The critically acclaimed PULSE ENSEMBLE THEATRE, now celebrating its 20th season, will present its 5th season of HARLEM SUMMER SHAKESPEARE with free performances of Shakespeare's "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" beginning on August 6th, 2009. The company will perform in various venues all over Harlem during the month of August.
In the past, Harlem Summer Shakespeare has been presented in the amphitheatre of Riverbank State Park overlooking the Hudson River. However, as the amphitheatre is under repair this summer, Pulse Ensemble Theatre will move to several new locations in upper Manhattan.
Artistic Director Alexa Kelly said: "Continuing our tradition of making Shakespeare a part of today's world, this show will be visually contemporary, whilst Shakespeare's language is kept intact. The goal of the Harlem Summer Shakespeare is to bring Shakespeare to new audiences. Following the tradition of the great Joe Papp, we bring live, multi-ethnic theatre, FREE, to families and young people who might not gravitate to or think that they would enjoy live theatre-especially not Shakespeare. We use familiar, contemporary visuals, motifs and sounds, to bring the audience closer to the story being told on stage. In A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, now set in New York City's Central Park, the young folk will be denizens of the upper east side, the mechanicals will be homeless people, and the Magical creatures will be part dog, part bird, and just for fun's sake, a hint of lion, with Titania's Fairies being more reminiscent of ‘Cat Women' than Tinkerbell."
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, directed by Alexa Kelly, will feature two actors returning to the company after appearing in their 2005 Production of "Dream"; Brian Richardson as Oberon and Michael Gilpin as Bottom. The cast also includes Freddie Bennett (Puck), Laura Carbonell (Helena), Alvin Chan (Lysander), Bernardo Cubria (Demetrius), Mick D'arcy (Quince), Lolita Foster (Hermia), Maria Hurdle (Titania), Ryan F. Johnson (STARVELING), Warren Katz (Aegeus), Cara Maltz (Hippolyta), Ras Enoch McCurdie (Snout), Sean McIntire (Theseus), Burt Grinstead (Flute) and Erica Swindell, Chivonne Michelle Floyd and Melanie Gretchen as Fairies.
Costume design is by Kristine Koury with supplemental lighting by Emma Rivera and sound design by Brian Richardson.
"A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM"Videos