A Midsummer Night's Dream
at Mission Viejo High School
Reviewed on November 4, 2016
| Name | School | Publication/Broadcasts |
Sabrina Boyd | Santa Margarita Catholic High School | OC Varsity Arts |
Sabrina Boyd | Santa Margarita Catholic High School | OC Varsity Arts |
Gabby Romero | Santa Margarita Catholic High School | OC Varsity Arts |
Gabby Romero | Santa Margarita Catholic High School | OC Varsity Arts |
Kaz Shade | Irvine High School | OC Cappies Facebook Page |
Kaz Shade | Irvine High School | OC Cappies Facebook Page |
Sabrina Boyd
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts
Visions appear in Mission Viejo's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
written by Sabrina Boyd, a senior at Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Mission Viejo High School entertains with its fantastical production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream," Shakespeare's classic tale of four youths who, with the help of meddling fairies, find love after a night in the woods.
Acting as the catalyst for this misadventure is the trickster fairy, Puck, portrayed by Devoree Shields. Shields's spastic gestures and unrestrained excitability are trademarks of her character. Shields shows Puck's playful spirit as she sticks her tongue out mockingly at a sleeping Lysander (Ben Sellers), or as she enthusiastically bounds across the stage on her way to run errands for King Oberon (Joey Perez). Shields's performance is multi-faceted; her childlike eagerness contrasts sharply with the stoic demeanor in which she delivers her final monologue.
Bursting onto the stage with clumsy physicality is Bottom, portrayed brilliantly by Jeffrey Baker. His lofty speech and grandiose gestures as he acclaims his acting ability are extremely comical, provoking laughs as he passionately stabs himself with a prop sword and hurls himself about the stage as he depicts Pyramus's suicide. Baker's chemistry with the other Mechanicals is electric, with the bumbling group's slapstick nature resulting in chaos as they enact the story of Pyramus and Thisbe. One particularly hysterical moment includes an "accidental" kiss between Bottom's Pyramus and Flute's Thisbe (played by Parker Christian). Their faces scrunch up in a grimace as they draw nearer to each other, only to be shoved into the unwilling lip lock by Snout (Zach Dove), causing the two men to gag repeatedly and stagger across the stage in disgust.
Complementing the talented actors are the wonderful technical elements of the show. The hair and makeup, designed by Katie Agrela and Rhiana Schatz, reflect the different personalities of the characters, from glitter on the cheeks of the playful and bubbly fairies, to the "smoky eye" of the regal and moody Hippolyta (Natalie Patrick). Ben Sellers's original compositions highlight the magical atmosphere of the show, and his use of violins, harps, and banjos are reminiscent of folk music. Switching from major chords during lively scenes to minor chords during tense scenes, Sellers's compositions reveal different moods throughout the show, and the delightful fairy ensemble serve as the musicians.
Mission Viejo's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" lightheartedly presents the difficulties of love and the humor of human folly through a cast of colorful characters and magical designs.
Sabrina Boyd
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts
Visions appear in Mission Viejo's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
written by Sabrina Boyd, a senior at Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Mission Viejo High School entertains with its fantastical production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream," Shakespeare's classic tale of four youths who, with the help of meddling fairies, find love after a night in the woods.
Acting as the catalyst for this misadventure is the trickster fairy, Puck, portrayed by Devoree Shields. Shields's spastic gestures and unrestrained excitability are trademarks of her character. Shields shows Puck's playful spirit as she sticks her tongue out mockingly at a sleeping Lysander (Ben Sellers), or as she enthusiastically bounds across the stage on her way to run errands for King Oberon (Joey Perez). Shields's performance is multi-faceted; her childlike eagerness contrasts sharply with the stoic demeanor in which she delivers her final monologue.
Bursting onto the stage with clumsy physicality is Bottom, portrayed brilliantly by Jeffrey Baker. His lofty speech and grandiose gestures as he acclaims his acting ability are extremely comical, provoking laughs as he passionately stabs himself with a prop sword and hurls himself about the stage as he depicts Pyramus's suicide. Baker's chemistry with the other Mechanicals is electric, with the bumbling group's slapstick nature resulting in chaos as they enact the story of Pyramus and Thisbe. One particularly hysterical moment includes an "accidental" kiss between Bottom's Pyramus and Flute's Thisbe (played by Parker Christian). Their faces scrunch up in a grimace as they draw nearer to each other, only to be shoved into the unwilling lip lock by Snout (Zach Dove), causing the two men to gag repeatedly and stagger across the stage in disgust.
