PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, February 27, 2013 CONTACT: Patrick Finlon, Marketing Director 315-443-2636 or pjfinlon@syr.edu
Magical Mishaps and True Love Collide in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Running March 6-31 (Syracuse, NY)—In Shakespeare's hands, magic and romance and the very midsummer madness make for intoxication, enchantment, and rollicking, frolicking comedy. Get on your mud boots and your donkey ears, ’cause it's off to the woods with four eager, young lovers, a band of hapless rustics, and rival camps of puckish sprites. Co-presented by Syracuse Stage and Syracuse University’s Department of Drama in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (SU Drama), William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream will perform March 6—31 in the Archbold Theatre at Syracuse Stage, 820 East Genesee Street. Tickets are available in person at the Syracuse Stage Box Office, by phone at 315-443-3275 or online at www.SyracuseStage.org. Sponsors for Midsummer are M&T Bank; Bond, Schoeneck & King; and Carrier. Media sponsors are the CNY Business Journal and Syracuse.com. Syracuse Stage season sponsors are The Post-Standard and Time Warner Cable. Love, in three intertwined stories, is the heart of Midsummer. The impending marriage of the Athenian Duke Theseus and Hipployta, Queen of the Amazons, is the through-line, drawing all of the characters to gather near Athens. Mirroring their relationship in the supernatural world are Oberon and Titania, king and queen of the fairies, whose bickering escalates to impassioned displays of their magical powers. Unknowing targets of the fairies’ magic are four young Athenian lovers—Lysander, Helena, Demetrius and Hermia—whose affections are manipulated upon entering the enchanted forest. In addition to the Athenians and the Fairies, the world of Midsummer is inhabited by the Mechanicals, a group of craftsman turned amateur actors who, while trying to produce a show, also fall prey to the fairies’ magic. “This play is about love in many forms: young love—new love, fireworks, tidal waves and roller coasters of emotions, love songs; and mature love—love that has been forged and made stronger by time and trial, a love that has seen the best and worst of its players,” said Director Bill Fennelly. Fennelly’s credits include Jersey Boys (Original Assistant Director), The Lion King (Resident Director), Frankenstein the musical (Director), and four seasons as a staff director with New York City Opera at Lincoln Center.
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Joining Fennelly in the telling of Midsummer are professional actors and designers from around the country, along with student actors from SU Drama. Featuring a number of Shakespeare veterans, the professional cast includes Kimiye Corwin as Hippolyta/Titania (nominated for a Kevin Kline Award for Hamlet with Shakespeare Festival St. Louis), Michael J. Hume as Peter Quince (co-founder of Albany's Capital Repertory Theatre and 22 seasons with Oregon Shakespeare Festival), William Langan as Egeus (six years with Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Craig MacDonald as Tom Snout (a professor with SU Drama whose recent roles at Syracuse Stage include the Carpenter in Moby Dick), Celia Madeoy as Francis Flute (a professor with SU Drama who was awarded twice the most outstanding actress of the Berkshires for The Taming of the Shrew), John Pribyl as Bottom (20 seasons with Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Lindsay Smiling as Theseus/Oberon (credits include Othello and Macbeth), and David L. Townsend as Puck/Philostrate (credits include Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet and Twelfth Night.) Cast as the four young lovers are SU Drama students Ethan Butler as Lysander, Max Miller as Demetrius, Rachel Slotky as Hermia, and Rachel Towne as Helena. The remaining characters will also be performed by SU Drama students: Alexa Aron as Peaseblossom, Robert Axelrod as Robin Starveling, Thomas Countz as Cobweb, Avery Bryce Epstein as Fairy, Derek Goh as The Changeling, Dustin Kahn as Moth, Matt Maretz as Fairy, Justine Rappaport as Fairy, Danielle Spinello as Mustardseed, Juan Carlos Vélez-Sánchez as Snug, and Joanne Wilkens as Fairy. In Fennelly’s version of Midsummer, the concept of “dream logic” is employed throughout. Anything can happen at any time. Design elements enhance a sense of illusion, highlighting differences in power, class, time and place. Scenic Designer Andrew Boyce and Lighting Designer Thom Weaver have set the play on an undulated grassy knoll, with mirrored walls along the left and right sides that contain hidden doorways. Costume Designer Jessica Ford has blended features of Edwardian and American working-class clothing, incorporating elements of “steampunk,” and outfitting fairies with balls of tulle, combat boots and boxing gloves. Sound Designer Fitz Patton has assembled an eclectic mix from orchestral wedding bells to modern rock. As such, the play encompasses two worlds: the imperial “real” world of rigid social status quo and political power, and the fairy populated forest, a world of abandon, folly, and mischief. In the end, Fennelly hopes the notion of the dream recalls the powerful and ephemeral nature of love. “What I love about this play, is that it allows for an ‘ultimate theatrical experience’: first by stepping into the theatre, then by experiencing a theatrical dream, and finally realizing a real awakening of the characters,” said Fennelly.
LOBBY EXHIBIT UNIQUE 2012: Select paintings from the UNIQUE 2012 exhibit will be on display in the lobby and balcony areas at Syracuse Stage through the run of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Paintings recall the landscape of Central New York with an ethereal essence.
