A Midsummer Night’s Dream
by: William Shakespeare
Jackson County Community Theatre will present William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” April 29, 30, May 6, and 7, at 7:30 PM at the Royal Off-the-Square Theatre in Brownstown.
This is the first time JCCT has performed a Shakespearean play since it formed in 1970. The actors are enjoying the challenge.
As the story begins, Theseus and Hippolyta plan their wedding, which is to take place in four days in Athens. Egeus brings his daughter, Hermia, and her two suitors, Lysander and Demetrius, to Theseus to settle an argument. Hermia and Lysander wish to marry. Egeus has promised her to Demetrius. Theseus rules that Hermia has three choices: marry Demetrius, enter a nunnery, or be put to death for disobeying her father. Hermia and Lysander decide to meet in the forest the next night and elope, beyond the reach of Athenian law. Helena, who loves Demetrius, but in vain, decides to betray her friends and tell Demetrius of their plans in order to endear herself to him.
Meanwhile, in the forest, six artisans, the rude mechanicals, plan the entertainment they will provide for Theseus’ wedding. They settle on a play about Pyramus and Thisby.
Puck and another fairy discuss an argument between Titania and Oberon over a human child Titania has adopted. Oberon wants Titania to turn the child over to him. Oberon sends Puck to find a special flower that, when it’s juice is placed on the eyelids, causes that individual to fall in love with the next living creature seen. He plans to put it on Titania’s eyelids to cause her to give him the boy.
Helena and Demetrius come to the woods hunting for Hermia. Despite Demetrius’ insults and threats, Helena vows to follow him forever. Oberon instructs Puck to put some of the juice on Demetrius’ eyes so he will fall in love with Helena when he awakens. Oberon puts the flower juice on the eyes of the sleeping Titania. Mistaking Lysander for Demetrius, Puck puts the juice on Lysander’s eyes. Helena awakens Lysander, and he falls in love with her.
The acting troupe appear for a rehearsal, with Bottom disguised as an ass. Titania awakens to see him, and she falls in love with the ass.
The troublemaker Puck puts the juice on Demetrius’ eyelids, and he also awakens in love with Helena. Hermia has now lost her two suitors to Helena. When the two young men fall asleep, Puck applies an antidote to Lysander’s eyes, so eventually the lovers are rightly paired.
All return to Athens to attend the wedding. The actors put on their play, which is very bad, but the wedding party enjoys it anyway. Afterward, the fairies are left alone, and Puck asks the audience to forgive any offense caused by the play. Was it all just a dream?