Complementing the talented actors are the wonderful technical elements of the show. The hair and makeup, designed by Katie Agrela and Rhiana Schatz, reflect the different personalities of the characters, from glitter on the cheeks of the playful and bubbly fairies, to the "smoky eye" of the regal and moody Hippolyta (Natalie Patrick). Ben Sellers's original compositions highlight the magical atmosphere of the show, and his use of violins, harps, and banjos are reminiscent of folk music. Switching from major chords during lively scenes to minor chords during tense scenes, Sellers's compositions reveal different moods throughout the show, and the delightful fairy ensemble serve as the musicians.
Mission Viejo's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" lightheartedly presents the difficulties of love and the humor of human folly through a cast of colorful characters and magical designs.
Gabby Romero
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts
Mission Viejo enchants with 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
written by Gabby Romero, a senior at Santa Margarita Catholic High School
With crazy spells, confused fairies, and hilarious hijinks, Mission Viejo High School's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" honors Shakespeare's most iconic comedy. When a group of young lovers and a troupe of aspiring actors are placed under spells by a confused forest fairy, uproarious chaos ensues, proving that "the course of true love never did run smooth."
Devoree Shields as Puck jumps across the stage spastically as she tries to help four mortals find true love with magical spells. Her lively energy is revealed through her erratic dashing through the forest, her determined search for the young lovers, and her fierce loyalty to the Fairy King, played by Joey Perez. Shields's animated stage presence skillfully captures the vibrant nature of the show.
Helena, played by Mary Desmond, switches emotions at the drop of a hat as the plot of the show unfolds. Her seemingly calm demeanor suddenly shifts to loud, uncontrollable sobs as she laments about her misfortune. Desmond's flirtatious gestures also add to her humor. When she desperately adjusts her top to seduce Demetrius (Ryan Livesay) and coyly waves to him across the stage, Desmond elevates the dynamic comedy of the production.
Jeffrey Baker as Bottom steals the show with his energetic and impassioned performance. From exaggeratedly "stabbing" himself while performing in front of the duke to striding on stage with a booming, confident voice, Baker supplements the production with hilarious slapstick comedy.
The show is heightened by inspired technical design. The makeup, designed by Katie Agrela and Rhiana Schatz, distinguishes the magical characters from the mortals. Bright highlighter adorns the faces of the fairies to reflect the mythical enchantment of the forest. By contrast, the humans appear more subdued with more natural designs.
Ben Sellers's music composition excellently establishes the mood of each scene. The songs take inspiration from Gaelic folk music, which appropriately parallels the nature of the show. In moments of suspense, the music becomes more intense with a hair-raising violin performance. The fairies help bring Sellers's vision to life by playing a variety of instruments, most notably Adele Soonthornyanakij with her impressive violin skills.
With a talented and entertaining cast and inventive technical design, Mission Viejo's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" celebrates Shakespeare's classic comedy.
Gabby Romero
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts
Mission Viejo enchants with 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
written by Gabby Romero, a senior at Santa Margarita Catholic High School
With crazy spells, confused fairies, and hilarious hijinks, Mission Viejo High School's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" honors Shakespeare's most iconic comedy. When a group of young lovers and a troupe of aspiring actors are placed under spells by a confused forest fairy, uproarious chaos ensues, proving that "the course of true love never did run smooth."
Devoree Shields as Puck jumps across the stage spastically as she tries to help four mortals find true love with magical spells. Her lively energy is revealed through her erratic dashing through the forest, her determined search for the young lovers, and her fierce loyalty to the Fairy King, played by Joey Perez. Shields's animated stage presence skillfully captures the vibrant nature of the show.
Helena, played by Mary Desmond, switches emotions at the drop of a hat as the plot of the show unfolds. Her seemingly calm demeanor suddenly shifts to loud, uncontrollable sobs as she laments about her misfortune. Desmond's flirtatious gestures also add to her humor. When she desperately adjusts her top to seduce Demetrius (Ryan Livesay) and coyly waves to him across the stage, Desmond elevates the dynamic comedy of the production.
Jeffrey Baker as Bottom steals the show with his energetic and impassioned performance. From exaggeratedly "stabbing" himself while performing in front of the duke to striding on stage with a booming, confident voice, Baker supplements the production with hilarious slapstick comedy.
The show is heightened by inspired technical design. The makeup, designed by Katie Agrela and Rhiana Schatz, distinguishes the magical characters from the mortals. Bright highlighter adorns the faces of the fairies to reflect the mythical enchantment of the forest. By contrast, the humans appear more subdued with more natural designs.
