Midsummer Night’s Dream is mixed up fun
NEW PALESTINE — Austin Snider’s beard was dusted with golden glitter befitting his character, Oberon the Fairy King. Katie Hawkins wore what was once a prom dress, now altered and bedazzled into a gown for Titania, Queen of the Fairies. Other fairies in similar modified prom dresses scampered around the stage — accessorized with flowery headbands, high-top sneakers or combat boots.
It’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at New Palestine High School, 4485 S. Victory Drive, on stage at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $8 at the door.
The 21st century footwear on the fairies is part of director Caroline Clayton’s effort to modernize the 17th century work by William Shakespeare.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
Since Shakespeare’s plays are all public domain, Clayton was allowed to do a bit of editing to the five-act script.
“I edited out anything that obfuscates the plot,” she said, undoubtedly a necessary task with four separate plotlines running throughout the five-act fantasy.
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” begins with the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. Then, there are the lovers: Helena is in love with Demetrius; Lysander and Hermia are in love with each other, but Hermia’s father wants her to marry Demetrius. The two couples sneak off into the woods, where their plot line gets tangled with the plotline of the fairies. Fairy King Oberon is jealous of his wife Titania’s new attendant, so Oberon — stepping into the fourth plotline (the Rustics are rehearsing a play in the woods to be performed at the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta) — casts a spell on one of the Rustics giving him the head of a donkey. To teach her a lesson, Oberon gives Titania a potion causing her to fall in love with Bottom, the donkey-headed actor. However, Oberon’s assistant Puck accidentally gives the potion to Lysander, and he falls in love with Helena. The humor of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” comes from Titania’s exhortations of love for the jackass, and the major confusion between the two couples as they run and chase each other through the forest.
Another modern feature of Clayton’s production is the set: A park complete with playground equipment. The students, with the help of music director Stephen Beebe, built the set over spring break. Clayton points out the various pieces of equipment, crediting students who worked on the pieces.
“The picnic table came from the school courtyard. We did have to buff off some graffiti,” she said with a laugh.
Clayton diverts from Shakespeare in other ways, too. Her cast is broken up into three groups: The Athenians, the fairies and the Rustics. Whereas in Shakespeare’s time, all the parts in a play were played by men, Clayton’s Rustics are portrayed by women.
“I had all the smart, funny women,” Clayton said, and they became the Rustics.
Clayton’s pride in her cast is evident. She gave the students their scripts early on with the expectation that they would come in to rehearsal with their lines learned. With more than 1,500 lines in Shakespearean English, the 21 actors in the cast did not disappoint.
Rehearsing between 10 and 16 hours a week — including six hours Saturday — the cast is ready to go.
“The kids do all it all,” Clayton said. “I give them a blueprint, and they do the work. I’m here to facilitate and tell them when to eat lunch.”
‘A Little Princess’ is director’s swan song
CHARLOTTESVILLE — The man affectionately known as Papa Hewitt is stepping down. After more than 10 years with the Eastern Hancock High School drama program, Mike Hewitt will move on after the spring production.
Hewitt and his band of actors and crew will present the musical “A Little Princess,” at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the high school’s auditorium, 10320 E. County Road 250 N.
Based on the book, “A Little Princess” by Frances Hodgson Burnett, the show tells the story of young Sara Crewe who attends a strict boarding school while her father, Captain Crewe, is away in the war. The captain goes missing, and Sara — who was once a rich girl — is now presumed to be a penniless orphan forced to work as a servant at the school.
Hewitt admits that “A Little Princess” is a difficult show, but a good show to end his career.
“This is the hardest show we’ve done,” Hewitt said. The music is hard, the script is not well-organized, he added, but he has faith in his cast.
Sophomore Megan Niederhauser portrays young Sara Crewe. According to Hewitt, Niederhauser has what it takes to play such an important part.
“She is one of the best all-around actresses, singers and performers that I’ve seen come through here,” he said.
Niederhauser has been performing since she was in the sixth grade. She was Brigitta in last year’s production of “The Sound of Music.” She was in “Annie” last summer for the Ricks-Weil Community Theatre and this summer, she’s attending a two-week musical theater camp on the Great White Way, on Broadway in New York City.
Niederhauser works hard at her role. Portraying the despair of Sara Crewe’s life is her biggest challenge. As an upbeat person, Niederhauser finds it hard to act sad, especially in a scene with her best friend, Allison Kirklin, who is also in the show.
“My saddest scene is with my best friend, and I look at her, and I want to laugh,” she said.
Niederhauser doesn’t laugh, of course.
“I think about my character and what situation she’s in,” she said. “I try not to be myself; I try to be my character.”
Hewitt knows he is leaving Niederhauser, Kirklin and the rest in good hands. Kim Miller, a parent volunteer, will be replacing him next fall.
Hewitt remembers his own time as a parent volunteer when his children were part of Eastern Hancock theater. He spent several years as assistant director before becoming director five years ago, and this production will be his last.
When he signed on, he recalls, he made a mental list of what he wanted to accomplish, and recently, he realized that his goals have been met.
“When I started here,” Hewitt said, “they had two flats.”
Now they have 18 or 20. Check.
He wanted platforms to move set pieces around. Check.
He wanted a backdrop. Check.
He wanted another follow spotlight. Hewitt recently found one on eBay and drove to Michigan to pick it up. Check.
Hewitt informed the kids a month ago about his decision to retire. He told them he had completed his list, and then read aloud a letter he had written to them about how much he was going to miss them.
“I feel like I’m leaving drama in a good place, good financial shape with items we wanted to have,” he said. “I think the kids are responding well to Mrs. Miller (Hewitt’s replacement). There’s a real potential for it to go well.”
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”If you go” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
A Little Princess
Musical at Eastern Hancock High School
10320 E. County Road 250 N, Charlottesville
Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $9 for students at the door
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Shakespearean comedy at New Palestine High School
4485 S. Victory Drive, New Palestine
Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.; Sunday at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $8 at the door
[sc:pullout-text-end]
