A Midsummer Night's Dream
at TC Williams

Reviewed on January 31, 2014

Gavin Moore
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Alex/Arl

Written by William Shakespeare in the 1590s, A Midsummer Night's Dream has become one of his most well-known comedies. It is a timeless story of four Athenians--Lysander, Hermia, Demetrius, and Helena--becoming intertwined emotionally in a magical forest. A Midsummer Night's Dream has been popular for hundreds of years, and is commonly produced professionally as well as in community and school theaters. The play concerns several plots beyond the quarrelling of the lovers, including the feud of the fairy king and queen of the forest and the goings on of a ragtag acting troupe preparing for a big performance.

Stepping into the role of Puck, a mischievous sprite of the forest was Eliza Malakoff. Malakoff was energetic at all times, capturing the audience's attention whenever she made an entrance. Her excellent sense of the character's physicality and movement made her a joy to watch. Ian McClary played the role of Lysander with confidence and skill, and had a commanding presence on stage, allowing him to make sure that all scenes would remain interesting. McClary and Peter Eckel, who played Demetrius, worked well together to bring forth some of the funniest moments in the comedy that could have been lost on the audience otherwise.

In addition to strong leads, several remarkable supporting actors stood out from amongst the cast. Titania, the queen of the fairies, was portrayed by Leia Moran with finesse and a vast emotional range. Moran was always energetic and powerful when onstage and displayed true dedication to her role. Sam Hanoura played Bottom the Weaver, the most bombastic member of the "Rude Mechanicals" acting troupe, and his precise comedic timing and interplay with the other members of the group made him one of the highlights of the show.

The costumes of the show were well made and unique to each actor. Many of the clothes worn by the fairies had intricate designs that blended well into the magical forest. However, there was a disconnect between the setting of the show and the costumes used by the mortal characters. While A Midsummer Night's Dream takes place in Athens, Greece, the clothing worn by the actors reflected a medieval feeling, resulting in some confusion as to what setting was intended.

An intricate set design allowed for scenes in Athens to take place downstage in front of flats that would then be moved to give way to the scenes in the forest, lush with flora and shrubbery. The T.C. Williams crew made full use of elaborate lighting to accompany the show. Multi-colored background lighting and spotlights were used to enhance the atmosphere of the magical forest within which most of the play takes place. The production also featured student-composed music which was played during scene changes and during the multiple dance sequences.

T.C. Williams High School's brilliant execution of A Midsummer Night's Dream brought delight and plenty of laughs to the audience. Through solid acting and excellent tech aspects, the cast and crew of T.C. Williams created a memorable production that brought integrity to one of Shakespeare's most iconic comedies.

Stuart Pratuch
West Springfield HS
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Alex/Arl

Who do you blame when a simple instruction goes horribly yet hilariously awry? The clueless fairy carrying out the plan? The fairy king who requested revenge on his nagging wife? The nagging wife? Or Shakespeare? Let's just blame Shakespeare. His comedies always work out anyhow as exquisitely explained in T.C. Williams High School's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

William Shakespeare supposedly wrote A Midsummer Night's Dream during the period of 1590-1596. The first ever performance of the show was January 1, 1605. This mischievous play follows the events surrounding the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and his wife, Hippolyta; four Athenian youths caught in a bizarre love quadrilateral; a manipulative fairy court; and a bunch of rogue actors displaying a play of Pyramus and Thisbe. Quite a conundrum of plots to resolve in a little over two and a half hours! Yet it was wonderfully explored and finished by TC Williams.

The main actors all illustrated a variety of characters through their commitment. Eliza Malakoff's Puck maintained a phenomenal physicality; wistfully and unknowingly conjuring fairy mayhem wherever she pranced. Meanwhile, her queen, Titania (portrayed by Leia Moran), superbly combined such a cocktail of energy that no moment was easily forgotten when she commanded the stage. Meanwhile, the four lovers strived their best, especially Stephanie Slaven-Ruffing's Hermia who interestingly seemed to put a modern understanding on this centuries-old play.

Not to be forgotten are some of the ensemble members who performed vivaciously, much to the pleasure of the audience. Nick Bottom performed by Sam Hanoura remained adorably full of himself through his great physicality and formation of character. He played remarkably well off of the other Rude Mechanicals who brought back up the energy near the end of the second act with their short Pyramus and Thisbe skit that left the audience wanting more of their charisma and characterization. An impressive feat to have such high levels of chemistry amongst so many actors.

Furthermore, some technical aspects really stole the show. The set fully utilized all parts of the vast stage, notably the fairy forest where twinkling lights gleamed whenever a fairy danced through the woods. The lighting flowed smoothly with great ease, gradually shifting through transitions without audience awareness. The costumes, despite some fitting flaws, demonstrated realism and freely flowed down the bodies of the ever active actors. Finally, the fantastic student directing of Isabel Hollins conjured some interesting moments especially when Demetrius (Peter Eckel) and Lysander (Ian McClary) vied for Helena (Rebecca Frank) whose phenomenal commitment added to the ridiculousness of the play.

