Tacoma Arts Live’s Regional Theater production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream features an ensemble cast and five interconnecting stories that follow four lovers, six actors, and a host of mischievous fairies who find themselves entangled in intrigue prior to a royal wedding ceremony.
Director Deanna Martinez reinvents this whimsical romantic comedy by rooting it in a celebration of Boricua-Hawaiiana culture. A Midsummer Night’s Dream opens with a preview night on Thursday, August 17 at 8:00 p.m. followed by nine performances August 18 – September 3 at Tacoma Armory. Tickets are $45 and are on sale now.
Performance Schedule:
Preview Night: Thursday, August 17, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.
Friday, August 18, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 19, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 24, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.
Friday, August 25, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 26, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 31, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.
Friday, September 1, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, September 2, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 3, 2023 at 3:00 p.m.*
*This performance will be ASL interpreted
All performances will be at Tacoma Armory.
The cast will perform within custom digital projections of Hawaiian gardens and landscapes created by flora&faunavisions, the designers behind Utopian Garden.
“When presented with the phrase ‘Utopian Garden,’ my utopian garden is an amalgamation of the garden islands of my people: Puerto Rico and Hawaii, with all of the vegetation, food, music, dance, and mythology that comes with it!” says Martinez, noting the inspiration for the show.
This is a style of ‘Shakespeare in the Park… at Tacoma Armory.’ Guests are invited to wear aloha shirts and hakus (flower crowns), and bring beach towels, lauhala mats, pillows, and low-profile beach chairs to make themselves comfortable on the floor. Guests can also be seated in provided standard chairs; please indicate seating preference when reserving tickets.
Cast
The Royals
Theseus, Oberon – Jesimiel Jenkins
Philostrate, Puck – Jessica Robins
Hippolyta, Titania – Samantha Chung
The Faeries/Mechanicals
Egeus, Quince – Thomas Clatterbuck
Bottom – Travis Tingvall
Flute, Cobweb – Richard Cubi
Snout, First Fairy, Peaseblossom – Cori DeVerse
Snug, Second Fairy, Moth – Malia Silva
Starveling, Mustardseed – Andreya Pro
The “Lovers”
Helena – Tessa Brennan
Hermia – Hana Hahn
Lysander – Rodman Bolek
Demetrius – Roycen Daley
Production Team
Director: Deanna Martinez
Stage Manager: Autumn Reinmuth
Assistant Stage Manager: Ayu Uematsu
Projection Designer: Paul Niederfiniger, Milena Mayer, Julian Kincses
Cultural Costuming and Movement Consultant: Kanoe Galiza
Costume Designer: Alyssa Gries
Costume Assistant: Lillie Steele
Lighting Designer: Olivia Burlingame
Sound Designer: Don Littrell
Set and Platform Designer: Brett Carr
Props Designer: Kelly Zeiler Lynch
Intimacy Choreographer: Zacharee Simms
DEIA Liaison: Eric Clausell
ASL Coach: Kai Winchester
Concept, Design & Production of all projections: flora&faunavisions
Ambient Sound Design: flora&faunavisions
Programming: wirmachenbunt
All stage work on this production is performed by employees represented by IATSE, Local #15.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is multisensory and contains some heightened sound elements, flashing lights, and stroboscopic moments using video projection and lighting technologies.
Tacoma Arts Live’s Regional Theater builds community through a season of live, professional theater. We believe in the intrinsic value of creativity and pay all artists for their services. This allows us to attract some of the Pacific Northwest’s best talent to create performances that include and honor all cultures. Our work aspires to refresh audiences by connecting them to a sense of empathy, challenging their complacency, and inspiring them to live with joy and thoughtful inquiry.
Tickets to A Midsummer Night’s Dream are $45 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets, call Tacoma Arts Live Box Office at 253.346.1721, visit Tacoma Armory in person at 1001 S Yakima Ave., or online at TacomaArtsLive.org.
