington, Online Staff Writer

The Midsummer Night’s Dream fall play was a funny, creative, and entertaining experience for everyone who attended. The stage was set to have the audience not only watch but also engage in the show where they were seated around the stage. The set was surrounded by trees and plants, adding an essence of wilderness. Junior Sydney Thomas says, “I really enjoyed the play and the modern aspects that they put along with it.” The diversity in costumes creatively differentiated in characters; in particular, the simple costume changes throughout the show made it easy to follow who each person was portraying. 

The play begins with the soon-to-be-wed Theseus and Hippolyta entering on stage, which immediately opens the play energetically. They are interrupted in their conversation by the courtiers, Egeus, Hermia, Lysander, and Demetrius. The stage is wonderfully built to complement and highlight the power dynamics between characters. While Egeus demands that Demetrius is to marry Hermia, the others stand on lower levels of the stage, excluding Theseus who is overlooking the conversation. Egeus claims, “as she is mine, I may dispose of her. Which is either to this gentleman or to her death.” Theseus complies, saying Hermia should marry Demetrius as he is a good man, whereas Hermia is obviously in love with Lysander. Outbursts of enthusiasm follow, where Lysander and Demetrius pull Hermia like a tug of war, arguing as to who is better and which choice should be made. Lysander proclaims, “my love is more than his…  I am beloved of beauty Hermia, why should I not then persecute my rights.”

 The next scene is even more comedic and fun, causing various bouts of laughter in the audience. It starts as a group of workers act out a tragic love story of Pyramus and Thisbe to present before the Duke Theseus on their wedding day. With each word the actors speak, they show enthusiasm and passion as they get into their characters. Waves of laughter fill the audience as Senior student, Andre Williams, explosively portrayed his character. As the play progresses, it is continually filled with animated enthusiasm, joy, fits of anger, confusion, and more. Senior Joe Lippman shares, “It was so nice to be back on stage after not having shows last year, I really missed it. I hope we can carry that same energy into the upcoming musical, Ranked. Everybody, myself included, is already super hyped for auditions and rehearsals!”