A Midsummer Night's Dream
at Thomas A. Edison High School

Reviewed on November 17, 2017

Simon VanDerWeide
Flint Hill School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

Thomas Edison High School invited audiences into the whimsical and enchanted world of "A Midsummer Night's Dream," where a timeless forest of fairies lurks just outside of orderly Athens.

Written in the 1590s by William Shakespeare, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" tells the story of Titania and Oberon, two immortal fairies, whose arrival near Athens disrupts the lives of humans in fantastic ways. When four youths venture into the woods to follow their lovers, they enter a land of magic and contention, also inhabited by the Mechanicals, a group of rude actors rehearsing a play of their own. With double-entendre and sharp wit flying on the wings of every fairy, it is no surprise that this Shakespearean comedy is one of the most performed.

Actors Amen Adib and Carina Hines brought the character of Puck to life with their synchronous dialogue and fluid motion. Although Adib and Hines each represented one side of a single character, they brought out the idiosyncrasies of Puck and Robin Goodfellow with unique and inspired physicality. Nathaniel McCay (Oberon) and Sophia Pelakasis (Titania) carried with them a regal and imposing presence whenever they graced the stage.

Other dramatic performances were made by Reel Yousif (Hermia), Angeline Ignacio (Helena), Alex Savage (Nick Bottom), and Sean McGavin (Snout). While Ignacio beautifully displayed a young woman's dilemma in desiring an unrequited love, Yousif protested against the condemnation of her love with soulful lamentations and strong emotion. The Mechanicals' play-within-a-play of Pyramus and Thisbe would have been incomplete without McGavin's brilliant and sarcastic portrayal of Wall. Savage brought tremendous arrogance to narcissistic Bottom, casting himself for every role in the play with aplomb and larger-than-life motions.

The passage of time was well displayed by the use of sunlit hues for the dawn. This production also featured numerous handcrafted headpieces and sets of wings that highlighted the nature of the characters that wore them. The costumes themselves established clear distinctions between the warring fairy courts and contributed to the timeless nature of the entire show. From the practices of the elaborate triple wedding to the intricate dénouement, Jillian Brooks' choreography enhanced the emotion of every scene and kept the show lively in otherwise slow moments.

The cast and crew of Thomas Edison High School's production reimagined the classic tale of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" with distinct modernity and exceptional talent.

Erin Mullins
Lake Braddock Secondary
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

In the depths of the forest on a hot summer eve, a fairy giggles in the shadows as a man with the head of a Donkey sings loudly and crudely. Magic is in the air as the fae world and the human world clash in Thomas A. Edison High School's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

William Shakespeare's timeless comedy, one that has been around since the 16th century, is set in Athens and follows the mixed-up romance of four young lovers as they attempt to navigate their way through forbidden love and consequential pining. With the "help" from mischievous fairies, true love wins out and in the end a hilarious play within a play greets the lovers on their wedding day.

The cast as a whole showed dedication to each and every role, and came together to deliver a performance that was high spirited and full of comedic value. The technical aspects of the show were intricate and enhanced the performance through added detail.

The antics of The Mechanicals (Perry Brown, Alex Savage, Mason Clark, Landen Chanthaphanij, Sean McGavin, and Sam Kaynor) had the audience in fits of laughter throughout the entire show. The group worked well not only as an ensemble, but also as individuals who brought life and special quirks to his or her own character. The Mechanicals had unwavering energy in every scene; there was never a dull moment while they were onstage. The chemistry between the actors was clear, both as their "acting" characters and as their "Pyramus and Thisbe" counterparts.

The decision to have the role of Puck/Robin split between two actors (Amen Adib and Carina Hines) was interesting, and the two worked well with it. The way the actors played off of each other and delivered their lines back and forth was entertaining, and easily allowed them to capture the dynamic of the rascally sprite. Angeline Ignacio, who played Helena, performed in a way that showed she understood her lines and her character, and she captured the audience's attention. Reel Yousif, who performed as Hermia, showed a range of emotions from love to disappointment to anger that allowed the audience to feel her pain as she watched her lover turn away from her.

The detailed and colorful design (Maggie Landis and Jillian Brooks) of the homemade headpieces and wings for the fairies was beautiful and defined the status' of the various characters. The use of feathered quills and rolled up paper helped define the time period and showed attention to detail on the designer's part. The fairies makeup (Jocelyn Gyasiwaah Antwi) was bright and creative. The pinks and blues set the magical creatures apart from the human actors, and each actor was easily distinguishable. The set design (Amédé Karina-Plun and Julia Stonefield) accentuated the depth of the stage and gave the appearance of an Athenian forest with its multiple trees and pillars.

Thomas A. Edison High School's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream was packed with entertainment, and the bright colors and details surrounding the actors fully captured Shakespeare's themes of love and dreaming.

Brian Wolf
Lake Braddock Secondary
Submitted for publication to FCPS Community News

Trouble brews again in Athens when mortal lovers fight, fairies quarrel, a king and queen are married, and comically bad mechanicals desperately try to prepare for their show. When all is said and done, will the drama resolve itself or tear these characters apart? Thomas Edison's performance left audiences laughing so hard they could barely breathe.

Shakespeare's 1590's A Midsummer Night's Dream, is set to be timeless in Athens and the forest near it. Under these circumstances fairies cast spells on unsuspecting mortals and the Duke and his wife must sit through a horrendously hilarious play after being married.

Lysander and Hermia's attempted elope and wide range of emotions were portrayed fantastically by Max Bertman and Reel Yousif. Their romance was felt from the beginning to the end of the play, and Yousif's confusion after a spell is cast on Bertman is genuine. Demetrius and Helena, played by Ben Kaynor and Angeline Ignacio, were involved in this love square too, their love and hate shown through easily read body language.

However, these lovers were not let alone in the forest. They happened to stumble into the shared domain of Titania and Oberon, the fairy queen and king played by Sophia Pelakasis and Nathaniel McCay, who happen to be quarreling at the time the lovers are having their spat. As McCay gets help from Puck and Robin, he shows his deviousness and skill at playing pranks on Titania, and due to a misunderstanding, even accidentally has Puck and Robin, played by Amen Adib and Carina Hines respectively, prank the mortals. Pelakasis demonstrates through her body language and tone how she was made to be the fairy queen with her kindness, love, and care. Throughout the play she has a strong and attention grabbing presence.

Through these two stories, a third is heard; the Rude Mechanicals rehearsing in the Athenian forest for their performance at the dukes wedding. These actors within actors were the epitome of comedy through tragic ineptitude. This hopeless troupe of actors were led by Patti Quince, played by Perry Brown, who desperately tries to sate the emotional vanity of Nick Bottom, played by Alex Savage. Throughout the play, Savage is the driving comedic force behind the play, using a combination of extreme physical movements and intimate interactions with the other actors to truly portray the ridiculousness and hilarity of Bottom's personality.

Flute, Starveling, Snout, and Snug, played by Mason Clark, Landen Chanthaphanij, Sean McGavin, and Sam Kaynor all helped under score Savage's performance by having their own individual quirks. They interacted with each other in the way only a close, hard working group of people can, and as such brought the audience out of their seats laughing, particularly in the second act when they performed the Tragedy of Pyramus and Thisbe.

With a combination of few but detailed set pieces, simplistic lighting, wondrous costumes, and detailed makeup, the technical aspects overall helped to highlight the acting and support the themes of the play and immerse the audience in Thomas A. Edison High School's gloriously comedic performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Abbigail Alm
Potomac Senior High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

Flittering fairies, young lovers, and doltish actors-their stories tied together by the mischief of royal fairies. Edison High School's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream perfectly captured the intricate plot of one of Shakespeare's most popular plays. Written in the late 1500's, it was mostly well received for its absurdity and frivolity, yet also disliked by some for that same reason. Despite the lack of seriousness compared to his other plays, A Midsummer Night's Dream continues to be one of Shakespeare's most performed plays to date.

