Sunday, August 6, 2017

Off-Broadway Theater Review: A Midsummer Night's Dream

Richard Poe, Annaleigh Ashford, and Alex Hernandez. Photo: Joan Marcus.

A Midsummer Night's Dream
By William Shakespeare 
Directed by Lear deBessonet
Choreography by Chase Brock
Public Theater
Through Aug. 13

By Lauren Yarger
What's It All About? 
Seriously, if you don't know the story, I refer you to a volume of classic works by William Shakespeare or Spark notes. After seeing this particular play countless times (some theater I cover presents it at least once a season), I will beg off describing the silly plots about Gods playing tricks on each other in Athens, unsuspecting mortals getting caught in the crossfire and of amateur thespians set on performing at a royal wedding. Note: in case you doubt that I have seen this play enough times to be tired of it, the first Helena I ever saw was Diana Rigg in 1968

What Are the Highlights?
This version, directed by Lear deBessonet, founder of The Public Theater’s Public Works program, offers a couple of pleasant treats: Annaleigh Ashford (as Helena) and Kristine Neilsen as Puck. These are two of the theaters finest comedic actresses and they don't disappoint here. Ashford runs away with the show, playing Helena with a physical and vocal humor that has us laughing out loud all the way through the three hour run time. She's razor sharp on all counts. Look for award nominations here.  Nielsen is a sophisticated, yet discombobulated Puck, sharing "private" moments and expressions of confusion with the audience. It's a comedy more subtle than Ashford's and they each have a place in deBessonaet's direction.

Also turning in notable performances, in a very strong ensemble cast, are Danny Burstein as Nick Bottom, Richard Poe as Oberon and Phylicia Rashad as Titania.

David Rockwell masterfully brings Central Park onto the stage:

Kyle Beltran, Kristine Nielsen, and Shalita Grant. Photo: Joan Marcus

What Are the Lowlights?
I didn't care for the heavy, jazzy original music by Justin Levine (who also supervises and orchestrates) sung by Fairy Singer Marcelle Davies-Lashley and played by a band up in a tree house. It doesn't blend with the light feel of the show.

The costumes also standout for not fitting -- with the whimsical, airy atmosphere of the play, that is. Perhaps Costume Designer Clint Ramos was trying to make a point of some kind, but I have to admit that the atrocious colors and styles were lost on me. They propel us into modern times, stealing away some of the enchantment of being transported to ancient Greece. Nielsen is outfitted in unattractive masculine pajamas and the fairies look more like ghosts than ethereal creatures (see below).

Phylicia Rashad and Benjamin Ye (center) Photo: Joan Marcus.

More Information:
A Midsummer Night's Dream plays at Central Park's Delacorte Theater (enter at 81st Street and Central Park West) through Aug. 13. Tickets are free (check out the webpage for details). publictheater.org

Additional casting:
De’Adre Aziza (Hippolyta); Kyle Beltran (Lysander); Min Borack (Fifth Fairy); Vinie Burrows (First Fairy, Peaseblossom); Danny Burstein (Nick Bottom); Justin Cunningham (Philostrate); Marcelle Davies-Lashley (Fairy Singer); Austin Durant (Snug); Shalita Grant (Hermia); Keith Hart (Third Fairy); Alex Hernandez (Demetrius); Jeff Hiller (Francis Flute); Robert Joy (Peter Quince); Patricia Lewis (Fourth Fairy); David Manis(Egeus, Cobweb); Pamela McPherson-Cornelius (Second Fairy); Patrena Murray (Snout); Bhavesh Patel(Theseus); Joe Tapper (Robin Starveling); Judith Wagner (Mote); Warren Wyss (Mustardseed); Benjamin Ye (Changeling Boy).
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Gracewell Prodiuctions

Gracewell Prodiuctions
Producing Inspiring Works in the Arts
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Our reviews are professional reviews written without a religious bias. At the end of them, you can find a listing of language, content or theological issues that Christians might want to know about when deciding which shows to see.

** Mature indicates that the show has posted an advisory because of content. Usually this means I would recommend no one under the age of 16 attend.

