SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - Shakespeare's words, a renowned director from Great Britain, original music by an award-winning composer, set designs by a hall-of-fame designer, costumes that will make audience's eyes dance - all this makes for thrilling theatre. This and more will take center stage in Wittenberg University's production of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" opening at 8 p.m. this Thursday, April 10, in Chakeres Memorial Theatre on campus. The production continues on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and on Sunday at 2 p.m. The two-act play runs two hours and 15 minutes with an intermission between the first and second acts.
Tickets are just $4 and will be available in the Benham-Pence Student Center until Thursday, April 10. They will then be sold at the door beginning one hour before curtain time each day. The Benham-Pence Student Center is located on Ward Avenue off of North Fountain Avenue, and the phone number is 327-7445.
A rare treat for audiences in Springfield, Ohio, this play, which is full of humor, passion, magic and romance, is guest-directed by England native Anthony Cornish, who began his career with the BBC. Since then Cornish has acted, directed and stage-managed at professional theatres in London and numerous cities throughout Great Britain. He has taught at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, British American Drama Academy, the Webber-Douglas Academy, and he has directed the Tufts-in-London Program.
Cornish has directed such actors as William Hurt, Tracey Ullman and Stacey Keach, among others, in plays ranging from "Hamlet" to "Stage Door", and a number of original plays. His visit to Wittenberg was made possible through the generous support of the Chakeres Theatre Fund and the Wittenberg Faculty Endowment Fund Board. Steven Reynolds, professor of theatre and dance and department chair, invited him to Wittenberg to direct the play. Reynolds was a student of Cornish's while he attended Tufts University in London.
Steven Winteregg, award-winning composer and a member of the music faculty at Wittenberg, collaborated with sophomore Seth Colander, to compose some beautiful music for
"A Midsummer Night's Dream." Ohio Educational Theatre Association inductee, professor Jimmy Humphries, designed the set and the costumes were created by Debbie Henderson, technical assistant in the department of theatre and dance.
Prior to the performance, Cornish will discuss "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, in Kissell Auditorium, inside Koch Hall on the Wittenberg campus.