Beginning with the fairies, the story begins with the fairy queen Titania finding a changeling, or a lost child. King Oberon demands that Titania's court hand over the child, but they refuse, leaving Oberon to inflict a spell onto Titania, cursing her to fall in love with the first creature that she sees upon waking up. Puck and Robin, Oberon's assistants, find an acting troupe practicing in the forest, cursing Bottom, one of the actors, with the head of a donkey. While celebrating their little prank, Puck and Robin encounter Hermia and Lysander, two Romeo-and-Juliet-esque lovers, planning to run to a nearby city to elope. Demetrius, who is in love with Hermia, hears of this plan from Helena, who is infatuated with Demetrius. Puck and Robin pity Helena's unrequited love, so they form a plan to curse Demetrius with the same spell inflicted upon the queen. Their plan is botched, however, when they accidentally curse Lysander instead. They find Demetrius and curse him as well, which makes both men fall in love with Helena. Meanwhile, the queen woke up and found herself face-to-face with the donkey-headed Bottom, who she promptly becomes infatuated with.

Despite the troupe's naiveté, the audience laughed along with the rude mechanicals, or actors, as they put on their play-within-a-play production of Metamorphoses. The mechanicals played off of each other's foolishness, each one perfectly embodying the personalities of their respective characters. Flute, played by Mason Clark, portrayed his own character, as well as the role his character played in Metamorphoses, a young lady named Thisbe. Bringing the doltish actors down to earth was the managerial, yet heartfelt Patti Quince, played by Perry Brown. She encouraged the amateurs throughout the show, giving them not-so-great acting advice and helping them embody their roles as best they could. Helena, played by Angeline Ignacio, showed an excellent understanding of her lines and enunciated spectacularly, something oftentimes difficult in Shakespearean theater. Oberon, played by Nathaniel McCay, portrayed his character very well as both ambitious and heartfelt towards the fairy queen who, played by Sophia Pelakasis, captured the attention of the audience whenever she was onstage, especially through her singing.

Costumes were well-made and diverse, with common themes occurring between each group of characters. The fairies especially stood out, adorned with contrasting tutus that matched their colorfully contoured makeup. The props, especially the handmade wings and headpieces worn by the fairies added an extra sense of their role as mystical beings. Each dancing sequence was incredibly well thought-out, with the fluidity of the characters being brought into light. The set crew made excellent use of the full stage, making the set stretch all the way back where Titania slumbered, giving it more dimension.

Despite following three different groups of characters, the audience had no problem untangling the intertwining storylines. The characters and the scene around them blended perfectly, making yet another successful Shakespearean production of this enchantingly popular comedy.

Camille Neumann
Lake Braddock Secondary
Submitted for publication to FCPS Student Voice

William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is a timeless classic, telling 4 almost separate tales of romance, comedy, and farce in one hysterical play. Often lauded as one of Shakespeare's most produced and well-known works, this play has been performed thousands of times through the centuries and continues to affect modern views of fairies and mystical folklore to this day. You would think a well known and oft-produced play such as this would be difficult to pull off well, but Edison High School Drama performed this show with ease and comedy.

All performers demonstrated a good commitment to their characters and apt performance ability, but the true standouts of the play were the rude mechanicals: a crude acting crew which performs ‘The most lamentable comedy, and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby' for the lover's wedding. Consisting of Patti Quince (Perry Brown), Nick Bottom (Alex Savage), Flute (Mason Clark), Starveling (Landen Chanthaphanij), Snout (Sean McGavin), and Snug (Sam Kaynor), these 6 performers worked exquisitely together and each displayed individual personalities while still working together as an ensemble. Other performers worth mentioning include those of Helena (Angeline Ignacio), who exhibited a stellar understanding of the script, in addition to Oberon and Titania, played by Nathaniel McCay and Sophia Pelakasis respectively, who both had nice vocal acting in addition to a good physical dynamic.

Certain technical aspects also stood out in a positive way. Properties Designer Maggie Landis managed to creatively fashion all the wings and headpieces out of wiring and gentle fabrics to create scintillatingly intricate designs, and also managed to create interesting scrolls and pens for performers to use. Details in the set and costumes also helped to immerse the audience in the ambiguous setting of the play, and although more detail in certain areas would have been nice to see the overall attention to detail of the set in particular was very refreshing.