Overall, despite the weather, T.C. Williams High School buckled down, took action, and brought to us in this winter of discontent, a summery tale to warm our hearts with love, fairies, and Shakespeare.

Gillian Wright
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Insidenova - Sun Gazette

"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind," declares Helena in "A Midsummer Night's Dream." At T.C. Williams's production of the Shakespearian comedy, both the eyes and the mind were captivated with bright costumes, picture perfect sets, and charming actors.

In what is commonly regarded as one of William Shakespeare's most famous plays, Hermia, a young Athenian woman in love with Lysander, is obliged by her father to marry Demetrius, with whom Helena is in love. While this love story plays out, the fairy Queen Titania is feuding with her husband Oberon, who decides to get revenge using his assistant Puck and an enchanted love potion. The classic tale has been adapted into more than 25 films, most famously a 1999 production starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Christian Bale that won the award for Best Technology at the Shanghai International Film Festival.

Overall projection and articulation were continuous highlights throughout the show, especially in the case of Hermia, played by Stephanie Slaven-Ruffing. Every word she uttered was full of poignant meaning. Her lover Lysander (Ian McClary) provided lively comic relief through his animated movements and facial expressions. Acting as the eschewed friend among the four lovers, Rebecca Frank, playing Helena, evoked an emotional reaction from the audience during each of her multiple passionate monologues.

Titania (Leia Moran) was a convincing fairy monarch throughout the performance, both when she gracefully commanded her sprites and when she grew enamored with Nick Bottom (Sam Hanoura), a donkey-headed laborer. Excellent comedic timing and a bold personality brought all of Hanoura's scenes to life. Puck (Eliza Malakoff) embodied the persona of a fiendish fairy as she cackled and capered around the stage trying to please her master, Oberon (Brendan Zack). Peter Quince (Morgan Vaughan) accurately portrayed a man trying to control a dimwitted group of manual workers who quickly became dismayed at the commandeering presence of Bottom.

Enhancing the comprehensive storybook aura were beautifully illustrated scenery flats, depicting forests and castles. Once those pieces were pulled away by a stealthy stage crew, an enchanted forest was revealed with an impeccably painted woodland floor as well as three dimensional trees hung with twinkling lights. The vibrantly hued costumes added to the otherworldly atmosphere. Especially well done was Titania's outfit, a shimmering, mossy green gown that transformed a graceful actress into an elegant fairy queen.

According to Lysander, "the course of true love never did run smooth." While the romances involved in the story remained as hopelessly entangled as Shakespeare intended, all the other aspects of the production did run smoothly, from each swift scene change to every moving monologue. Puck advises that anyone offended by the play remember the tale as only a dream; T.C. Williams's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" will certainly be remembered as such, not due to offense but to the fantasy-like quality of the performance.

Jamie Joeyen-Waldorf
Langley High School
Submitted for publication to ShowBizRadio.net

"Lord what fools these mortals be!" As lovers and madmen abound in a forest of mystical trickery, the mayhem of comedic miscommunication and playful revelry take root in T.C. Williams High School's madcap production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Shakespeare's classic comedy is no stranger to the theatre world, heralded as one of the most popular works for the stage in all parts of the globe. The bard's tale centers around two pairs of Athenian lovers, an amateur acting troupe of colorful characters, and their adventures through a mysterious forest filled with magical, but impish fairies. Hermia longs to marry Lysander, much to the disapproval of her father, who has selected another suitor, Demetrius. As the pitiful Helena laments over Demetrius' unrequited love, fairies attempt to fix the couples' fiasco through the use of love potions. With a series of mistaken identity slipups and pranks on the eccentric acting troupe, the fairies' plans go awry, producing rather entertaining results.

Student director Isabel Hollins conquered the full-length show impressively, creating a series of unique staging moments and utilizing the set in many visually pleasing ways. With the simple sliding of a few flats, each scene transition gradually revealed more and more of the enthralling stage environment, eventually whisking audiences away into a luminous, surreal forest landscape.

The four lovers connected believably with each other and portrayed conflicts tactfully. Stephanie Slaven-Ruffing (Hermia) delivered a more modern twist on the rebellious young maiden, while Rebecca Frank (Helena) established a self-pitying character in desperation for companionship. Both Ian McClary (Lysander) and Peter Eckel (Demetrius) exuded a charming, jocular sense of teenage love. As the story's narrator and head fairy cohort, Eliza Malakoff as Puck kept the show moving along with unwavering energy, playfully flittering all around the stage with fluid physicality, her vocal inflections always signaling a sense of scheming mischief.

The entire Mechanicals acting troupe tipped their hat to actors everywhere, presenting a comedic, stereotypical exaggeration of the craft, filled with a gamut of melodramatic line delivery and comically monotone understatements. Especially notable was Sam Hanoura as Nick Bottom, whose booming voice, sweeping hand gestures, and pompous portrayal created an infectious role. Though there were some articulation and language issues, they did not detract heavily from the performance.

Meticulously painted flats, flowery botanical shrubs, and a uniquely slanted platform surface were only a few of the many fascinating technical elements. While some costumes seemed slightly out of the time period, each piece brought a sense of colorful vibrancy that coordinated well with the creative set. In keeping with original stage directions, the use of a large donkey head proved to be no difficulty. The actor wearing the well-made prop could still articulate and project clearly.

