A Midsummer Night's Dream
at HB Woodlawn Secondary Program

Reviewed on November 9, 2019

Maddy Rubin
Langley High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

"Groovy" is not a word normally associated with Shakespeare, but HB Woodlawn's re-imagining of A Midsummer Night's Dream evokes images of the bard in bell bottoms. One of William Shakespeare's most popular works, A Midsummer Night's Dream has been delighting audiences since the 1590s, and HB Woodlawn's production is no exception.

A Midsummer Night's Dream follows two pairs of young lovers into the woods, where they are led astray by the hijinks of the fairy king Oberon (Beth Fleming). As they make their way through the forest of neon trees, a miscommunication between Oberon and his companion leads to a love spell forcing both gentlemen to fall in love with a single girl and compete for her affection. The puppet-master of this calamity is the mischievous fairy Puck, played by Leah Hall. Hall's expert portrayal of the impish forest spirit had the audience in stitches as she gallivanted across the stage, wreaking havoc on the lives of the four young lovers.

An additional plot line is that of the Mechanicals, a troupe of actors who venture into the woods to rehearse for their production of Pyramus and Thisbe. Begrudgingly led by the self-absorbed actor Nick Bottom, played by Lex Garcia, the Mechanicals find themselves at the mercy of Puck, who transforms Nick Bottom's head into that of an ass. Garcia's portrayal of the outlandish actor was spot on, and he wasn't afraid to make an �eass' of himself- both figuratively and literally. In addition to his excellent comedic timing, Garcia also demonstrated a profound understanding of the bard's language and brought the text to life with his humorous physicality. The final act of the show, which consists of the Mechanical's production of Pyramus and Thisbe, was met with near constant laughter. Notable performances include the role of the wall, played by Eva Turner, who garnered attention with her over-the-top stage presence.

Aiding the performances of the cast was the engaging and imaginative blocking, which utilized every inch of the black box theater. Directed by Caroline Alpi, the production took pride in turning Shakespeare on its head for a modern era. Swords were replaced by lightsabers, the moon by a disco ball. This was aided by an innovative sound design (Mary Katherine Musick, Cameron Davis) that features the greatest hits of the seventies, including a notable rendition of "Dancing Queen" by the fairy court. The costumes, designed by Thomas Granger and Katie Rau, further transport the storyline away from Athens, and into the era of groovy bell bottoms and polyester suits.

Intimate and interactive, HB Woodlawn's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream is a seventies fever dream come to life, and a dream you'll never want to wake up from.

Grace Hodges
Teen Theatre Company
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Lovers whisked away from the warmth of their embrace, hopeless actors who may never see their hard work materialize, and a troupe of fairies blissfully performing Dancing Queen? This isn't your grandmother's Romeo and Juliet; this is HB Woodlawn Secondary Program's hilarious and witty portrayal of A Midsummer Night's Dream!

A whimsical comedy performed by millions; A Midsummer Night's Dream was penned by renowned poet William Shakespeare in 1595/96. The events follow the escape of four desperate Athenian lovers, the shenanigans of six riotous actors (the mechanicals), and the mischievous actions of the magical sprite Puck. One may shiver at the thought of having to perform Shakespearean lines in front of an audience, but instead of seeing it as a disadvantage, the actors of HB Woodlawn Secondary Program used their emphasized physicality and vivid interactions to keep the audience fully engaged during the Shakespearean lines and plot, never allowing a single moment to be dull.

Gripping the audience's attention from her first appearance to final bow, Leah Hall superbly executed the role of the high-spirited and sly sprite Puck. With hilariously exaggerated facial expressions of confusion and satisfaction, heightened by skillful acting and high levels of energy, Hall evoked a powerful feeling of child-like wonder inside the hearts of the audiences.

Strutting onto the stage as the determined yet slightly dim-witted Helena, Vivienne Blouin impressively delivered every bit of energy she held into her difficult lines, never confusing the audience as to what mattered the most to her- winning back her one and only love. Blouin showcased tremendous range of emotions, always surprising the audience as to what side of her they would see next.

Of course, the show would not have been completed had it not been for the uproarious Lex Garcia, who stole the show as the spotlight-hungry and quick-witted Nick Bottom. Using his stomping feet, exaggerated bouncing movements, and booming voice to prove his point, Garcia harnessed remarkable comedic timing that had the audience's sides splitting throughout the entire show.

Though her role as a wall was limited to the end of the comedy, Eva Turner's portrayal of Snout the Tinker left the final moments of the performance hysterically engraved into the audience's memories. With her (not-so-secret) winks to the audience and comically seductive delivery of her lines, Turner harnessed her role as an inanimate object and manifested it into an object that had the audience grinning ear to ear. Though only performing a handful of lines, Wes Riggs impeccably transpired the warmhearted yet slightly controlling Egeus with the little bit of time that was available. With humorously animated expressions and movements (including a tear-jerking meltdown on stage), Riggs proved to the audience that no role is too small to show the world what you've got!

Behind the whimsical story telling stands the outstanding production crew that pieced their unique talents together. Utilizing the groovy 70s feel of the set with neon plaid wallpaper, while still possessing the enchanted feel of the mysterious forest with illuminating glow-in-the-dark trees, the set (Zoe Travers) and prop design crew (Mirek Jungr, Amelia Myers, and Lily Shirley) were consistent with Shakespeare's minimalistic style towards sets, while still being able to transport the audience into the dazzling world of the mystical forest.

