A Midsummer Night’s Dream 2011
A Midsummer Night’s Dream through the ages has been one of the favorite comedic Shakespeare plays and it comes to life in ballet form in the Spring of 2011. The play has the lilt and spirit of youth and therefore lends itself perfectly to be produced for and by the students of Longmont Dance Theatre. This production is composed by Felix Mendelssohn and choreographed by Stephanie Tuley and Kristin Kingsley. “The course of true love never did run smooth,” Lysander, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream through the ages has been one of the favorite comedic Shakespeare plays and it comes to life in ballet form in the Spring of 2011. The play has the lilt and spirit of youth and therefore lends itself perfectly to be produced for and by the students of Longmont Dance Theatre. This production is composed by Felix Mendelssohn and choreographed by Stephanie Tuley and Kristin Kingsley. “The course of true love never did run smooth,” Lysander, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is set around May Day, so it very fitting LDT is performing this show around that time. This play in particular is a favorite of students who near Commencement. Titania, Puck, Oberon, and other fairies are wont to frisk and frolic about just like seniors ending their high school years. Three of Longmont Dance Theatre seniors will be cast in this production as Titania, Hermia, and Helena.
The plot of this two-act ballet can be confusing. Two realms are revealed to the audience in the first act: the fairy world and the mortal world. The two realms touch and can intermingle. The second act is that of the festivities of a wedding.
Act 1: The trouble in the mortal world begins when Hermia falls in love with Lysander after her father has made a deal to marry her off to Demetrius. Hermia and Lysander steal away to elope, but not before Hermia discloses this plan to her best friend, Helena. Helena is in love with Demetrius, who once showed her affection but can no longer due to his arranged engagement. Demetrius flies to the forest to find Helena and bring her back to town.
Meanwhile, the mechanicals are rehearsing a play in the forest to be produced during the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta. Puck mischievously decides to make Nick Bottom (a weaver in town) into a donkey. The other men run away in fear.
In the fairy world, Oberon and Titania are having an argument over where a dancing changeling child will reside. Oberons want her in his court and Titania wants her in her bower. Puck and Oberon devise a plan to procure a flower that will make Titania fall in love with the first thing she sees. They hope to humiliate her so that she will give the child to Oberon.
Oberon sees Helena chasing Demetrius in the forest and orders Puck to give Demetrius the nectar, as well. Puck instead gives the nectar to Lysander who falls in love (not with Hermia but) with Helena. Trying to correct his mistake, Puck gives the nectar to Demetrius who also turns to Helena. Hermia, who doesn’t understand why Lysander has changed his affection toward Helena, is very distraught and chases after the trio.
Titania awakes to fall in love with Nick Bottom, as a donkey.
How does all this foolishness get resolved? Come to the show and find out.