A Midsummer Night's Dream
Hudson Shakespeare
Company
By William Shakespeare
Directed by John Short
Kicking off the 2004 Shakespeare festival, HSC returns with a perennial favorite. A Midsummer Night's Dream tells the story of 4 lovers who each want someone who they can't have; two like minded rulers from different worlds frustratingly anticipating their honeymoon; a group of clueless, wannabe actors, trying to put on a "tragic " play in record time for their Duke's upcoming wedding and a leading man, with an ego the size of Greece wanting to play all the parts; the marital spats of two omnipotent beings, who's conflicts wreak havoc on the weather and those around them; and all of this craziness is tied together by a certain mischievous imp. Love, breakup, sex, marriage, death, life, fairies, some interesting plants and a donkey and one crazy night in the woods of Athens all come together in Shakespeare's ode to marriage and relationships. A favorite with kids and adults alike, A Midsummer Night's Dream pulls at your heart and your funny bone with a story where all is not as it seems. Where does fun end and danger begin? Are things innocently jovial or boarding on the perversely strange?  Like a dream, the play takes on many layers.   






































To view more Midsummer production photos click here































Click here to read Mudsummer Article and Photo Layout

"A Midsummer Night Dream" - Connecticut Post Article
"A Midsummer Night's Dream" - Suburban Trends Photo Layout


























Performance Locations
Saturday, May 22, 1:00 PM, Stratford Library Amphitheater, Stratford, CT
Monday, May 24, 12:00 PM,  Washingtonville High School,
Washingtonville, NY
Thursday, May 27, 7:30 PM, Kenilworth Borough Hall, Kenilworth, NJ
Tuesday, June 1, 7:00 PM, Shipyard Park, Hoboken, NJ
Thursday, June 3, 7:00 PM, Hamilton Park, Jersey City, NJ
Monday, June 7, 7:00 PM, Pier A Park, Hoboken, NJ
Tuesday June 8, 7:30 PM, Meadowland Park, South Orange, NJ
Thursday, June 10, 7:00 PM, Van Vorst Park, Jersey City, NJ
Monday, June 14,  7:00 PM, Sinatra Park, Hoboken, NJ
Thursday, June 17, 7:00 PM, Ellsworth Park, Union City, NJ
Wednesday, June 23, 7:30 PM, Anderson St. Park, Hackensack, NJ
Wednesday, June 30, 7:30 PM, Anderson St. Park, Hackensack, NJ



























Cast
Joshua Hill   Theseus/Oberon
Gyda Arber Hippolyta/Titania
Andrew Gruen    Philostrate/Puck
L. Robert Johnson      Aegeus/Quince
Jennifer Short     Hermia
Nathan DeCoux Demetrius
John T. Trigonis  Lysander
Paula Galloway Helena
Carlos R. Fernandez  Bottom
David Law   Flute/Peaseblossom
Katherine Harte Starveling/Cobweb
Michelle Smith   Snug/Fairy/Musterseed
Lisa Perez    Snout/Moth
Katherine Harte Hippolyta/Titania(US)
Jon Ciccarelli      Starveling/Cobweb(US)
Ashby Hill   Demetrius(US)





































































































































































































































































To view more Midsummer production photos click here

To see other 2004 Show Pages: Shakespeare's Valentine's, Run for Your Wife, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Coriolanus, Lysistrata, Cymbeline, Gruesome, Gory and Grotesque Tale of Edgar Allan Poe, Othello

To view other seasons click on the "Past Productions" tab on the left hand menu


Wedding preparations for the wedding of Duke Theseus and Queen Hippolyta are interrupted by another marriage dispute. Ageus wants his daughter Hermia to marry the rich and desirable Demetrius, but Hermia loves another noble youth Lysander. Above, Theseus (Joshua Hill) instructs Hermia (Jennifer Short, right) that her father is the ultimate authority and to think on her decision of not marry Demetrius as his disapproving fiancé Hippolyta (Gyda Arber) looks on. 
Demetrius (Nathan Decoux) with the support of Hermia's father Ageus (L. Robert Johnson) stakes his claim to Hermia despite Lysander's (John Trigonis) protest. With the Duke's decree that she must marry Demetrius, Lysander and Hermia escape to the forrest outside the city.
A group of blue collar handy men, "mechanicals" gather to rehearse a play to be performed at the wedding reception of Theseus and Hippolyta. Above, Bottom (Carlos R. Fernandez), wanting to play every role, tells to the rest of the mechanicals to perform them.  From left to right Snout (Lisa Perez), Flute (David Law), Snug (Michelle Smith) and Starveling (Katherine Harte). Van Vorst Park, Hoboken, NJ
Puck (Andrew Gruen), the infamous fairy and key servant of the Fariy King Oberon proudly recounts his mischievious displays with mortals to a star struck fairy.(Michelle Smith) Sinatra Park, Hoboken, NJ
Oberon (Joshua Hill), the Fariy King, and his wife Titania (Gyda Arber) are having marital difficuties as they argue the time she is spending with a certain Indian "boy". Above, Titania refuses to give into jealous Oberon's demand that she turn the boy over to Oberon and stop doting on him. Anderson St. Park, Hackensack, NJ
Oberon (Joshua Hill), exacting some revenge on Titania, instructs Puck (Andrew Gruen) to find a little flower that contains a juice which will make someone fall in love with the next person that they see. Sinatra Park, Hoboken, NJ
Oberon (Joshua Hill), having received the love potion flower, takes to pouring it over a sleeping Titania's (Gyda Arber). Stratford Library Amphitheater, Stratford, CT
During a rehearsal of their play, Puck changes Bottom (Carlos R. Fernandez) into an ass and is left alone in the forrest. The transformed Bottom is discovered by Titania who immediately falls in love with him. Above, he is fawned over and attended by her faires. Pier A Par, Hoboken, NJ
Both under the influence of the love potion, Lysander (John Trigonis, left) and Demetrius (Nathan DeCoux) pursue Helena (Paula Galloway).
Pier A Park, Hoboken, NJ
Hermia (Jennifer Short) calls Helena (Paula Galloway) on not knowing anything of the guys' strange behavior and thinks that her old friend is in some cruel joke. The boys Lysander (John Trigonis) and Demetrius (Nathan DeCoux) fight for Helena's attention. Stratford Library Amphitheater, Stratford, CT
As Oberon sets everthing right, Bottom is restored, the lovers reconcil with their respective partners and the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta goes forward. Above, Peter Quince (L. Robert Johnson) intrioduces each cast member before the scene presentation. Stratford Library Amphitheater, Stratford, CT
Thisbe (David Law) gets into his role as the tragic heroine a little too much for the Wall's (Lisa Perez) tast as Pyramus (Carlos R. Fernandez) drones on. Anderson St. Park, Hackensack, NJ
Puck (Andrew Gruen) bids the audience that we be friends and all a good night. Anderson St. Park, Hackensack, NJ