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EVENTS Live in the Sutton Series – FRI, March 8 A post-show party in the Sutton Pavilion following the 8 p.m. opening night performance. Live music by guitarist Rob Kronen. Prologue Join us for a free, intimate, insightful and entertaining pre-show talk led by members of the cast. One hour prior to curtain on select dates: SUN, March 10 at 1 p.m. in the Sutton Pavilion SAT, March 16 at 2 p.m. in the Sutton Pavilion THURS, March 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the Sutton Pavilion Sign Interpreted Series - SAT, March 16 at 3 p.m. Actor Talkback Series - SUN, March 17 Meet the actors after the 7 p.m. performance Wednesday @ 1 Lecture Series - WED, March 20 Pre-show lecture at 1 p.m. with SU Drama Department Chair Ralph Zito in the Sutton Pavilion before the 2 p.m. matinee performance Open Captioning Series - WED, March 20 & SUN, March 24 at 2 p.m. Open captioned 2 p.m. performance Happy Hour - THURS, March 21 from 6-7:15 p.m. Half-price drinks and complimentary appetizers from BitterSweet of Syracuse in the Sutton Pavilion. Plus, get a taste of our Signature Drink: “Love-In-Idleness” (Vodka, Blue Curacao, cranberry juice, grenadine). Audio Described Series - SAT, March 23 at 3 p.m. Patrons who are blind or visually impaired may pick up an infrared audio receiver upon arriving at the theatre, and during the performance a live narrator will verbalize visual details about the actors and scenic elements. Due to limited availability, audio receivers must be reserved in advance through the box office, 315-443-3275. ABOUT SYRACUSE STAGE Syracuse Stage is Central New York’s premier professional theatre. Founded in 1974, Stage has produced more than 290 plays in 39 seasons including a number of world, American, and East Coast premieres. Each season 90,000 patrons enjoy an adventurous mix of new plays and bold interpretations of classics and musicals featuring the finest theatre artists. In addition, Stage maintains a vital educational outreach program that annually serves over 30,000 students from 24 counties. A solid core of subscribers and supporters helps keep Syracuse Stage a vibrant artistic presence in Central New York. Additional support comes from the government, foundations, corporations and Syracuse University. Syracuse Stage is a constituent of the Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre, and a member of the Arts and Cultural Leadership Alliance (ACLA), the University Hill Corporation and the East Genesee Regent Association. Syracuse Stage is a
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member of The League of Resident Theatres (LORT), the largest professional theatre association in the country.
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Info Sheet BASIC INFO A Midsummer Night’s Dream By William Shakespeare Directed by Bill Fennelly March 6—31, 2013 Archbold Theatre at Syracuse Stage 820 East Genesee Street SPONSORS Show Sponsor:
M&T Bank Bond, Schoeneck & King Carrier
Media Sponsors:
CNY Business Journal Syracuse.com
Season Sponsors:
The Post-Standard Time Warner Cable
TICKETS Adults: $30-$51 40 & Under: $30-$32 18 & Under: $18 *Senior discounts available all performances except Friday and Saturday evenings. *Rush tickets day of performance only: $20-$25 general public and $20 with valid student ID, subject to availability. *Discounted tickets available for U.S. military personnel, U.S. military veterans and their immediate family members. Visit Blue Star for more info. Online: www.SyracuseStage.org Call: 315-443-3275 In person: 820 East Genesee Street Groups (10 or more): 315-443-9844 ARTISTIC CREDITS Anthony Salatino (Choreographer) Ralph Zito (Voice and Text Consultant) Felix Ivanov (Movement & Fight Director) Kyle Bass (Dramaturg)
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CAST Alexa Aron (Peaseblossom) Robert Axelrod (Robin Starveling) Ethan Butler (Lysander) Kimiye Corwin (Hippolyta/Titania Thomas Countz (Cobweb) Avery Bryce Epstein (Fairy) Derek Goh (The Changeling) Michael J. Hume (Peter Quince) Dustin Kahn (Moth) William Langan (Egeus) Craig MacDonald (Tom Snout) Celia Madeoy (Francis Flute) Matt Maretz (Fairy) Max Miller (Demetrius) John Pribyl (Bottom) Justine Rappaport (Fairy) Rachel Slotky (Hermia) Lindsay Smiling (Theseus/Oberon) Danielle Spinello (Mustardseed) Rachel Towne (Helena) David L. Townsend (Puck/Philostrate) Juan Carlos Vélez-Sánchez (Snug) Joanne Wilkens (Fairy) DESIGNERS Andrew Boyce (Scenic Designer) Jessica Ford (Costume Designer) Thom Weaver (Lighting Designer) Fitz Patton (Sound Designer) STAGE MANAGER Stuart Plymesser (Production Stage Manager) SHOW CALENDAR (March): SUN
MON
TUES
WED
THURS
FRI
SAT
6
7
8
9
7:30 P
7:30 P
8:00 O
3:00 8:00
6
10
11
2:00 D
17
12
13
14
7:30
18
19
2:00
15
16
8:00
3:00 S
20
21
22
23
2:00 OC, W
7:30 H
8:00
3:00 AD
7:00 D
8:00 7:30
24
2:00 OC
25
26
27
28
29
30
7:30
7:30
8:00
3:00 8:00
31
2:00
P=Preview O=Press Opening, LIVE in the Sutton H=Happy Hour S=Sign Interpreted AD=Audio Described OC = Open Captioned T=Actor Talkback W=Wednesday @ 1 Lecture D=Post Show Discussion
### Syracuse Stage I Producing Artistic Director: Timothy Bond I Managing Director: Jeffrey Woodward 820 E. Genesee St. I Main: 315-443-4008 I Box Office: 315-443-3275 I www.SyracuseStage.org
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