Shakespeare’s
: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
adapted and directed for The Lights ‘n Shadows Performers by Kathleen
Lockwood
Produced by VSAarts/VIRGINIA
BEACH
About the Play:
As many of the leading performers from the West Building Players at Princess
Anne High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia, graduated and became part
of the Adult Community, living all over the City in Group Homes, it seemed
like a good idea to begin an adult company. When asked by founding director
Kathleen Lockwood if they would like to do Shakespeare, they reacted with
amazing interest. We chose Midsummer because the story is so full of visual
scenes and archetypal comic moments. We knew the 400 year old story was
a part of our human experience and could be told with few words.
The Characters:
The Royal Wedding Party
and Gentry:
Theseus, Duke of Athens
Hippolyta, his bride, Princess of Amazonia
Egia, Hermia’s angry Mother
Philostrate, a Storyteller
Philostra, another Storyteller
Lord and Lady Wedding Guests
Townspersons
The Lovers:
Hermia, in love with Lysander
Demetrius, supposed to marry Hermia
Helena, Hermia’s friend, in love with Demetrius
Lysander, loves Hermia, Demetrius’ friend
The Estate Staff:
Mistress Alyce Singer
Peter Quince, Carpenter (manager)
Snug the Joiner (lion)
Bottom the Weaver (Pyramus)
Flute the Bellows Mender (Thisbe)
Snout the Tinker (Moon
Robin Starveling the Tailor (Wall)
The Dog
The Fairies and Elves:
Oberon, King of the Elves
Robin Goodfellow (Puck), his Servant
Maple
Piney
Titania, Queen of the Fairies
Peasblossom
Cobweb
Mustardseed
Moth
Olive
Elf and Fairy extras
The Setting: A back wall has three archways with viney, flowering trees painted on. For the scenes in the Duke’s courtyard, tables are downstage and tall floral arrangements grace the archways. For the forests, extra potted trees and a flowery bank are added.
The
Scenes:
Act I
Scene 1: The Courtyard. Preparation for the Wedding Feast.
Scene 2: Same, a few hours later The Lovers flee
Scene 3: The Forest, late that night. Oberon and Titania have a fight.
Oberon observes the Lovers as they become lost.
Scene 4: Later that night. Oberon’s servant adds to the mayhem.
Act II
Scene 1: The forest, midnight. The Duke’s servants arrive to rehearse
their play for the next day’s Wedding Feast. Bottom ends up changed
and in the bower of the Fairy Queen. Oberon and Puck make things right
again for the lovers.
Scene 2: Dawn at the edge of the forest. The Bride and Bridegroom discover
the sleeping lovers as they set out for an early hunt. They awaken them
and invite them to join in the Wedding.
Scene 3: Finale. The Wedding. Back in the Duke’s courtyard, the
three couples are introduced . Entertainments are sung and acted hilariously
and the Fairies and Elves come to bless the house.
Music is used throughout, with dances, marches, songs, plays, and narration.
From
the Play:
Act 1, Scene 2
The Estate Staff busily prepare for the next day’s Wedding Feast.
Flowers are arranged, Dancers warm up and a play is rehearsed.
Demetrius and Lysander enter from opposite sides of the stage.
Demetrius: It’s You!
Lysander: No, you….(They take a swing at each other and exit while
continuing to fight. Philostra and Philostrate enter through the archway
and narrate)
Philostra: Aye, me. For everything I’ve ever read about or heard,
or told; the course of true love never did run smooth.
Philostrate: Or, if the pair were in sympathy, war, death or sickness
came between; making it brief as a sound, swift as a shadow, short as
any dream.
Philostra: So, bright things come to confusion. (Storytellers exit as
Hermia and Lysander enter, deep in whispered conversation. They pause
in the archway and gently kiss, then Lysander runs off as Helena enters)
Hermia: God Speed fair Helena, where are you going?
Helena: You call me fair? Take that back! Demetrius loves your eyes, your
voice. Teach me to be your fair.
Hermia: I frown at him.
Helena: He loves your frown.
Hermia: The meaner I am, the more he likes me.
Helena: The nicer I am to him, the more he hates me.
Hermia: Don’t worry. After tonight, he’ll never see me again.
Lysander and I are running away. Farewell, sweet friend. (exits)
Helena: Demetrius loves Hermia. I love Demetrius. Hermia and Lysander
are leaving. I will tell Demetrius, then he may notice me again! (exits.)
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Poster
Art available for this play. Click on image at left to see larger version. |
About
the Playwright:
Kathleen Lockwood began her award-winning writing career
at age fourteen as a National Merit Scholarship finalist for her short
story. Her loves for both theatre and writing combined with her discovery
of Playwriting! She holds a BFA in Theatre Arts from Virginia Commonwealth
University and has been associated with many Tidewater Theatres. She co-founded
the Tidewater Dramatists Guild with Jean Klein in 1976, and served the
City of Virginia Beach as Performing Arts Supervisor at the Kempsville
Playhouse and with Shakespeare-by-the-Sea Festival. She founded Little
Theatre for the Deaf and Shadows ‘n Lights Theatre Company under
the auspices of VSAarts. Her adaptations of children’s stories and
plays featuring characters with disabilities are featured on HaveScripts.com.