From the quill of Shakespeare sprang one of the most tantalizing plays in history, complete with arranged marriages, unrequited love, secret potions, enchantment in the forest and captivating fairies.
This weekend, members of the Dartmouth community will have the chance to experience Shakespeare, via one of New York's premiere theater companies this weekend.
The ensemble-based theater company SITI will be showcasing their production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the Moore Theater in the Hopkins Center on Friday, Sept. 29, and Saturday, Sept. 30, at 8 p.m. What the San Francisco Chronicle calls "curiously compelling ... always intriguing ... completely exhilarating" is sure to be a must-see.
Directed by Anne Bogart, the ever-innovative SITI Company interprets its first Shakespearean oeuvre in the world of John Steinbeck -- that is, the Depression-era Dust Bowl, complete with the poverty, wandering and the sense of dwindling hope one would expect. As the company itself proclaims, "What better time than the present wicked era to capture the necessary lightness of being and intricacies of this multi faceted fictional landscape?" Those pining for star-crossed lovers and mischievous fairies in a "Grapes of Wrath"-like locale will see their wildest dreams fulfilled this weekend.
"Dream" marks the second time that SITI will grace the Hop's stage after performing "Death and the Ploughman" in 2004. The theater company is dedicated to the creation of new work, the training of young theater artists and a commitment to international collaboration, with a particular emphasis on the benefit of cross-cultural input. All SITI members expressly practice the Viewpoints and the Suzuki Method of Actor Training.
Bogart founded SITI 14 years ago with Tadashi Suzuki, and what was originally intended to be a summer institute has developed jointly into a year-round venture in New York City and a summer program in Saratoga Springs. Bogart is an award-winning director, actress, published author and associate professor at Columbia University, where she manages the Graduate Directing Program. She, along with her talented troupe of exquisitely trained actors, is sure to give "Dream" an enticing and enthralling facelift.
On Friday, Sept. 29 and Saturday, Sept. 30, between stops at Middlebury College and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, SITI will be working their magic at the Hop with their innovative interpretation of William Shakespeare's beloved "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
An incredible performance? Fairies in the Dust Bowl? Don't be one to miss out.
