Lethbridge Shakespeare Performance Society to revisit first production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream

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The Lethbridge Shakespeare Performance Society celebrates their tenth anniversary thius year by going back to the past to revisit their very first production of a Midsummer Night’s Dream.
 Auditions for the play, which is being directed by Andrew Legg who also directed it 10 years ago, are Thursday, April 1 at the Lethbridge Fish and Games Hut (946 9th Ave South Street,)
“We’re definitely really excited about this season,” said Lethbridge Shakespeare Performance Society artistic director Kate Connolly.

Andrew Legg performing in the Merry Wives of Windsor last year. Photo by Richard Amery
 They have booked rehearsal space at the Gate in May and June and have booked three outdoor shows at the Nikka Yuko Japanese Gardens on July 9, 23 and Aug. 13 at 7:30 p.m..
“The audience can be socially distanced. It is easier or them to have the audience socially distanced and more easily control access to the facility,” Connolly said, adding The Mocha Cabana will provide charcuterie boards for the Nikka Yuko shows and there will be a bar.
And there are more outdoor shows in the works.


“We hope to be back at Galt Gardens, but we may have shows in other parks in town,” she said.
 There are also a couple of road trips this season.


“The Coutts Arts Centre has expressed a lot of interest in having us back and so has High River,” she said, adding unfortunately there will be no show at the Empress Theatre in Fort Macleod this season.
“We’ll be moving around a lot this year,” Connolly observed, noting the Casa Plaza is a possibility as is Festival square by the Telegraph and the Gate.
“They might even have a small stage set up by July,” she continued.

They are preparing  for Covid eventualities.
“I have confidence in Andrew Legg that he will be able to put on a production that is safe for our audience and performers no matter what restrictions are in place,” she said.

 


“It’s one of Shakespeare‘s most beloved plays. It takes place in a world of make believe in a magical forest. There’s the working class people  putting on a play. And we’re going to have lovely period costumes created by Amanda Epp,” she said.
The play begins with Egeus bringing his rebellious daughter Hermia to the Duke of Athens as he demands she marry Lysander though she refuses as she is in love with Demetrius and plans to elope with him.


 Meanwhile the Duke himself is preparing for his  marriage with the  Queen of the Amazons. In preparation for that Bottom and some local actors are rehearsing for a play to put on at the wedding.
 Meanwhile Oberon, King of the Fairies is quarreling with his wife Titiana over the custody of an Indian boy she is taking care of. So a slighted Oberon decided to get even with her by sending his mischievous servant Puck to bring him a flower which when applied to the eyes of  the subject, will make them fall in love with the first creature they see, be it bear, lion or donkey.


 Misunderstandings and hilarity ensue as these four worlds intertwine.


 Almost 20 people have already signed up to audition  for the production, but more are welcome.
Casting will be  genre/colourblind and some roles will be doubled.
 Auditoners are asked to prepare a scene from the play, be familiar with the plot and have an idea which characters they are interested in playing, but are not required to memorize anything. They can also read selections from the script at the audition.
Contact stage manager Stephanie Savage at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to set up an audition time.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
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