Theater Critic Lauren Yarger

Theater Critic Lauren Yarger

My Bio

Lauren Yarger has written, directed and produced numerous shows and special events for both secular and Christian audiences. She co-wrote a Christian musical version of “A Christmas Carol” which played to sold-out audiences of over 3,000 in Vermont and was awarded the Vermont Bessie (theater and film awards) for “People’s Choice for Theatre.” She also has written two other dinner theaters, sketches for church services and devotions for Christian artists. Her play concept, "From Reel to Real: The Jennifer O'Neill Story" was presented as part of the League of professional Theatre Women's Julia's reading Room Series in New York. Shifting from reviewing to producing, Yarger owns Gracewell Productions, which produced the Table Reading Series at the Palace Theater in Waterbury, CT. She trained for three years in the Broadway League’s Producer Development Program, completed the Commercial Theater Institute's Producing Intensive and other training and produced a one-woman musical about Mary Magdalene that toured nationally and closed with an off-Broadway run. She was a Fellow at the National Critics Institute at the O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. She wrote reviews of Broadway and Off-Broadway theater (the only ones you can find in the US with an added Christian perspective) at http://reflectionsinthelight.blogspot.com/.

She is editor of The Connecticut Arts Connection (http://ctarts.blogspot.com), an award-winning website featuring theater and arts news for the state. She was a contributing editor for BroadwayWorld.com. She previously served as theater reviewer for the Manchester Journal-Inquirer, Connecticut theater editor for CurtainUp.com and as Connecticut and New York reviewer for American Theater Web.

She is a Co-Founder of the Connecticut Chapter of the League of Professional Theatre Women. She is a former vice president and voting member of The Drama Desk.

She is a freelance writer and playwright (member Dramatists Guild of America). She is a member if the The Outer Critics Circle (producer of the annual awards ceremony) and a member of The League of Professional Theatre Women, serving as Co-Founder of the Connecticut Chapter. Yarger was a book reviewer for Publishers Weekly A former newspaper editor and graduate of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism, Yarger also worked in arts management for the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and served for nine years as the Executive Director of Masterwork Productions, Inc. She lives with her husband in West Granby, CT. They have two adult children.

Copyright

All material is copyright 2008- 2024 by Lauren Yarger. Reviews and articles may not be reprinted without permission. Contact reflectionsinthelight@gmail.com

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Key to Content Notes:

God's name taken in vain -- means God or Jesus is used in dialogue without speaking directly to or about them.

Language -- means some curse words are used. "Minor" usually means the words are not too strong or that it only occurs once or twice throughout the show.

Strong Language -- means some of the more heavy duty curse words are used.

Nudity -- means a man or woman's backside, a man's lower front or a woman's front are revealed.

Scantily clad -- means actors' private areas are technically covered, but I can see a lot of them.

Sexual Language -- means the dialogue contains sexually explicit language but there's no action.

Sexual Activity -- means a man and woman are performing sexual acts.

Adultery -- Means a married man or woman is involved sexually with someone besides their spouse. If this is depicted with sexual acts on stage, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.

Sex Outside of Marriage -- means a man and woman are involved sexually without being married. If this is depicted sexually on stage, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.

Homosexuality -- means this is in the show, but not physically depicted.

Homosexual activity -- means two persons of the same sex are embracing/kissing. If they do more than that, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.

Cross Dresser -- Means someone is dressing as the opposite sex. If they do more than that on stage the listing would include the corresponding "sexual activity" and/or "homosexual activity" as well.

Cross Gender -- A man is playing a female part or a woman is playing a man's part.

Suggestive Dancing -- means dancing contains sexually suggestive moves.

Derogatory (category added Fall 2012) Language or circumstances where women or people of a certain race are referred to or treated in a negative and demeaning manner.

Other content matters such as torture, suicide, or rape will be noted, with details revealed only as necessary in the review itself.

The term "throughout" added to any of the above means it happens many times throughout the show.

Reviewing Policy

I receive free seats to Broadway and Off-Broadway shows made available to all voting members of the Outer Critics Circle. Journalistically, I provide an unbiased review and am under no obligation to make positive statements. Sometimes shows do not make tickets available to reviewers. If these are shows my readers want to know about I will purchase a ticket. If a personal friend is involved in a production, I'll let you know, but it won't influence a review. If I feel there is a conflict, I won't review their portion of the production.

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