A Midsummer Night's Dream
at Robert E. Lee High School

Reviewed on November 18, 2017

Henry Trochlil
Loudoun Valley High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

If you were to go back in time and tell Shakespeare that one of his shows would be adapted into a "galactic retro-futurism" setting complete with Star Trek inspired costumes, black lights, and disco balls - he probably wouldn't understand a thing you said. Nevertheless, just because the old man wouldn't get it doesn't mean it wouldn't work, and Robert E. Lee High School's performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream proved just that. Taking the classic show of love, comedy, humans, and mischievous sprites and throwing it into a much more contemporary style setting, it perfectly blended the mystifying, spectacular world of science fiction with the beautiful, eloquent language of Shakespeare; a somewhat unprecedented but entertaining mixture.

A Midsummer Night's Dream follows three simultaneous plot lines throughout the story, and all three were entertaining, funny, and engaging. The most prominent plot is that of the four lovers, Lysander (Daniel Burgess), Demetrius (Jacob Durish), Hermia (Remy Thompson), and Helena (Leah Block) who all had excellent stage chemistry and stage presence. Lysander especially exhibited full control and understanding of the language and always had an impressive energy and commitment to character. Helena was also a stand out due to her consistent humorous tone throughout the show. The second plot of the story consisted of the supernatural characters, including Oberon (Preston Cubbage), Titania (Skyler Estrella), and Puck (Kennedi Roland). Roland truly embodied the role of Puck, always energetic, captivating, and impish. The final plot was of the masters putting on the production Pyramus and Thisbe for the Duke. This group provided the most consistent humor for the audience, with Nick Bottom (Fredric Marquez) often leaving the audience in stitches with his excellent comedic timing and delivery, as well as his commitment to being an ass.

Alongside the impressive acting were the equally notable tech elements. The set truly encapsulated the theme of the show, with colors and construction that fascinated and bewildered. In addition to the set was a light show equal to that of a rock concert. A disco ball was used multiple times during the show and it only further increased the levels of energy and entertainment. Finally, the costumes and makeup were the icing on the cake. The makeup was striking and certainly helped to make every character unique, while the costumes effectively communicated the relationships among the different characters and groups of the show.

All in all, despite a thematic choice that may seem strange at first, Robert E. Lee High School's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream is a show that proves that the great works of William Shakespeare can still be delightful, entertaining, and understood by a modern audience without sacrificing the integrity of the art.

Elizabeth Waldt
West Springfield High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Get ready to be launched into space! Robert E. Lee High School's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" takes place on an obscure planet, offering the perfect blend of Shakespeare's timeless classic with space age sci-fi.

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" was written around 1596, and continues to be one of Shakespeare's most popular works. The play follows three interconnecting plots as the many characters make their way through the mystical woods. At the center of the plot are Theseus, Duke of Athens, as he prepares for his marriage to Hippolyta. Surrounding them are four young lovers, six amateur actors, and a group of magical beings, all wandering aimlessly through the deep, dark woods. With this many people lost in the forest, chaos is bound to follow.

As the forbidden lovers, Hermia (Remy Thompson) and Lysander (Daniel Burgess) convinced the audience of their endearing and winning chemistry. The duo lusted after one another in every scene, making it hard to believe they were not truly in love. Portraying Hermia's true fiancé Demetrius was actor Jacob Durish, who showed tremendous stage presence as he coveted Hermia. All eyes were on Durish as he tried to persuade her to his side. Demetrius was not the only person experiencing unrequited love. Helena (Leah Block) complicated matters further as she reveals her infatuation with Demetrius. Block expertly portrayed the deep insecurity of Helena though her withering, timid physicality. Together, the actors used excellent articulation and motion to help the audience understand the complex Shakespearean language.

The six inexperienced actors offer comic relief to otherwise serious scenes. Nick Bottom (Fredric Marquez) delivered a melodramatic performance as the lead actor in the amateur company. His dramatic pauses and over the top gestures kept the audience rollicking throughout the entire performance. Snug (Khue Duong) was an impressive foil to Nick, as her apprehensive movements and lines contrasted his extravagant performance.

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" is made even more interesting by its group of devious, magical beings. Titania (Skyler Estrella) demonstrates total confidence as the Queen of the Fairies. Her charismatic and quirky stage presence draws all eyes to her as she casts spells on unexpecting passersby. The King of the Fairies, Oberon (Preston Cubbage) drew notice with his dark and mysterious persona. As the rulers of the fairies, Oberon and Titania enchanted the audience with their dedicated performances.

