Hope College Theatre will present "A
Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare beginning
Friday, April 20, at 8 p.m. in the DeWitt Center main
theatre.
Hope College Theatre will present "A
Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare beginning
Friday, April 20, at 8 p.m. in the DeWitt Center main
theatre.
The popular romantic comedy will continue on
Saturday, April 21, and Wednesday-Saturday, April 25-28.
The performance on Thursday, April 26, will begin
at 9 p.m. All other performances are at 8 p.m.
"A Midsummer Night's Dream" tells the story of
four young lovers who defy parental authority and official
edict by escaping into an enchanted wood. Once on their own
they encounter another kind of tyranny: fairy mischief.
The forest is ruled by Oberon, King of the Fairies, who is
having his own love problems with his queen, Titania. When
Puck decides to cure the lovers from the city, confusion and
hapless chasing ensue.
Complicating the situation is a group of local
craftsmen who enter the woods to rehearse a play. They,
too, get caught up in the goings-on until Bottom, one of
Shakespeare's most endearing characters, falls in love with
Titania.
When dawn arrives, however, the mess caused by
Puck's antics is cleared up and the lovers forgiven, and the
play ends with a magnificent marriage feast. Providing
entertainment at the wedding is a hilarious play by Bottom
and his cohorts.
The cast is made up of student actors representing
all four classes at Hope.
Playing the persons of the city are sophomore
Patrick Kearney of Clinton Township, as Theseus; senior Anne
K. Pott of Hamilton, as Hippolyta; junior Joshua M. Carstens
of Double Oak, Texas, as Egeus; and freshman Andrew Charles
Isola IV of Allegan, as Philostrate.
The four lovers are played by: junior Blaine M.
Cook of Niles, as Helena; senior Michelle Rynbrandt of Clio,
as Hermia; sophomore Matthew T. Bondy of Petoskey, as
Demetrius; and sophomore David Mark Ovies of Royal Oak, as
Lysander.
The dwellers of the woods are played by: senior
Danny Taylor of Story City, Iowa, as Oberon, King of the
Fairies; sophomore Katie Carlston of Des Moines, Iowa, as
Titania, Queen of the Fairies; and sophomore Kallie Wickizer
of Midlothian, Va., as Puck. The fairies are portrayed by
freshman Michaun Elise Burton of Gahanna, Ohio; sophomore
Kim Noel Daelhousen of Sinking Spring, Pa.; freshman Kristin
Dowedite of Livonia; and sophomore Kristin Tiscornia of
Geneseo, N.Y.
Playing the rustic "mechanicals" are: senior
David Armando Romero of Comstock Park, as Bottom the Weaver;
sophomore Peter J. Beck of Dolton, Ill., as Francis the
Flute Bellows Mender; junior Zach Deater of Shelby Township,
as Robin Starveling the Tailor; junior Patrick Glaub of
Plymouth, Ind., as Peter Quince the Carpenter; freshman
Daniel Kwiatkowski of Cheboygan, as Snug the Joiner; and
freshman Micha Maatman of Kalamazoo, as Tom Snout the
Tinker.
Daina Robins, chair of the department of theatre,
directs the production. All of the designs are by members
of the theatre faculty: Richard Smith for scenery and
properties; Michelle Bombe for costumes and makeup; and
Perry Landes for lights and sound. Ryan Graves, a sophomore
from Greencastle, Ind., is the stage manager.
Tickets are $7 for regular adult admission, and $4
for senior citizens and students, and are available in the
theatre lobby ticket office in the DeWitt Center. The
ticket office is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to
5 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 5 p.m., and may be called
at 395-7890.
The DeWitt Center is located on Columbia Avenue at
12th Street.