Edmond Life and Leisure - February 6, 2025

Midsummer Night’s Dream,” at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 6-8, with a matinee performance at 2 p.m. Feb. 9. Pictured, left to right, Tarun Joseph, a junior theatre performance major from Deer Creek, Maggie Lawson, a sophomore theatre performance major from Sapulpa, Ethan Sparks, a senior theatre performance major from Laverne, Cutter Acker, a senior theatre performance major from Choctaw and, Gianna Brown (seated), a junior theatre performance major from Mustang.

UCO to give Bard’s comedy a new twist

The University of Central Oklahoma Department of Theatre Arts will present a fresh and hilarious adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic comedy, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 6-8, and 2 p.m. Feb. 9, in Mitchell Hall Theatre, located on Central's campus.

Directed by Collin Andrulonis, UCO instructor of theatre arts, this modern interpretation—"Fairyland Presents: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Athens)”— places Shakespeare’s whimsical characters into the chaotic world of reality television. The Fairy King and Queen serve as producers, orchestrating the

chaos through staged drama, love potions and mischievous fairies while the four lovers navigate a reality-show environment complete with sleep deprivation, outrageous pranks and surprising transformations.

“In this production, we embrace the absurdity of reality TV and find remarkable parallels to Shakespeare’s exploration of love and mischief,” Andrulonis said.

“Reality TV thrives on manipulating emotions, just as Shakespeare’s fairies do. This adaptation adds a satirical twist that makes the play feel both fresh and familiar.”

The production is family friendly, featuring the romantic entanglements and magical elements typical of Shakespearean comedy alongside slapstick, physical humor and vibrant, fantastical visuals.

Tickets range from $10 to $25 and are free for UCO students with a valid ID. Tickets can be purchased online at go.uco.edu/CFAD-Tickets or by calling the Ticket Office at 405-974-3375.

For a complete list of UCO College of Fine Arts and Design events and performances, visit www.uco.edu/cfad/.