Alley Theatre's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM Will Tour Houston In January 2022

The Tony Award-winning Alley Theatre announces the inaugural Alley Transported production of A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare and directed by Alley Theatre's Artistic Director Rob Melrose.

Alley Transported is an "up-close and personal" experience of live professional theatre designed to reach all generations of Houstonians in every one of our neighborhoods. Professional productions of Shakespeare and community-relevant plays will take place in schools, recreation centers, libraries, and other community venues. Alley Transported gives the community an intimate, heartfelt, visceral, and transporting experience of live performance and fosters a shared sense of community.

Taking place on a 15 by 15 foot playing area with many of the Alley Resident Actors, A Midsummer Night's Dream is a feast for the eyes, heart, and funny bone. Viewers are led from an elegant but earthbound palace into a magical forest where some of the inhabitants may not be bound by anything at all. It's a world where even the fools are enchanting. The audience is a part of the wacky action in this abridged version of Shakespeare's text.

Private locations for the tour are: Raul Yzaguirre Schools for Success (Tejano Center for Community Concerns), Nolan Ryan Jr. High (Alvin ISD), Spring ISD, Mayde Creek High School (Katy ISD), and East Early College High School (Houston ISD).

Community performances will be held on Friday, January 28 at 7:00 p.m. at the HCC Felix Fraga Academic Campus and on Saturday, January 29 at 1:00 p.m. at the Houston Public Library - Central Library.

"I'm so excited to be directing A Midsummer Night's Dream in the Alley's newest program: Alley Transported," said Alley Artistic Director Rob Melrose. "Alley Transported brings our work out of our theatre building downtown and into communities throughout Houston through schools, libraries, and community centers. I've created work through similar programs in New York and San Diego and find it to be truly life-changing both for the people who see the play as well as those making it. Seeing this level of professional theatre in such an intimate setting is really powerful. Our production of A Midsummer Night's Dream leans into the world of magical realism and has been deeply influenced by Gabriel García Márquez's novel 100 Years of Solitude. It is not Shakespeare in Elizabethan ruffles and pumpkin pants. It is Shakespeare's magic meeting the magic of one of the greatest modern novels of all time."

"For our prototype program, A Midsummer Night's Dream, launching in January, we have pulled out all the stops," shares Alley Director of Education & Community Engagement Mary Sutton. "It's exciting to see a whole new accessible program come alive within our shops and rehearsal rooms getting ready to launch wholeheartedly out into the community. Our professional actors and designers have really responded to the challenge of bringing top-notch work to folks who don't normally get an opportunity to see live theatre, especially professional work so up-close and intimate. This is the epitome of our 75th Anniversary celebration to re-energize Nina Vance's motto, 'Houston, this is your theatre' We are bringing that sentiment alive like never before."

The cast of A Midsummer Night's Dream includes Alley's Resident Acting Company members David Rainey as Oberon/Theseus, Elizabeth Bunch as Titania/Hippolyta, Chris Hutchison as Ageus/Peter Quince, Melissa Molano as Hermia/Robin Starveling/Fairy/Peaseblossom, Dylan Godwin as Demetrius/Snug/Cobweb, and Christopher Salazar as Bottom. Rounding out the cast are Christine Friale as Puck/Philostrate, Patricia Duran as Helena/Snout/Moth, and Luis Quintero as Lysander/Francis Flute/Mustardseed.

The creative team of A Midsummer Night's Dream includes Scenic & Puppet Designer Afsaneh Aayani, Costume Designer Trish Rigdon, Composer & Music Director Alex Navarro, Choreographer Lydia Hance, Fight Director & Intimacy Coordinator Adam Noble, Assistant Fight Director & Intimacy Coordinator Skye Bronfenbrenner, Stage Manager Katie Leigh Creeggan, and Assistant Stage Manager Ryan Barrett.

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