A venue by any other name would still not be as sweet as the great outdoors to appreciate what is perhaps the best-loved play by the world’s best-known playwright.
Shakespeare was meant to be seen outside, said Tom Challinor.
To that end, the Bainbridge Performing Arts Shakespeare Society returns to the gorgeous grounds of the Bloedel Reserve this week with their third annual outdoor production, the much adored comedy classic, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” The play opens Thursday, July 9.
Challinor, the Shakespeare Society founder and the production’s director, said that this year’s selection has proven one of the famed author’s most popular works, dealing as it does with the universal issues of love, jealously and relationship dynamics.
Written in 1595-96, the story begins on the eve of the wedding of Theseus, Duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, the queen of the Amazons. At the same time, two young lovers, Hermia and Lysander, hide out in the woods when Hermia’s father orders her to marry another man, Demetrius.
In love with Demetrius and determined to win his affection, the desperate Helena tells him the couple’s whereabouts and then follows him into the forest as he searches for Hermia.
Also in town and camping in the woods, preparing to attend the Duke’s wedding, is a whole bunch of fairies, led by their king, Oberon. Lovers’ quarrels seems to be catching around this kingdom, as Oberon proceeds to fight with his wife Titania, and then orders his mischievous servant Puck to put a magic love potion into his wife’s eyes when she is asleep — which will cause her to fall in love with the first person or creature she sees upon waking.
Seeing that the human lovers in the forest are also fighting, Oberon tells Puck to continue the petty prank and hit Demetrius with the juice, too.
Hilarity and hijinks ensue, as Puck gets the men mixed up and the group’s already dubious love connections get hopelessly complicated.
Returning the play to its original outdoor setting brought freedom and complications to the production, Challinor said.
“Some things are a lot easier, some things are a lot harder,” he said. “There’s distraction. We had a fighter jet go vertical, do the afterburner right over us one night. All the actors just stopped, watched it and let the sound die.”
That’s pretty rare, though, he laughed.
What is more immediate, however, are the challenges presented to the cast in a low-tech production, including the need to be heard, unassisted, as well as the use of natural light and the sheer closeness of the audience to the action.
“Out here, the audience is much more aware of the transaction between actor, playwright, art and patron,” Challinor said. “It’s more of a shared experience.”
Joel Underwood, the production’s musical director who also plays the part of Oberon, agreed.
“That’s outdoor theater,” he said. “We don’t want to over-tech this space.
“We have a real commitment to keeping things real organic,” he explained. “You’re not going to see microphones and speakers and things like that. We want to keep the audience close and intimate, but at the same time we want to keep this play full of music.”
Underwood credits the play’s continued popularity to its universal themes, issues which do not grow stale as society changes.
“I think that Shakespeare knew what Dickens knew, what Tolkien knew, what all great storytellers know: Technology may advance, we may find out new stuff, but human relationships and love are eternal,” he said. “The people in 1596 and 1597 were dealing with so much of the same relationship problems and challenges that we deal with today in 2015.
“Also, it’s just freaking funny,” Underwood added.
The show’s 24 person cast includes both familiar faces and BPA newcomers, including Dara Lillis, Jennifer Pippin-Montanez, Aaron Moore, Max Levit, Kat Zommers, Heidi Lindholm, George Shannon, Marc Cantwell, Joel Underwood, Kristi Jacobson, Jennifer Hodges, Austin Bennett, Evelyn Cantwell, Sophie Eldridge, Olyvia Renae-Young, Zac Norberg, Ben Eldridge, Trey Bennett, Matt Eldridge, Gary Fetterplace, Bob Downing, Chris Lane, Linda Owens, Diane Walker and Chris Norberg.
The Bloedel Reserve, the perfect outdoor venue for Shakespeare, according to Challinor, is an internationally renowned public garden and forest preserve whose mission is to enrich people’s lives through a premier public garden of natural and designed Pacific Northwest landscapes.
“Bloedel Reserve is excited to collaborate with BPA, as they are experts in producing high-quality entertainment,” said Bloedel spokesman Korum Bischoff. “Their superb performance, coupled with the reserve’s inspiring landscape, promises a memorable outdoor show for theater-goers.”
The cast and director agreed.
“All Shakespeare’s plays, they were done in daylight, they were done in open air, they were done with an audience very, very intimate and very close,” Underwood said.
Indeed, the cultural shift back toward outdoor theater may have even been responsible for the modern resurgence in Shakespeare’s popularity, Challinor said.
“Part of the revival of Shakespeare in the early 20th century was very much linked to the outside production,” he explained. “A couple of places in England started doing them outside and there was a whole rediscovery, because it had completely gone out of fashion for a while. The way in which it completely took off in the 20th century — with movies of it and everything and else — is all linked to the transition back outside.
“If it’s inside in a theater, it’s musty, it’s old, it’s tired,” the director explained. “You put it out here and suddenly it’s fresh, it’s new, it’s exciting.”
The open air show starts at 7 p.m. and runs from Thursday through Sunday July 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25 and 26.
A special Pay-What-You-Can Preview will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 8.
Picnics will be allowed in the meadow after 6 p.m. Beer and wine are permitted, but will not be available for purchase. Just over two hours running time, the production has one intermission.
Patrons are advised to bring their own seats, low lawn chairs and blankets.
Bloedel Reserve is located at 7571 NE Dolphin Drive; guests should expect a five minute walk from the parking area to the play’s venue.
Performances will continue as scheduled in very light rain. In the event of more inclement weather, performances will be canceled at the discretion of the production crew to ensure the safety and comfort of performers and patrons.
BPA is unable to provide refunds for weather-related cancellations, though ticket holders for any canceled performances will be welcome to attend on another date of their choice.
Tickets are $25 for adults, and $20 for seniors, students, youth, military and teachers, may be purchased online at www.bainbridgeperformingarts.org, by phone at 206-842-8569 or in person at BPA (200 Madison Ave. North). BPA box office hours are 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and one hour prior to each performance.
Just a dream
What: The BPA Shakespeare Society’s outdoor production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
When: Shows are 7 p.m. Thursday to Sunday, from Thursday, July 9 through Sunday, July 26. A special Pay-What-You-Can Preview will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 8.
Where: Bloedel Reserve (7571 NE Dolphin Drive).
Admission: Tickets, $25 for adults, and $20 for seniors, students, youth, military, and teachers, may be purchased online at www.bainbridgeperformingarts.org, by phone at 206-842-8569 or in person at BPA (200 Madison Ave. North).
