Review: 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' by WCSU Theatre Department

DANBURY, CT - Western Connecticut State University’s production of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed and adapted by Theatre Chair Pamela McDaniel, premiered on Friday. This is the second installment in the theatre department’s Spring Virtual Production Series that runs through May 9.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream belongs to the early-middle period of Shakespeare’s work, full of poetry in the lines he wrote, creating almost a musical without music. This wildly popular play is frequently adapted today. NewArts, the performing arts wing of the 1214 Foundation, produced an original musical based upon the play entitled “A ROCKIN’ Midsummer Night’s Dream'' with music by Eric Svejcar. Both casts of the Newtown-area young performers went on to record the original cast album with Broadway Records.

Tony Harkin, the dramaturg for the WCSU production, notes in his program note that the Royal Shakespeare Company reimagined the play in 2021 ‘with Dream, a virtual adaptation using live actors that allowed for audience participation, replete with motion capture and audio-visual integration.”

View the videos below to learn more about William Shakespeare and A Midsummer Night’s
Dream.

The adaptation by the director fits the performance under 90 minutes, presented without an intermission. There are helpful slides that appear to set each of the scenes. Presumably, the actors safely recorded their performances separately and it was the job of editor James Nicoloro to put it all together. The editing is not only seamless, but transcends much of recent virtual productions in that Titania's fairies appear to gracefully fly with wings that flap, gently appearing and disappearing. The effect is quite remarkable. Evan Brenner served as the director of photography, assistant editor and animator. Kudos to the sound designer Tim Schoeberl on flawless sound to accompany the video.

Dr. Justin P. Cowan was the associate producer and Jenna Atherton served as the production stage manager. Tony Harkin is credited as music producer of the magical notes in the incidental music that is sprinkled into the performance. Lane Shoemaker designed the scenic art, with graphic rendering of backgrounds by Kurt Vinci; everything behind and under the actors added a magical layer to the look of the stream. I loved the virtual fairy dust sprinkled by Puck.

Every one of the WCSU students made their characters come to life wearing wonderful costumes from the period; four-year-old Elliott Bennett of Trumbull makes a brief appearance as a young boy.

Dean Martin, a junior Musical Theatre major from Manchester, rocks a magnificent cape in the role of Oberon. His WCSU credits include ‘A Little Night Music,” The Who’s Tommy and “The Radium Girls: A Jaw-Dropping New Musical.” Chelsea Weaver, a senior Theatre Performance major and Creative Writing minor from Tolland takes on the role of Titania. Here WCSU credits include Hand to God as Margery.

WCSU junior Jessica Abbotts (“Be More Funny and Other Short Plays”) is a delight as the mischievous Puck. Victoria D’Orazio, a BFA Musical Theatre major in her sophomore year, appears as a fairy. This actor will be playing the role of Sophie in Mamma Mia this summer at The Sharon Playhouse.

Kayla Fischer (“Be More Funny” as Kate), who is a senior Theatre Performance major from
Middletown, NY, plays the fairy Moth. Alyssa McDonald (“The Radium Girls,”) a sophomore Musical Theatre major from Nyack, NY, plays Mustardseed. Alyssa was the Best Actress winner at the 2018 Roger Rees Awards and went on to compete in the 2018 Jimmy Awards. Laura Roberts, “Hand To God,”) a sophomore Musical Theatre major from Shingle Springs, CA, flies as Cobweb and was the understudy of Puck.

The Mechanicals are played by a group of students that work well together. Junior Ryan Charles Henry (“The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui,” “Organizing in the Time of COVID-19 and Other Lessons” ) is a riot in the role of Nick Bottom/Pyramus. Freshman Tyler Manemeit of Clinton is great as Robin Starveling/Moonshine. Jamar Nichols, a junior Theatre Performance major from New Haven, does well as Francis Flute/Thisbe. Senior Tony Harkin, who has appeared at The Sharon Playhouse, plays Snug. Sierra Mayhew (“Be More Funny,”) a senior Theatre Performance major, is delightful as Tom Snout/the wall. Will Stewich,a junior Theatre Performance Major from Shrewsbury, MA, made me laugh aloud as Peter Quince. Stewich’s WCSU credits include “Hand To God,” as Jason/Tyrone for which he was an Irene Ryan Nominee.

Ryan Hemstock (“Hand to God,” “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” ) a junior from Orange, CT, plays the lover Lysander. Ashley Raymond, is a junior Theatre Performance & Design
Technology major from Ridgefield, plays Hermia. Sam Rogers plays Demetrius; this actor is a junior Musical Theatre major from Portsmouth, NH whose WCSU credits include “Uncle Vanya,”
“The Radium Girls: A JawDropping New Musical” and “A Little Night Music.” Tina Vlamis, a junior Theatre Performance major from Prospect, plays Helena. Her WCSU credits include “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” and “Be More Funny;” she is also a member of the Western
Improv Group Performance Team.

Robert Knippel (“Be More Funny,”) a junior Theatre Performance major from Brookfield, portrays the duke Egeus. Bailey Nickerson (“The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui,” “Be More Funny,”) a senior Theatre Performance major from Old Lyme, plays his love Hippolyta. Jackson Tubis (“Organizing in the Time of Covid-19 and Other Lessons,”) a freshman Musical Theatre major from North Haven, plays Theseus, the father of Hermia.

WCSU junior Luis Jordan (“The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui”) covers the role of the Philostrate.

This stream is a great introduction to Shakespeare for young patrons. “Midsummer” will stream again on Sunday, May 9th. Tickets and season passes can be purchased at wcsuvpac.eventbrite.com.

Nancy Sasso Janis, writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local venues, posts well over 100 reviews in a normal year. In 2016, her membership in the Connecticut Critics Circle began and her contributions of theatrical reviews, previews, and audition notices are posted not only in the Naugatuck Patch but also on the Patch sites closest to the venue. She recently became a contributor to the Republican-American newspaper and will be writing a weekly 'In The Wings' column for the Weekend section of the Thursday edition.