The theatre department will put on its rendition of the classic “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”— a comedic play written by William Shakespeare that questions what it means to truly be in love — beginning Friday, Nov. 9 at Zoellner Arts Center.
There will be six performances held at the Diamond Theater. Tickets are $12 but are free for Lehigh undergraduates. The Nov. 14 performance is Pay-What-You-Wish Wednesday.
Characters in the show include royals, lovers and fairies, as well as more realistic roles like the common Athenian and blue-collar workers.
“It’s nice how the message of love is being delivered as an ensemble cast and (there is) no one person dominating the show,” said Matthew Schoenberg, ’18, who is assisting with the play.
The play itself emphasizes the differences between the state of being in love and false love manifested in a form of doting.
“This well-known play is seasonally themed and shows the differences between an illusion and realistic love,” said Augustine Ripa, the director of the play.
The elaborate set and varying costumes in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” brings the play to life and gives it a touch of mysticism.
“The audience will like the duality of the play between the two worlds as well as the emotions and realism in it,” said Arianna Pineiro, ’20, the assistant costume designer. “It’s also a really fun and unique play that really magnifies the surrealism.”
Comedy aside, the show’s staff members said they are expecting the play to be well-received by the audience, and believe each person in the crowd will have form their own opinion of what love means after the show. The play also shows us different ways of loving.
“’Reason and love keep little company nowadays,’” Ripa said, quoting the play. ”Love cannot be controlled and contained — it is a free gift and you don’t know who will give it to you and who you will find.”
The play will run through Friday, Nov. 16.
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