Handling the difficult Shakespearean language admirably, the cast and crew successfully managed to highlight several humorous moments, from mistaken identities to playful practical jokes, convincing us all to remain thankful that "the course of true love never did run smooth."

Joey Ledonio
Bishop Ireton High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com - Alex

What do you get when four lovers, a struggling acting troupe, and mischievous faeries collide on a summer night in the woods? Confusion, affection, and mayhem ensue in William Shakespeare's classic comedy "A Midsummer Night's Dream", produced this past weekend at T.C. Williams High School.

Written between 1590 and 1596, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" follows the forbidden romance of Lysander (Ian McClary) and Hermia (Stephanie Slaven-Ruffing), two young lovers who are kept apart by the latter's father. Demetrius (Peter Eckel), who pines for Hermia's affection, is in turn pursued by Helena (Rebecca Frank). When a magical flower brought on by a mischievous Puck (Eliza Malakoff) meant to set things aright forces the lovers to fall in love with the wrong people, Shakespeare's comedy takes off. Exploring heavily themes of love, individuality, and even feminism, Shakespeare's tale has stood the test of time and is a popular choice for high school and community theaters to this day.

Taking on this production is not small feat and the hard work of student director Isabel Hollins was evident on stage. Overall, the cast of actors at T.C. Williams handled the difficult language well with mostly clear projection and diction. However, some actors failed to understand the meaning their lines and struggled to find a common energy to drive the story.

With a focused objective and tactful delivery, Leia Moran as Titania, queen of the faeries presented a powerful and regal character, engaging the audience through her deft grasp of the Shakespearean text and propelling her to the top of this production. Joining Moran as a standout in this large cast was Eliza Malakoff through her portrayal of Puck, the spirited servant to the faerie king. Malakoff's stage presence allowed her to draw the eye easily while bringing a new energy to each scene she entered.

Rounding out the cast and further bolstering the show were the Rude Mechanicals, a troupe of actors preparing a play to be performed at the Duke's wedding. Each member of the ensemble created separate, distinct characters that drew laughter from the audience at every turn. Sam Hanoura lead the group as Bottom, a self-absorbed and overdramatic player, with broad comedy and physicality, securing his place as an audience favorite. The group especially shone towards the end of the night as they performed their painfully-rehearsed play, "Pyramus and Thisbe", delivering a delightfully awkward performance for the Duke and delighting the audience, drawing gales of laughter and eager applause.

Completing this production of "Midsummer" was the effective tech, which was executed well and complemented the show. Handsomely painted flats that pulled away to reveal a forest comprised of a platform made accessible by ramps on all sides was mystically achieved through the use of twinkling strings of lights and eerie lighting. Costumes and makeup added to the production's overall aesthetic and comedy, with such pieces as magical faerie markings and a donkey head.

In conclusion, the students at T.C. Williams enjoyably presented one of Shakespeare's most beloved comedies.

Kathy Chen
The Madeira School
Submitted for publication to Alexandria Times

Love stories filled with twist and turns, faerie court filled with magical scent, and a play within a play, brought us to question if it was all just a dream. T.C. Williams High School's recent production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, led us onto a journey of love and fantasy.

A Midsummer Night's Dream, one of Shakespeare's most renowned comedies, written at the end of the 16th century, portrays the lovers Lysander (Ian McClary) and Hermia (Stephanie Slaven-Ruffing), Demetrius (Peter Eckel) and Helena (Rebecca Frank), who struggle with their relationships upon the fairy Puck's (Eliza Malakoff) mistakes after duke Theseus (Andrew Pickup) and Hippolyta (Kate Kaiman) gets engaged. On the other hand, fairy king Oberon (Brendan Zack) and queen Titania (Leia Moran) try to resolve their disagreement in the faerie court, whereas a group of Athenian craftsmen try to put on a show for the duke's celebration.

Eliza Malakoff played Puck with witty humor and outstanding energy. She drew the audiences' attention with her swift movements on stage, and she utilized different tones to intensify the magical setting. Her loud and clear projection of Shakespeare's words further enhances the drama that lies within the plain text.

As Nick Bottom, the overconfident Athenian craftsmen, Sam Hanoura lights up the whole performance with his hilarious sense of humor, loud and clear projection of voice as well as his amazing energy. Moreover, he intrigued the audience with remarkable entrances and exits as well as smooth transitions and interactions on stage. The Wall played by Lucy Medley was also a delight during the brief moment within the tragedy of Pyramus and Thisbe.

Isabel Hollins' set was a genuine design that uses the given space effectively and allows actions to take place on different levels of the forest. Accompanied by the blue and green lights reflecting on the forest floor, the set includes decoration lights on tree branches, which adds another mystical air to the stage. Colorful costumes made by Beatrice Greeson, Jessica Seidenberg, Jennifer Hatstat, and Juan Perez-Mercado showed great intention to represent the playfulness of the fairies.

T.C. Williams High School's student-directed production of A Midsummer Night's Dream sure left the audience pondering over the boundary between reality and dream.