By Laura Stovel and David F. Rooney
Twenty-one Revelstoke children spent a day workshopping the 16th-century Shakespearean play A Midsummer Night’s Dream on Monday at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre. Production of the play, which is organized by actress Miranda Allen of the Edmonton-based theatre company Theatre Prospero, will be performed at the centre on July 19.
The theatre group has long dedicated time and effort to producing Shakespearean plays with children in small towns in Alberta. This is the first time they have have come to Revelstoke to do this.
This production could well have been scrubbed because of the sudden death two weeks ago of actor Adam Cope. Miranda Allen and the other members of the theatre company were grief-stricken by his demise but persevered with this production, albeit with a smaller number of Prospero’s professional actors than anticipated. That they honoured their commitment to produce the play speaks volumes about their professionalism and dedication to their art.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, complete with 21 local kids, opens to the public — for one night only — on Friday, July 19. The doors open at 6:30 pm and the curtain rises at 7. Tickets are $5 and are available at ArtFirst! on First Street West and the Chamber of Commerce on Campbell Avenue.
In the meantime, here is a selection of photos from the acting workshop on Monday:
Actors Frankie Howe and Thomas MacDonald study their lines. Laura Stovel photo