This interesting production takes place on a remote planet, Titoberon, instead of a normal forest. The unique set added different levels to the show, allowing actors to interact with the stage in new ways. The carefully planned lighting brought color to the planet of Titoberon. The lighting crew creatively used a disco ball to rotate lights around the theater, leaving every audience member in awe. Outlandish makeup was embodied the futuristic theme, creating geometric patterns and bright policies on the face of every actor. In addition, the imaginative designs helped distinguish each individual character, creating a unique overall look.

Robert E. Lee's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" was an interesting take on a classic work. With a talented set of actors and crew, this production was out of this world!

Jordan Parry
H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program
Submitted for publication to FCPS Community News

Shakespeare in space. Not exactly the first setting that comes to mind when one thinks of a Shakespeare play, but in Robert E. Lee High School's A Midsummer Night's Dream, the setting of outer space worked perfectly. The play consists of three overlapping subplots which intertwine in the story's final act. Four youths, in this adaptation city dwellers on a faraway planet, grapple with a complicated love story, as two men, Lysander and Demetrius, are hopelessly in love with Hermia, while her best friend Helena is lovelorn for Demetrius. Meanwhile, fairies, in the version more like aliens, roam the woods causing mischief and a hilarious, bumbling group of mechanicals attempt to put on a play for an upcoming wedding.

This futuristic and bold theme was brought to life in the fantastic choices made by the costume and set teams. The city dwellers had a very geometric style, with the girls wearing beautifully-crafted skirts reminiscent of the Jetsons and the men wearing Star Trek-like shirts. The fairies had on neon leotards and, in a particularly stirring scene, pranced about the stage in black light, with glow-in-the-dark paint shining off their bodies. The music in the play also added to the theme, as they used 80's synth music to set each scene. One excellent choice was to have quiet music going on under the dialogue in some of the more intimate scenes, adding an almost cinematic element to the play.

This production was very well acted, with the entire cast bringing a consistent energy that kept on building throughout. Their commitment to the difficult language was evident, with the fairies in particular making an interesting choice to deliver Shakespeare's poetic words in an almost musical way. Daniel Burgess delivered a starring turn as Lysander, displaying fantastic chemistry with both Hermia and Helena, portrayed by Remy Thompson and Leah Block, respectively. Burgess and Jacob Durish as Demetrius really showed their acting chops as they flipped the switch from loving Hermia to Helena while under the influence of a love potion. The two staggered around the stage as though they were drunk on love, with some excellent physical comedy as they fought over Helena.

This comedy was taken even further by the mechanicals, who worked perfectly together as a unit in their uproarious scenes putting together their play. Each actor created a strong comedic character without going too over the top, as they all bounced off each other's choices. Playing Nick Bottom, Fredric Marquez gave a strong performance, using the full range of his voice as he moved about the stage. In addition, Kennedi Roland gave a strong turn as Puck, the spritely and devoted slave to Oberon, king of the fairies. She wonderfully toed the line between alien and fairy, and really seemed to understand exactly what she was saying at all times.

All in all, this was a creative and consistently strong production, without a weak link in its large ensemble cast. Every element of the show supported its inventive theme, as the tech team pulled out all the stops to create an outer space environment. The acting was well-informed, as each character clearly knew their objective in each scene and no one was overpowering. Everyone involved clearly put in the work necessary to bring such an interesting twist to such a classic work.

Minerva Martinez
Bishop O'Connell High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

The stage glows. A whimsical feel is radiated off the stage. This production of Midsummer Night's Dream has a special twist: it takes place in space. The audience at Robert E. Lee High School can feel the chemistry, it is over the charts. They are ready to take off into a story filled with laughter and passion.

The original Shakespearean play was written around 1595. What makes this play so special is the fact it has three plots going on simultaneously. The first story is the story of four young Athenians. Hermia is forced into a marriage Demetrius when she is in love with Lysander. Meanwhile, Hermia's friend is in love with Demetrius. The second plot covers the story of fairies in the Athenian forest. Titania and Oberon are the queen and king of the fairies. In the forest, the monarchs have a disagreement, and Oberon, hoping to get his way, tells his loyal fairy, Puck to go look for a flower. This flower, when used in the right way, allows a sleeping person to wake up and immediately fall in love with the first thing they see. The third plot is the story of the mechanicals, a group of amateur actors. Their main actor Nick Bottom is turned into a donkey, by the one and only Puck. Nick roams around the forest singing, this causes Titania to wake up from her slumber and she falls in love with him. The plots all parallel each other and compliment each other nicely. In the end, the three plots combine and each character gets what they truly want.

The cast had an exceptional presence on stage. The lines flowed from their mouth as if they were not even acting. Each and every actor became their character. Since they knew their character, they used the set in an exceptional way that fit the personality of their character. The space on stage and off was used in a creative manner, using every nook and cranny to give a feeling of being on another planet.

Daniel Burgess' performance as Lysander will definitely not be forgotten. His energy on stage did not go unnoticed. He felt and understood every line he spoke, something that is very hard to do with Shakespeare. His chemistry with Hermia, played by Remy Thompson, gave the their scenes together a special effect. Their portrayal of their character was incredibly lifelike and gave the play itself more of a modern feel.

An important part of the production that caught many people's attention, was the amazing work of the costume and makeup/hair team. It is clear they worked together to give the characters a consistent look. The costumes fit each character's personality very well. Each costume was hand made and looked professionally made. The costume and makeup team's hard work paid off and helped give off a feeling of being in space.

This production will definitely go down in history and will not be forgotten!

Karlee Skaggs
W. T. Woodson High School
Submitted for publication to FCPS Student Voice

William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream transcends the realms of reality and fantasy; but Robert E. Lee High School's production was intergalactic. A truly ensemble production, the 1596 comedy weaves three plot lines into one; that of an adolescent love square between Hermia, her beloved Lysander, Helena and her favored Demetrius, fairy king and queen Oberon and Titania, respectively, and finally the massively entertaining comedic relief, the Mechanicals. The simultaneous story lines, presented in a "galactic-retro futurism" style, as described by the production team, induce a rocket ship full of hilarity, especially in the hands of this comedically gifted Robert E. Lee cast.

Shakespearean plays, including A Midsummer Night's Dream are in the public domain, allowing directors to take liberties to suit a production as is seen fit; in the case of Robert E. Lee's production, this fact allowed its interplanetary concept to really shine. The whimsical, futuristic theme was thoroughly and consistently evident in every aspect of the production; lighting technicians Henson Doan, Josiah Phan and Eden Grey kept to spacey blues and purples in effective pursuit of an intergalactic feel, and also made surprisingly fantastic use of a disco ball. In the hands of capable costume heads Brenna Richard, Christina Springer and Skyler Estrella, costumes not only contributed to the overall vibe of the production, but were a vehicle for audience understanding. Costumes starkly differentiated between the three aspects of the production, allowing the average audience member to keep such a multi-dimensional story straight.

Comedic standouts included Fredric Marquez as Nick Bottom and Leah Block as Helena, both of whom demonstrated a mature understanding of Shakespeare's complex English. Marquez's Bottom was brilliantly physical in his conveyance, utilizing diverse motion in precise correlation with Shakespeare's words, and did not let a single comedic moment go to waste. Block's sassy Helena used sophisticated emphasis to make archaic phrases relevant to a modern audience. Both performers enabled Shakespeare's words to be more easily digested by viewers.

The lovely Remy Thompson (Hermia) and handsome Daniel Burgess (Lysander) brought electric chemistry to the Robert E. Lee stage. The pair never left an audience member doubting their love; neither performer was stiff or uncomfortable in scenes that required more than conversation, and their compatibility alone contributed an element of authenticity to the production. When it was time for Burgess to transfer his affections to Block, however, he did so seamlessly. Thompson, who donned glistening tights and a glimmering stage presence, captivated with emotional arcs and articulation as crystal clear as her futuristic skirt.

The Mechanicals, portrayed by Frederic Marquez, Winta Habtemichael, Jason Rodriguez, Destiny Slye, Abdissa Gallata and Khue Duong, truly stole the show. The ensemble was in a perpetual state of fantastic, believable, entertaining stage business, and energy ricocheted from one member to the next. Though the individuals that make up this group hardly portray the largest roles in the show, each performer made his character impressively distinct from the others in limited stage time. Duong, for instance, made Snug the Joiner perhaps the most endearing character in the show through her timid body language and charming roar, even though most of her stage time didn't have lines attached.

Shakespeare enthusiasts may initially find Robert E Lee's spatial production of A Midsummer Night's Dream to be unforgivably alien. Through commitment to magnificent lighting, set, costume, and performance choices, however, the classic tale of lovers' comical misfortune is given new, interplanetary life, else the Puck a liar call.

Benjamin Tieu
W. T. Woodson High School
Submitted for publication to Connection

Distant alien planets, glowing fairies, and literal light - "saber" fights… Wait, we're probably not both thinking about all this in a Shakespeare show right? In Robert E. Lee's unique and futuristic production of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream they transport us to view love and disorder in space.

