A Midsummer Night's Dream Oberon ensnares Titania with the love potion from atop her bower

Synopsis of A Midsummer Night's Dream:
Midsummer is a magical, twisting story of lovers lost and found, the pressure of organized society and the anarchy of the wild. For the young lovers lost, the woods are a place of both fear and hope. They are lost in a fairy kingdom they can not relate to, but entered the wood in search of their future.

Highlighted Image

The plot becomes far more complicated when Oberon orders Puck to direct some mischief affecting the Athenian's who have witlessly wandered into the domain of the fairies.

Highlighted Image

Production Notes from A Midsummer Night's Dream: This particular production was interesting as in an attempt to make the Shakespearean language more accessible to the predominantly high-school aged, largely urban audience, the choice was made to have Puck deliver his lines in the style of hip-hip: with a microphone and a followspot. The audience seemed quite receptive to the technique, and certainly were more enticed by the character than they might otherwise have been.


The “kinetic vibrancy” of the production “captured the essence of Shakespeare's time.” — American College Theatre Festival representative


Lighting Design for A Midsummer Night's Dream: The Fairies attend to their Queen Titania The lighting for Midsummer is intended to establish the clear distinction between the worlds of the play, and set the mood for the invidivual scenes. The Athenian world is embued with rich amber and warm tones, representing the illuminated, safe society, the exposed unshadowed landscape, and the relative wealth of man. In contrast, the forest of the fairies becomes heavily textured and layered in evening blues and foliage greens; a magical quality of light and an atmosphere of dense fog can quickly envelop the stage. The actors can wander into patches of strange lavender or find themselves in front of the amber harvest moon.

Highlighted Image

Return to the Lighting Design Page