Overall, this take on a quintessential theatre piece was highly entertaining and had audience members laughing all the way through.

Katie Portillo
West Potomac High School
Submitted for publication to Alexandria Times

On this nuptial hour, we spend our evening enjoying the recountings of the fair wedding weekend between our benevolent Athenian rulers, Theseus and Hippolyta. The youth arrive in merriment awaiting the joyful celebration while over the hill and through the park two omnipotent beings contest the thoughts they share for one boy. In Thomas Edison's rendition of the classic "A Midsummer Night's Dream," they embody the epitome of Shakespearean farce that kept laughter ringing through the house.

Published in 1600, this festive comedy is one of William Shakespeare first works of the genre. Our beloved playwright writes the facetious series of events surrounding the marriage of Theseus, Duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons. This satire recounts the adventures of six amateur actors, four youthful lovers, two argumentative fairies, and their impractical shenanigans.

Nathaniel McCay played Oberon, the king of the fairies, assisted by his right hand man, Robin Goodfellow, played by both Amen Adib and Carina Hines. The two turned the conventional one person role of Puck into a dynamic duo turning lines traditionally meant to break the fourth wall into a dialogue between them.Whenever on stage with their leader, the pair would be placed at either side of him, setting a visually pleasing image. And when not they would certainly do his bidding: displaying a mischievous side amidst the four young lovers. Their encounters set off the main conflict as they enchant Lysander (Max Bertman) and Demetrius (Ben Kaynor) into believing they are in love with Helena, portrayed by Angeline Ignacio.

Definite standouts were the wonderfully mixed ensemble of crass mechanicals, that everyone couldn't help but love. This troupe was lead by the one and only Perry Brown as Patti Quince, traditionally written as Peter Quince. Second in command, is the egotistical Nick Bottom played by Alex Savage. Savage shows his enriched understanding of the traditional Shakespearean lines while still exuding the self-centeredness of his character in a very articulate way. Mason Clark played the laughable mender, Flute, as a real team player. He never once lost his purpose or drive and always stayed true to his craft. We then had our lovely duo, Starveling (Landen Chanthaphanij) and Snug (Sam Kaynor) who played off each other in a naturally convincing manner. Last in the bunch is our real showstopper, The Wall, better known as Snout, depicted by Sean McGavin. Each and every one of these actors brought their own quirks to the table. From this, they integrated to create the priceless amateur theatre troupe.

The breathtaking technical aspects truly made this show a well rounded production. The props department, led by Maggie Landis, designed the alluring wings and headpieces that adorned the fairies as they glided across the stage. One unique wing design, was Puck's with a branchy hollowed out look that showed the characters woodsy persona. The costume department, headed by Jillian Brooks, Maggie Landis, and Carolyn Remmers, created beautiful skirts that sailed smoothly on the fairies of Titania's court in distinctive colors.

Edison's medieval rendering of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" had the perfect embodiment of the absurdity that was originally written into the script. The whole show meshed well, creating an impeccable performance with an amusing and witty ensemble. For "...the lunatic, the lover, and the poet, are of imagination all compact."

Garrett Rinker
Wakefield High School
Submitted for publication to Connection

It is safe to say that the course of A Midsummer Night's Dream at Thomas Edison High School did run smooth, for a high school theatre group trying to tackle Shakespeare is an extremely difficult task. A Midsummer Night's Dream is known for being one of Shakespeare's most popular plays because of its tendency to provoke laughter from the its audience very frequently. It also has the potential to look very special with all the fairies and magic. In addition, there are unlimited ways to interpret the play and unlimited time periods and places it can be set in.
In this production, it wasn't always clear what setting, specifically the time period, they chose. While this could be looked at as a strong creative choice, it could be a little confusing at times. Despite the uncertain time period, the costumes of all the characters, especially the fairies, were beautiful. The makeup they had on was also very creative and gave them a little more character. Another unexpected choice was there being two different Pucks. It doesn't initially sound like a common idea, but it actually worked out very nicely. The two mischievous fairies (Amen Adib and Carina Hines) seemed to be in perfect sync during most of their lines they said simultaneously. Other noteworthy performances included Nathaniel McCay as Oberon, Sophia Pelakasis as Titania, and Kaitlyn Oliver as Hippolyta. The four lovers also stood out and had great characters that kept the story moving. As Helena, Angeline Ignacio brought incredible drama to her character, despite being in a comedy. She also did a wonderful job making the audience pity her at every moment.
The biggest standouts of the show however, were the rude mechanicals. They worked wonderfully together bringing excellent comedic timing to each scene, no matter if Bottom was the one with the spotlight. Alex Savage (Bottom) was hilarious throughout the whole play and did not disappoint while playing one of the characters with the funniest lines. Mason Clark as Flute/Thisbe certainly didn't disappoint either. He clearly knew how to make an audience laugh. In conclusion, Thomas Edison's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream has not offended.

