A Near Summer Night's Dream

When you go to a Seattle Shakespeare play, you can always expect that you'll see an excellent production that takes a unique look at a Shakespeare play. They are currently pulling out all the stops with their production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, produced this time as a cross between the Bard and a 1940ish musical production.

It's pitch perfect. The Shakespearean text and context are there but the musical numbers are snappy and the actors also nail the personality types from that era: the big city jaded look is hilarious when it's projected onto Titania and her fairies when they are catering to the whims of bottom.

Everyone in this play is fantastic and very accomplished but I just have to call out a few
favorites:

George Mount as Theseus - I've enjoyed his work ever since I first saw him as Richard II a few years ago.

Terence Kelley, Vanessa Miller and John David Scott were terrific respectively as Oberon, Titania and Puck.

Keiko Green - this lady is a performer to watch. She has terrific comedic timing and is an excellent
Shakespearean performer. My wife and I were also commenting that this year must have been a LOT of hard work for her, as she rehearsed/performed in Upstart Crow's Bring Down The House as the warrior lord Buckingham and then went to rehearsal in a Shakespearean musical/comedy.

MJ Sieber - he has played both a fantastic Bottom (One of my favorite characters in the show) and
Autolycus in The Winter's Tale, this year.

I recommend getting out to see this production highly! You *will* have fun!

Cast (in alphabetical order)

Shanna Allman (Flute)
Maddie Brantz (Fairy)
Mallory Cooney King (Hermia)
Steven Davis (Starveling)
Sarah Dennis (Fairy)
Bob Downing (Snout)
Brandon Felker (Egeus/Quince)
Keiko Green (Helena)
Devyn Grendell (Fairy)
Terence Kelley (Oberon)
Vanessa Miller (Titania)
George Mount (Theseus)
Crystal Dawn Munkers (Hippolyta)
Casey Raiha (Lysander)
John David Scott (Puck)
Zoé Tziotis Shields (Fairy)
MJ Sieber (Bottom)
Adam St. John (Demetrius)
Marco Voli (Snug)

Production Team

George Mount (Director)
Crystal Dawn Munkers (Choreographer)
Nir Sadovnik (Composer)
Craig Wollam (Set Designer)
Doris Black (Costume Designer)
Roberta Russell (Lighting Designer)
Robin Macartney (Props Designer)
Terry Gray (Sound Consultant)
Dayton Allemann (Music Director)