Ben Sellers's music composition excellently establishes the mood of each scene. The songs take inspiration from Gaelic folk music, which appropriately parallels the nature of the show. In moments of suspense, the music becomes more intense with a hair-raising violin performance. The fairies help bring Sellers's vision to life by playing a variety of instruments, most notably Adele Soonthornyanakij with her impressive violin skills.
With a talented and entertaining cast and inventive technical design, Mission Viejo's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" celebrates Shakespeare's classic comedy.
Kaz Shade
Irvine High School
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook Page
Mission Viejo's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' enchants
written by Kaz Shade, a sophmore at Irvine High School
Mission Viejo's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is fantastic from the opening scene to the final curtain. In the classical Shakespearean comedy, fairies interfere with the tangled love lives of humans from the nearby city of Athens. Crazy adventures take place as the characters run through the forest, accidentally bumping into each other often.
Devoree Shields as the mischievous Puck sets the comedic tone with both her excellent delivery of lines and her awkward movements that show the character's nervousness. Throughout the play, her occasional chuckles at the silly troubles of the humans add a second layer of comedy to scenes that might otherwise drag on too long. Jeffrey Baker also brings many laughs as Bottom the weaver. Whether he is doing a dramatic monologue or just having a casual conversation, his eccentric delivery is hilarious and attention grabbing. His exaggerated and excessive actions while interacting with the Mechanicals are also amusing.
Complementing Baker's dramatic antics, the ensemble of struggling actors known as the Mechanicals (played by Katie Agrela, Bryan Ho, Zach Dove, Bianca Beach, and Parker Christian) introduces a funny new element with their slapstick jokes. After transitioning from a serious scene to one with the Mechanicals, these clumsy workers instantly lighten the mood. Their interaction is so natural and entertaining, at times it almost seemed improvised.
It isn't just the acting that makes this show outstanding, however; the tech team does a great job of setting the stage. The costumes are beautifully crafted by Lexi Forehand, Ruth Nair, and Hope Spires, representing character traits in their design. Puck's dark torn up garment indicates her shadowy nature, while Fairy Queen Titania (played by Bre Ben-Joseph) wears a gown with the whole rainbow of colors, which establishes her place as queen.
Though not typically featured in "A Midsummer Night's Dream," Mission Viejo's production includes music played by the fairies throughout, including a violin, a harp, and a few more assorted instruments. This original composition by Ben Sellers adds a new flair to the show, and reflects the tone of the play. It also functions as a refreshing new transition between scenes.
From an acting and technical standpoint, Mission Viejo puts on an excellent performance. Their classical interpretation with the added element of music flows like a dream.
Kaz Shade
Irvine High School
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook Page
Mission Viejo's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' enchants
written by Kaz Shade, a sophmore at Irvine High School
Mission Viejo's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is fantastic from the opening scene to the final curtain. In the classical Shakespearean comedy, fairies interfere with the tangled love lives of humans from the nearby city of Athens. Crazy adventures take place as the characters run through the forest, accidentally bumping into each other often.
Devoree Shields as the mischievous Puck sets the comedic tone with both her excellent delivery of lines and her awkward movements that show the character's nervousness. Throughout the play, her occasional chuckles at the silly troubles of the humans add a second layer of comedy to scenes that might otherwise drag on too long. Jeffrey Baker also brings many laughs as Bottom the weaver. Whether he is doing a dramatic monologue or just having a casual conversation, his eccentric delivery is hilarious and attention grabbing. His exaggerated and excessive actions while interacting with the Mechanicals are also amusing.
Complementing Baker's dramatic antics, the ensemble of struggling actors known as the Mechanicals (played by Katie Agrela, Bryan Ho, Zach Dove, Bianca Beach, and Parker Christian) introduces a funny new element with their slapstick jokes. After transitioning from a serious scene to one with the Mechanicals, these clumsy workers instantly lighten the mood. Their interaction is so natural and entertaining, at times it almost seemed improvised.
It isn't just the acting that makes this show outstanding, however; the tech team does a great job of setting the stage. The costumes are beautifully crafted by Lexi Forehand, Ruth Nair, and Hope Spires, representing character traits in their design. Puck's dark torn up garment indicates her shadowy nature, while Fairy Queen Titania (played by Bre Ben-Joseph) wears a gown with the whole rainbow of colors, which establishes her place as queen.
Though not typically featured in "A Midsummer Night's Dream," Mission Viejo's production includes music played by the fairies throughout, including a violin, a harp, and a few more assorted instruments. This original composition by Ben Sellers adds a new flair to the show, and reflects the tone of the play. It also functions as a refreshing new transition between scenes.
From an acting and technical standpoint, Mission Viejo puts on an excellent performance. Their classical interpretation with the added element of music flows like a dream.