Photo Flash: Michael Shannon, Jessica Hecht and Cast Celebrate Julie Taymor's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM Opening

Theatre for a New Audience's inaugural production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by multiple Tony Award-winner Julie Taymor with original music composed by Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning Elliot Goldenthal, opened on November 2 at the Theatre's newly-named building, Polonsky Shakespeare Center, 262 Ashland Place between Lafayette Avenue and Fulton Street, Brooklyn. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare features a cast of 36 led by Tina Benko as Titania, Max Casella as Bottom, David Harewood as Oberon and Kathryn Hunter as Puck.

Julie Taymor is internationally recognized for her bold and original creations. For this inaugural production, she stages Shakespeare's joyous comedy about love and its complications in the mortal and spirit worlds incorporating a fantasia of light and shadow.

A Midsummer Night's Dream is the fifth production Ms. Taymor has directed for Theatre for a New Audience. Previously with the company, she staged Shakespeare's The Tempest, The Taming of the Shrew, and
Titus Andronicus, and Carol Gozzi's The Green Bird.

A Midsummer Night's Dream will feature original music by Elliot Goldenthal, who creates works for orchestra, theatre, opera, ballet and film. Mr. Goldenthal was named one of the two finalists for the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in music for his original two-act opera Grendel, which was directed by Ms. Taymor.

Sets for A Midsummer Night's Dream are by Es Devlin, costumes are by Constance Hoffman, lights by Don Holderand sound by Matt Tierney. Brian Brooks is choreographing the dances and Sven Ortel is designing the projections.Jonathan Mastro is the music director.

In addition to Tina Benko as Titania, Max Casella as Bottom, David Harewood as Oberon and Kathryn Hunter as Puck, the cast of 36 includes Zach Appelman, Brendan Averett, Roger Clark, Lilly Englert, Joe Grifasi, Jake Horowitz, Zachary Infante, Robert Langdon Lloyd, Mandi Masden, Jacob Ming-Trent, Okwui Okpokwasili, and William Youmans.

The fairies are interpreted as elemental forces of nature -- Rude Elementals: Olivia Bak, Marcus Bellamy, Ciaran Bowling, Jarrett Austin Brown, Jon Viktor Corpuz, Christina Dimanche, Jake L. Faragalli, Jaryd Farcon, Reimi Kaneko, Sophie Lillis, Johnny Marx, Isaiah Register, Briana Robinson, Willa Scolari, Sophie Shapiro, Alex Shimizu, Emmet Smith, Madison Smith, Azalea Twining, and Cassidy vanVonno.

A Midsummer Night's Dream runs through January 12 and performs Tuesday through Sunday evenings at 7:30pm with regular matinees Saturday and Sunday at 2:00pm. Additional matinee performances are Tuesday, December 24 at 2:00pm; Wednesdays November 27 and January 1 at 2:00pm. Additional Evening Performances are Monday, December 23 at 7:30pm. There are no 7:30pm evening performances Sundays October 20 and 27, December 8, 15 and 22 and January 5. There are also no performances Thursday, November 28; Tuesdays, December 17 and 24; and Wednesdays, December 18 and 25. Single tickets start at $75. Tickets may be purchased online at www.tfana.org or by phone at 866-811-4111.

Kathryn Hunter (Puck) and Jacob Ming-Trent (Snout)

Tina Benko (Titania) and Max Casella (Bottom)

Jeffrey Horowitz and Michael Shannon

Lilly Englert (Hermia) and Jake Horowitz (Lysander)

Mandi Masden (Helena) and Zachary Infante (Flute)

Some of the Rude Elementals

Gregg Curtis (Airealistic) and Tina Benko (Titania)

Okuiok Pokwasili (Hippolyta) and husband Peter Born

Dream Costume Designer Constance Hoffman with William Youmans (Starveling, right) and wife Susanna Starr

Lilly Englert (Hermia) and Zach Appelman (Demetrius)

Katherine Borowitz, John Turturro and Max Casella

John Turturro and Max Casella

Joe Grifasi (Peter Quince), Michael Shannon and Kate Arrington

Roger Clark (Duke Theseus) and Brendan Averett (Snug)

Bartlett Sher and Jessica Hecht

David Harewood (Oberon) and Zach Appelman (Demetrius)

David Harewood (Oberon) and Welland H. Scripps, Artistic DIrector of Letter of Marque Theater and grandson of Samuel H. Scripps for whom the main stage is named.

Julie Crosby, producing artistic director of Women's Project Theater, and Jessica Hecht

Ian Belknap, artistic director of The Acting Company and Dana Ivey