As part of the Harlem Summer Shakespeare Project, The Pulse Ensemble Theatre will present free performances of A Midsummer Night's Dream at Riverbank State Park (Riverside Drive and 145th St.) from August 4th through 28th at 8 PM.
Headed by artistic director Alexa Kelly, the respected off-Broadway theatre will present a fully-staged, professional production of the magic-charged classic, in which eight young actors from the Harlem community will join a multi-ethnic cast of seasoned actors to enact Shakespeare's sylvan tale of fairies and lovers. "The production, set in today's Harlem, utilizes Harlem's rich cultural and musical heritage including Caribbean folklore, West Indian calypso and the all-American Blues to compliment Shakespeare's delightful and mystical comedy," state production notes. BrIan Richardson (Puck), Michael Gilpin (Bottom), Steven Lloyd (Oberon) and Shirine Babb (Titania) star in the show, with Rajesh Bose, Cornelius Bates, Sarah Zorn, Charles Roby, Cassandra Ruiz, Lawrence Merritt, Nicole Bowman, Christiane Amorosia and others featured. A Midsummer Night's Dream's creative team features Zhanna Gurvich (lighting), Ruben Arana Downs (sets), Katherine Rohe (costumes) and Louis Lopardi (sound). The Pulse Ensemble Theatre's Summer Shakespeare Project is sponsored in part by The National Endowment for the Arts, Riverbank State Park, The Carnegie Corporation of New York and Con Edison, with assistance from the Lincoln Center Theatre Company. The Project also includes free drama workshops for children and teenagers in the Harlem community.
The performance schedule for A Midsummer Night's Dream is Thursday through Sunday at 8 PM. All performances are free with seating in the Northern Playground's open air amphitheater available on a first come, first served basis. For additional information call (212) 695-1596 or visit www.pulseensembletheatre.org.
