By David F. Rooney
Theatre Prospero’s production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, starring a cast of 20 local children opens this evening, Friday, July 19, at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre.
The doors open at 6:30 pm and the curtain rises at 7 pm.
It is believed that A Midsummer Night’s Dream was written between 1590 and 1596. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and Hippolyta. These include the adventures of four young Athenian lovers and a group of six amateur actors, who are controlled and manipulated by the fairies who inhabit the forest in which most of the play is set. The play, categorized as a comedy, is one of Shakespeare’s most popular works for the stage and, according to Wikipedia is widely performed across the world. (Please click here to read more about this play.)
Edmonton-based Theatre Prospero has for years staged Shakespearean plays involving children in small towns across Alberta. This is the first time they have produced a play in Revelstoke.
Professional actors Miranda Allen, Cliff Kelly, Sarina Sorensen, Kerry Johnson, Calvin Malaka and Mark Henderson conducted acting workshops this week, assisted by the Revelstoke Theatre Company’s Anita Hallewas and Martin Ralph, for the local children who enrolled in this program.
The local kids involved in this production are: Andie Reynolds, Jamie Reynolds, Maxine OIpatril, Miranda Cound, Taylor Cound, Lauryn Kline, Hailey Christie-Hoyle, Gillian Anne McTagga, Thomas MacDonald, Isobel Bray, Frankie Howe, Grayson Noseworthy, Holly Hamilton, Freyja Nielsen, Erin Behncke, Isabel Federico, Crystal Federica, Marrisa Brunetti, Carrie Brunetti, Courtney Atkinson, Sandi Atkinson, Avery Matson, Kim Irwin and Hailey Callaghan.
Having watched the Friday afternoon dress rehearsal I can confidently say our community’s child actors have their lines nailed and are really quite good.
Here are a few photos I think you’ll enjoy:
