PREPARED BY EMMA MANCUSO, Dramaturgy for our Show:
ABOUT SHAKESPEARE:
William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor who was considered by many to be the greatest writer in the English language. Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon. He moved to London becoming a partner in the Lord Chamberlain's Men and a part-owner of the Globe Theatre. He wrote over 30 plays, including tragedies such as Hamlet and comedies like A Midsummer Night's Dream, as well as sonnets and poems. He returned to Stratford and died there at the age of 52.
SHOW SYNOPSIS:
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is the story of the events surrounding the marriage of Theseus, king of Athens, and Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons. It follows the lovers Hermia and Lysander as they attempt to elope but are pursued by Demetrius, who is in love with Hermia, and Helena, who is in love with Demetrius. Parallel in the story, are Titania and Oberon, monarchs of the forest, who are embroiled in their own fight. Puck, their fairy jester, functions as a liaison between the two parties. Oberon orders Puckto use a love potion to sort out the lovers, as well as play a trick on Tatania. Hilarious mistakes are made, Oberon’s plan backfires, and it is Puck’s duty to right his wrongs. But as the play is a comedy, it ends with a many-part marriage between the happy lovers.
MIDSUMMER IN SHAKESPEARE TIMES:
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare was theorized to have been written for and performed at the wedding of Elizabeth Carey, one of two noble women married that year. As reflected in the play, marriage was often viewed as a social contract rather than a union based on love, and a woman's primary duty was obedience. A common theme during this time period was that men held higher positions of power than women.
A common theme in A Midsummer Night’s Dream was the thought that magic and the supernatural were fact. This time period was also known as “The World of the Occult” due to the widespread belief and use of witchcraft. A well-known follower and believer was the English King James I. This is also shown in what Shakespeare calls the “Great Chain of Being,” meaning that everything has its own specific place, and a slight disruption can cause chaos.
The last common theme throughout the play is that dreams are a reflection of the inner desires of people. They can bring forth the unfulfilled desires and longings of people as well as showcase the hidden motive behind a plan that is about to come to fruition. This is seen twice in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Shakespeare utilizes dreams to highlight the fears, guilt, and delusions of the human mind.
THE ROARING 20s:
For our production, our concept sets the story in July 1927, New York City, the height of the Jazz Age or “Roaring Twenties.” This decision was made due to the fun and exciting nature of the period and how it paralleled the shenanigans of the situations in the production.
LOCATION:
Athens: Although this was referred to as the ancient city in Shakespeare’s time, we will frame it as “The Athens Corporation.” Think of historical big business tycoons like Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan, and Cornelius Vanderbilt.
Woods: Central Park
CHARACTER INFLUENCE:
Duke of Athens: Rather than being the “Duke” of Athens, Theseus will serve as the CEO of the Athens Corporation.
The Male Lovers: will serve as rising stars in the corporation.
The Female Lovers: will be modeled after the suffragettes and young women of the time, while also being connected to the corporation via family or other connections.
The Fairies: Although they will be fairies in their own right, the aesthetic will model the famous Broadway performers of the time: Oberon: Florenz Ziegfeld, Famous Producer. Titania: Josephine Baker, Fanny Brice. Puck: Harpo Marx, Bill “Boangles” Robinson. Fairies: Follies Chorus Girls
The Rude Mechanicals: Inspiring artists, but currenty blue-collar workers at the Athens Corporation.