As Puck bid adieu to the crowd, it was clear that no ruse or magical blossom was needed to make the audience fall deeply in love with the characters of HB Woodlawn Secondary Program's comedy, a Midsummer Night's Dream.

Jane Kearns
Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

"All this derision shall seem a dream and fruitless vision." William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" truly feels as if you have entered a dream filled with love, mischief, chaos, and hilarity. The comedy is perhaps one of the immortal bard's most well-known and well-loved plays and has been performed by many throughout the world with various interpretations and staging's. It is a whimsical tale following four Greek lovers as they encounter a band of fairies and their king and queen, a group of actors, and one mischievous sprite. Love potions are used, lovers get lost, and chaos ensues. This play was excellently staged by HB Woodlawn's talented cast and crew; they engaged the audience and immersed them into this vivid dream.

As the show progressed, many of the eccentric characters' lives were developed onstage. One such character was Lysander, played by Daniel Goldman. Goldman excellently portrayed Lysander's love for Hermia (Jasmina Tang) and hilariously showed the character's dramatic transformation as a result of the love potion. Goldman was an engaged and committed actor, adding to the magic of the show. Another well-loved character was Puck (Leah Hall), the sprite behind the madness. Hall's captivating physicality paired with her clear knowledge of Shakespeare's language made for an engaging performance that drew the audience in. She had excellent chemistry with her scene partners and guided the audience through the difficult language of the play with ease, keeping the audience entertained with funny one-liners and comedic movements.

An actor that added hilarity and energy to the show was Lex Garcia, who played Nick Bottom. Garcia had incredible stage presence that drew the audience's eye every time he walked on stage. His comedic timing was impeccable, and he kept the audience in stitches with both his sporadic movements and hilarious additions to the script. His grasp of Shakespearean language was clearly evident, and he helped the audience to understand what was going on through the chaos. Vivienne Blouin (Helena) also had extensive knowledge of Shakespeare and helped guide the audience through the complex plot. Another notable character was Snout the Tinker (Eva Turner) who was the cherry on top of the comedy of the show through her portrayal of a "sexy wall" during the play-within-a-play.

The tech elements of the show were well-executed and only added to the zany energy. The 70's theme was prevalent through creative costuming (Thomas Granger and Katie Rau), neon sets and makeup (Zoe Travers and Kaia Bonner), fun props, and additions of famous songs such as "Dancing Queen," "Let's Get in On," and more! The sound cues executed by Emerson Parker were perfectly timed and a welcome addition. All this served only to create an entrancing atmosphere that made the show feel like a wild dream. One of the most notable creative elements was the student director, Caroline Alpi, who made sure that every character added to the show. Her use of blocking was perfect, using the entire room as a stage and keeping the audience on their toes.

HB Woodlawn's theater department put on an excellent show that the audience never wanted to leave. Each and every student was fully committed to the show, and the energy and pacing were kept at a high. The complicated story was well-told by a talented cast and crew, making it truly feel like a whimsical dream you didn't want to wake up from.

Madeline Johnson
Bishop O'Connell High School
Submitted for publication to Insidenova - Sun Gazette

A neon glow, flared garments galore, and iconic music brought this 70s fever dream to life in HB Woodlawn's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Written by William Shakespeare, the show follows three different groups: lovers, actors, and a fairy king and queen, all strung together through the meddlesome acts of a mischievous sprite, in a journey throughout the woods. Chaos ensues and love is found, albeit artificial, as the story makes its rounds, ending with one questioning the reality of the entire event.

With a firm grasp on the material of the show, the cast was able to take the humor of the famous comedy to a whole new level. Aided by impeccable timing on the part of all tech aspects from sound, to lights, to the scene changes themselves. Every aspect of the show was clearly thought through and executed.

Beyond a good knowledge of lines, the physical comedy was a masterpiece in itself, taking the show beyond what was written and bringing it into a modern era where physical comedy is key. Leah Hall's Puck exemplified this notion, as every word and phrase was marked with a motion designed to drive in the point of humor in mischief. With just one facial expression, Hall caused laughter throughout the theatre. Similarly, Lex Garcia's Nick Bottom took physical humor to the next level, starting from his very first entrance. Zero lines and the audience was keeling over with laughter. These two were made for their roles and ran with the humor of their characters, sometimes quite literally.

In the details of her costume and her interactions with it, Eva Turner took her role as a wall to hilarious heights. She had the ability to make the audience laugh with simple gestures and facial expressions. Turner told all, stealing the show within the show.

Reactions were a strength among the entire cast and not one member lacked this key feature in their performances. Whether a change in the face or a movement, their reactions were perfectly suited to each character and helped keep the energy of the show at a high. The energy in the room was fantastic. From the actors to the sound and light cues, everyone succeeded in immersing the audience in the show, especially with the use of the entire black box as the stage and occasionally breaking the fourth wall. It all felt very intentional and was thoroughly enjoyable.

Sound, run by Mary Katherine Musick and Cameron Davis, was key in immersing the audience in the show. They succeeded through brilliant timing, which in conjunction with the actors and "musical appearances" by ABBA and Marvin Gaye, brought groans of amusement. Additionally, props, led by Mirek Jungr, Amelia Myers, and Lily Shirley tied Shakespeare and the 70s together. From flowers that used some form of paint that glowed upon the eyes of lovers, to actors' scrolls, and, of course, the donkey's head secured to Nick Bottom for much of the show. Both aspects brought the show to life in the creatively chosen 70s era.

Overall the show was a smashing success, modernizing Shakespeare with twists and turns through a true understanding of the script and a great take on the comedy of each character in HB Woodlawn's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.