A New Twist on Shakespeare Classic ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ at Kelsey Theatre June 14-23
Shakespeare 70 melds The Bard’s ageless comedy with modern hijinx
6/3/2024
WEST WINDSOR, NJ -- It’s a modern twist on an all-time classic comedy when Shakespeare 70 presents William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” June 14-23 at the Kelsey Theatre on Mercer County Community College’s (MCCC) West Windsor Campus.
The generation gap, unrequited love, and marital misunderstandings have abounded throughout history, and so it is with this updated version of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” It’s the 1960s in a college town called Athens somewhere in America, where Hermia loves Lysander, but her father wants her to marry Demetrius. Helena loves Demetrius, but he seems to have forgotten all about her. The young lovers all run away to the woods outside of Athens, and get caught up in the disputes and trickery of supernatural fairies – who look an awful lot like hippies.
Add to this the janitorial staff of Athens College who aspire to perform before the College Deans on their wedding day along with some misapplied love potions and you have a fast-paced comedy that has entertained audiences for centuries.
The cast features Lisa Arnseth of Hamilton, N.J., as Starveling; Zach Caruso of Bordentown, N.J., as Demetrius; D.J. Dietz of Highland Park, N.J., as Philostrate; Ava Echternach of Pennington, N.J., as Peaseblossom; John Erath of Washington, D.C., as Peter Quince; Frank Ferrara of West Windsor, N.J., as Bottom; Michael Gilbert of Cranbury, N.J., as Theseus; Lindsey Grelis of Tabernacle, N.J., as Cobweb; Maggie Gronenthal of Lawrenceville, N.J., as Helena; Patrick Hitschler of Florence, N.J., as Oberon; Daniel Impallomeni of Barrington, N.J., as Flute; Thom Juarez of Bordentown as Egeus; Jawn Julian of Trenton, N.J., as Lysander; Justin Mancini of Hamilton as Snout; Tara Eve Mershon of Lambertville, N.J., as Hermia; Cara Pergament of Robbinsville, N.J., as Mustardseed; Kendal Plumstead of Flemington, N.J., as First Fairy; Kim Quick of East Windsor, N.J., as Hippolyta; Jacqueline Silva of Pennington as Puck; Emile A. Wong of Hightstown, N.J., as Snug; and Hester Young of Lawrenceville as Titania.
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is directed by Dr. John F. Erath of Biddeford, Maine, with Janet Quartarone of Flemington serving as assistant director. Stage manager is Jennifer Boutros of Lawrenceville; production managers are Jake Burbage of Delran, N.J., and Lili Timmes of Princeton, N.J.; lighting design is by Curt Foxworth of Hightstown, with sound design by Chris Loos of Highland Park, and set design by Dale Simon of Flemington.
Show dates and times for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” are Friday, June 14 and June 21, and Saturday, June 15 and June 22 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, June 16 and June 23, at 2 p.m. at the Kelsey Theatre on MCCC’s West Windsor Campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. Tickets are $22 for adults and $20 for seniors, children and students, and may be purchased online at www.KelseyTheatre.org or by calling the Kelsey Box Office Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. - noon, at (609) 570-3333.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Kelsey Theatre is located on the MCCC campus at 1200 Old Trenton Road in West Windsor Township. The theatre is wheelchair accessible, with free parking available next to the theatre. Assisted listening devices are available upon request.
For a complete listing of adult and children's events, visit the Kelsey website at www.KelseyTheatre.org or call the box office for a brochure.
At Kelsey Theatre, we have pledged to take active steps in creating true diversity, equity and inclusion in our productions through systemic policy change and individual accountability -- aiming to foster an inclusive environment for people of all races, genders, nationalities, creeds, sexual orientation, socio-economic status and abilities.” –The Kelsey Team
Lysander and Hermia (Jawan Julian of Trenton, N.J., and Tara Eve Mershon of Lambertville, N.J.) and Helena and Demetrius (Maggie Gronenthal of Lawrenceville, N.J., and Zach Caruso of Bordentown, N.J.) in a modern retelling of the William Shakespeare classic “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” June 14-23 at the Kelsey Theatre on Mercer County Community College’s West Windsor Campus.