“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, but what to do when presenting two readings of it in January after days of bone-chilling freezes? Re-title it “A Midwinter Night’s Dream,” of course.
“I don’t think Shakespeare would mind a bit,” says Shakespeare Chattanooga producing director Janis Hashe, who’s directing the readings. “This play is still funny after more than 400 years. It’s director-proof, really.”
The staged readings at Grace Episcopal Church will feature
another unusual aspect: two of the scenes, the “Lovers’ Fight” and the “Play-Within-A-Play” will be fully staged without scripts, while the rest of the play will be a conventional reading. “I’ve never seen this done, though there’s nothing new under the sun,” says Hashe. “It’s an experiment, but I think the audience will enjoy it.”
The cast of “Midwinter” features several long-time Shakespeare Chattanooga participants, including Steven Disbrow as Nick Bottom, Stephanie Smith as Puck, Bob Roza as Egeus and Peter Quince, Dakota Brown as Flute and Peaseblossom, E’tienne Easley as Hippolyta and Titania, Ward Fleissner as Snug and Mustardseed, and Paula Berard as Starveling and Moth. Daniel Pound as Theseus and Oberon and Robbye Lewis as Philostrate have done several SC projects. New to the company are Megan Ariel Clark as Helena, Shellyta Clark as Hermia, Tyler Buckingham as Demetrius, Ryne Williams as Lysander, and Joel Rievley as Snout and Cobweb.