An Enchanting Tale of Love's Whims, Desires, and Impulses, Both Mortal and Magical
By Anne Reid
William Shakespeare's classic comedy, “A Midsummer Night's Dream,” is truly a timeless play. Written around 1595, it features several interwoven subplots centered around the upcoming marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. The story follows four young Athenians who flee to the forest, where the mischievous fairy Puck causes both of the boys to fall in love with the same girl. Chaos ensues as the four chase each other through the woods, while Puck, ever the trickster, also helps his master pull a prank on the fairy queen.
As one of Shakespeare’s most popular and beloved comedies, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is filled with rich elements from folklore, literature, nature, mythology, and the supernatural. It tells of the whims, desires, and impulses of love, both mortal and fantastical.
This production by The Larking House Theatre Company stays pretty true to the source material. Without anything wildly unseen as far as concept goes, director Lizzy McCabe believes the overall execution of the show, the cast as a whole, and the aesthetic of the design are all particularly special.
“We are encouraging audiences to dress in their Renaissance Faire garb and to make a stop at the bar before the show to snag a drink so that they can participate in our in-show drinking game!” said McCabe. “I think placing the show in a space like the Fyda-Mar and implementing as much audience interaction as we are is bound to make it a memorable run for everyone.”
McCabe also appreciates that so many up-and-coming members of the Orange County theatre community are being highlighted in this show. “It's a lightning-in-a-bottle cast of passionate young creatives that are really an inspiration to work with,” she said.
Putting on “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” was somewhat of a shotgun decision, made out of necessity when The Larking House was denied the rights to a show they initially wanted to produce this season. After some last-minute problem-solving and schedules adjustments, the company knew they needed a show that would be generally easy to approach, allowed for flexibility, and offered a contrast to the other classical shows already slated for this season– including another Shakespeare staple, “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar,” which is planned for January 2025. They never intended to mount two classical Shakespeare scripts in a single season, but McCabe feels they will be glad they tackled both when all is said and done.
“Our goal with this production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ is to make it as enjoyable as possible for our audiences,” McCabe said. “We are laughing a lot in rehearsals, which is always a good sign.” The character of Puck, whom she calls a “weird little guy,” is so freaky and full of tricks, McCabe says, "there just wouldn’t be a play without him.” She added, “For this specific show, I am having a blast with our Mechanicals. They are really the heart of the play-- that is, they’re solely for the audiences to relate to, and they just are such a fun storyline to become invested in.”
Chance Theater has made it a point to champion The Larking House Theatre Company through its organizational journey, and the artistic team has played a big role in supporting them as they’ve grown over the years. In 2023, the two groups arranged an agreement allowing Larking House to utilize the Fyda-Mar Stage to mount a show. Initially treated as a trial run to see if it would be mutually beneficial, the collaboration has turned out to be a really positive experience for both.
“Chance Theater is such a pillar of excellence in this community, so I'd like to think that it also (by proxy) says something about us that they are so invested in our success as a budding company,” said McCabe. “As many of our patrons know by now, a lot of the productions we do take place in a pretty atypical venue, and while that is a very cool aspect of who we are and what we have to offer, it is also relieving to us and to our audiences in a lot of ways to be in a more traditional space.”
In addition to being grateful for the partnership, McCabe reflected on the casting process. “We had a fabulous turnout for open auditions and ended up casting both ‘Midsummer’ and ‘Caesar’ in one fell swoop, utilizing some actors for covering roles in both productions,” McCabe said. “It was a wildly competitive room to be in, which is always so electric, and you can honestly only ever hope for a turnout the way we had when you’re a company as small as us.”
As the Founding Artistic Director of The Larking House and the director of this show, McCabe, 30, also serves as an elected board member of the Orange County Theatre Guild and is a Senior Community Services staff member at Curtis Theatre. She also serves as the Theatre Programs Manager for Arts & Learning Conservatory in Santa Ana and graduated from California State University, Fullerton, with a degree in Stage Directing.
Anne Reid is a writer, public & community relations expert, and theatre mom.
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
The Larking House Theatre Company
at Chance Theater
5522 E. La Palma, Anaheim, CA
September 27 - October 6, 2024
(909) 268-3226, www.thelarkinghouse.com
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