The classic comedy does not follow the traditional structure of a play. There are three different unique plots following wonderful characters as their paths weave together. One set features the star-struck lovers Lysander and Hermia who fled to an enchanted forest to escape her arranged marriage with Demetrius. Helena, who is madly in love with Demetrius, follows them. Meanwhile, a group of actors are putting a play on for the Duke of Athens and rehearse in the forest. Unknowing to them, the feuding king of the forest, Oberon, decides to play a trick on his queen, Titania, by putting her under the spell of love. Puck, Oberon's servant, carries out this mischief but also puts the potion on the lovers. Chaos and fun in the stars ensue as the entire cast gets tangled up in each other.

This more than unique concept of Shakespeare in space was backed up by a powerful ensemble of actors. The love between Lysander (Daniel Burgess) and Hermia (Remy Thompson) felt authentic with their plentiful smooches and touches. Daniel Burgess also did a brilliant job flipping loves when falling for Helena (Leah Block). Leah Block impressively delivered her lines as she comedically and dramatically fell and ran around the stage. The Mechanicals added a charming layer to the show and created an aura of energy in the audience. Nick Bottom (Fredric Marquez) stole the show with his hilarious and extraordinary performance that had the whole crowd laughing. Every Mechanical felt individual and built their actions of each other. Oberon (Preston Cubbage), Titania (Skyler Estrella), Puck (Kennedi Roland), and the rest of the fairies were extremely indulging with their over the top hand motions and movements. The way they literally crawled out of the stage left viewers with amazement.

What really drove home the wacky and fun concept was the technical aspect of the show. Under the direction of Shannon Lynch, the audience truly felt like we were in the year 70072 on the planet Titoberon. The whole show had a nostalgic yet fresh feeling to it with an 80's sci-fi vibe. This immersion was thanks to the lighting which was truly phenomenal, with tasteful use of darkness and neon colors. Costumes and the make-up and hair techies did an out of this world job with a simplistic and geometric design. The costumes of the Athenians looked like they had come out of the Jetsons with their plentiful shapes with a splash of sparkle. The forest dwellers had a magical and mystical feel with the glowing patterns that stole the eyes of the audience. The sound of the show contributed to the amazing surrealism. Sound crew wowed everyone with futuristic noises that could only come out of Star Trek. While scenes were changing, the music played felt fitting of an alien planet.

With such a unique, silly, and just plain cool concept, Robert E. Lee nailed a Midsummer Night's Dream into something that was mystical, unforgettable and a whole lot of fun.

Addison Picardat
West Springfield High School
Submitted for publication to Fairfax County Times

Space, the final frontier- probably the last place that comes to mind when you think of Shakespeare. However, it was oddly the perfect setting for an adaptation of a classic story about love and magic. Robert E. Lee's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream combined a world far into the future with a tale as old as time that left the audience entranced.

A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of Shakespeare's many plays and is popular among the masses. This five act play follows several storylines, the major three being about four lovers and their intertwined relationships and the king of the fairies who sends his servant out on a quest. Hermia is in love with Lysander, despite being engaged to Demetrius. Helena, who is desperate to be with Demetrius, tells him about how the two lovers are running away together in order to receive his admiration. Meanwhile, Puck, one of Oberon's fairies, casts a spell on the two gentlemen to fall in love with whoever they first lay eyes on in the morning, who just so happens to be Helena. Oberon catches the mistake and releases them from the curse, ending the show with the youths in their correct relationship.

Lysander (Daniel Burgess) is a strong character, but also has a soft side when it comes to Hermia. Burgess did a commendable job at finding a balance between the two. He played to the object of his affection in a humorous manner, and the fighting between him and Demetrius made the crowd cry with laughter. Hermia (Remy Thompson) was just as powerful and funny of a character, fighting just as hard as her male counterpart. Thompson made every small movement feel natural, such as the moment she accepted defeat and slid down the set in a pitiful fashion. These two actors together played a truly believable couple and kept their romance alive through all five acts.

Typically in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Puck is played by a male, but the show is also typically not set in space. With that in mind, Kennedi Roland did a phenomenal job adapting Puck for a female role. She was committed to the idea of the fairy now being more of a space alien and added a new level of tension to the character by making her infatuated with Oberon. One other noteworthy role was the show-stealer known as Nick Bottom (Fredric Marquez); every scene he was in left the audience in stitches as he delivered every line with excellent comedic timing.

In terms of the technical elements, this production was nearly flawless. The lighting crew made good use of their disco ball, holding it steady as they illuminated it and filled the auditorium with stars. The lights also collaborated with makeup, using black lights and intricate neon body paint, and created an otherworldly feeling that was breathtaking. Costumes reflected the galactic theme, featuring holographic bodysuits and clear skirts, and sound also helped create an ambiance that communicated that it was tens of thousands of years in the future.

Combining Shakespeare and space sounds like one of your craziest fever dreams, but Lee took the challenge and made it enjoyable for the entire audience.