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‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ to open at Valentine Theatre
By Angela Riddel : November 2nd, 2011The UT Department of Theatre and Film will take its production of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” on the road in November to the Valentine Theatre, 410 Adams St., Toledo.
UT students Starr Chelsea Cutino (Hermia) and Brian Purdue (Lysander), seated, and Juan Rodriguez (Oberon) rehearsed for UT’s production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
Elaborate preparations for a royal wedding stir the hearts and minds of all in the duke’s court, but Gabara said the story is really presented from the perspective of the character Nick Bottom, a lowly court servant who sleeps and dreams of fairies, romantic intrigue and a reversal of his own misfortune. His hopes and dreams — and scheming — bring the play to life.
The major theme of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is equal and opposing forces — summer and winter, men and women, night and day, rich and poor — struggling to get into balance, Gabara said. In the end, it is always love that brings them back into equilibrium. But oh, what a comedy in between!
“There are going to be things that some members of the audience find offensive. But they should know that they are there for a reason,” Gabara said. “They are not there to be vulgar or crude but because they tend to rattle people. And I want them to be rattled emotionally because it puts them in a heightened state of awareness that will allow them to perceive the message of the play — in our case, love — from a perspective different from their usual point of view.”
UT students featured in the production are Juan C. Rodriguez as Theseus/Oberon, Aleta Scott as Hippolyta/Titania, Brian Purdue as Lysander, Starr Chellsea Cutino as Hermia, Ahmad Jamal Atallah as Demetrius, Ashley Stephens as Helena, Keely-Rain Battle as Puck/Philostrate, Tyria M. Allen as Peter Quince and Devon Desmond as Nick Bottom. Rounding out the cast are Sean Koogan, Terri Mims, Timothy Fox, William Toth, Andrés Medina and Michelle Delaine Harris.
The opening night performance will be Friday, Nov. 4, at 7:30 p.m. There also will be a performance Saturday, Nov. 5, at 7:30 p.m. The Sunday, Nov. 6, performance will be at 2 p.m.
In addition, the University will present two daytime matinees prior to opening night for schools and groups at special discounted rates. They will be held Thursday and Friday, Nov. 3 and 4, at 9:30 a.m. Groups must reserve seats in advance.
Tickets for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Valentine Theatre are $20 for premium seats, $15 for floor seats and $10 for balcony/loge.
Season tickets, season flex passes and group ticket discounts are available online at utoledo.edu/boxoffice, by phone at 419.530.2375 and at the Center for Performing Arts Box Office.
