Midsummer Night’s Dream a dream cast
Shakespeare in the Park has been a tradition dating back to when the Bard was still writing plays, and the Hobnob Theatre Company has kept that tradition going in Butler County since 2014.
This summer’s production is “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” which is the first Shakespeare in the Park play Hobnob put on in 2014, making it a special throwback to the company’s early days.
The play’s director, Elizabeth Smith, said that this year’s show will differ, however, because the original show took viewers through Preston Park by changing locations for each scene, whereas this year’s will be in one place.
Despite the change, Smith said the play remains a funny and popular show that “covers all aspects of what you want in a theater production.”
“It's magical, not very deep. It's really lighthearted and easy for people to follow the story,” Smith said. “There's multiple plot lines; they follow some Greeks, some Athenians, then they go into the fairy world, then a wedding.”
The show opens Friday, July 19, at Preston Park in Butler Township. The cast — a crew of seven actors who all take on more than one role — has been rehearsing for months to prepare to recite the Shakespearean dialogue and make several costume changes throughout the show’s runtime.
According to Smith, the cast has brought a modern vibe to the production that still maintains Shakespeare’s comedic tone.
“There's a lot of costume changing and comedy that goes along with that,” Smith said of the actors’ character switching. “Every single actor in this show is funny and brave and just so great to watch.”
Tickets for the show are $10 and are available in advance online at hobnobtheatre.com, or at the park upon entry to the show. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” begins at 6:30 p.m. July 19, 20, 21, 26, 27 and 28 at Preston Park and runs for about 90 minutes with no intermission.