Willa Denton
West Potomac High School
Submitted for publication to Fairfax County Times

Lord what fools these mortals be if they didn't get a chance to see Edison High School Drama's A Midsummer Night's Dream. A Midsummer Night's Dream is a Shakespearean comedy produced in 1595/96. A Midsummer Night's Dream has many plots, all intertwined. One plot is Egeus' daughter, Hermia, is arranged to marry Demetrius however she despises him and is in love with Lysander. While Demetrius is in love with Hermia, Helena, a member of Theseus' court, is in love with Demetrius. Hermia and Lysander plan to run off into the forest and elope, only telling Helena. Who then tells Demetrius in hopes of him moving on from Hermia, but that caused him run off into the forest, with Helena following behind. With all the young lovers in the forest we're introduced to Oberon and Titania. Oberon and Titania, king and queen fairies, are in a quarrel, which leads to Oberon getting his servant Puck to put a magic flower into Titania's eyes so she falls in love with the next person she sees. Oberon sees Helena in love with Demetrius but him being mean to her, so Oberon also tells Puck to put the flower in Demetrius' eyes so he falls in love with Helena. But Puck accidentally puts the magic in Lysander's eyes, causing him to fall in love with Helena, Puck then puts magic in Demetrius' eyes so both Lysander and Demetrius are in love with Helena, which causes Hermia and Helena to get in a fight. Meanwhile the Mechanicals, a group of immature actors rehearsing, when Nick Bottom, an egotistic man gets pulled aside by Puck and turned into a donkey, which is what Titania falls in love with.

In Edison's production they seperated Puck into two roles, since Puck goes by both Puck and Robin, Amen Adib (Puck) and Carina Hines (Robin) did an excellent job. With a great chemistry together there never once was a problem having two fairy servants. The fairies as a whole did a lovely job, with dance numbers which helped set the mood, giving the forest a peaceful theme. Costumes (Jillian Brooks, Maggie Landis, and Carolyn Remmers) and makeup (designed by Joycelyn Gyasiwaah Antwi and Jessica Berkeszi) did an enlightening job, giving all the fairies a unique look, and having strong themes between the couples.

The Mechanicals, lead by Patti Quince (Perry Brown), were a lovable comedic relief. With Quince normally portrayed by a male, Brown did a phenomenal job making it work as a girl, and never having a dull moment on stage. All Mechanicals had their own quark, which helped make all of them a unique character that everyone gains attachment to. The Mechanicals added something to their role which made the show that much more entertaining.

The young lovers, Hermia (performed by Reel Yousif), Lysander (performed by Max Bertman), Demetrius (performed by Ben Kaynor), and Helena (performed by Angeline Ignacio) did a great job, staying in character and being distinct when changing emotions. Bertman and Kaynor did a great job switching their love from Hermia to Helena, still remaining comedic and lovable, even when insulting Hermia. Though they be but little they are fierce, Yousif and Ignacio's emotions were strong and shown elegantly.

If we shadows have offended, think but this, and all is mended, that you have but slumber'd here while these visions did appear. And this weak and idle theme, no more yielding but a dream, gentles, do not reprehend: If you pardon we will mend. Else the Puck a liar call. Give me your hands, if we be friends, and Robin shall restore amends.