Independent Shakespeare Co. Presents First Show Of Griffith Park Free Shakespeare A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
By: A.A. Cristi May. 24, 2018
This summer spend a bewitching night with A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM at the GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL. Independent Shakespeare Co. celebrates the 15th anniversary season of free Shakespeare in Los Angeles City Parks. The Old Zoo will be transformed into an enchanted forest with an all-new production that envelops the audience with the action of the play. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, directed by Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Artistic Director, Melissa Chalsma,will begin previews at THE GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL on Saturday, June 30 at 7pm and will open on Saturday, July 7 at 7:00pm and perform through Sunday, September 2 at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park.
All ISC Summer Shakespeare productions are FREE to the public! A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM is the first of two productions being presented at this year's GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL. TITUS ANDRONICUS will open July 28 and then the plays will run in repertory through September 2.
It's hard to tell where reality ends and dreams begin in this intoxicating joyride of a play. Otherworldly creatures, lovers on the run, and a group of amateur actors all converge in a deep forest outside of Athens. When their worlds collide, chaos ensues and nothing but magic has the power to set things right before the sun comes up.
Comments ISC Artistic Director Melissa Chalsma, "Audiences and families love A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. It is one of Shakespeare's most complex and gratifying plays, and one of his most sophisticated. In it, Shakespeare creates a world that is as confounding as it is magical. It's intricately plotted, intersecting storylines evoke a complex world full of unseen forces."
Managing Director David Melville says, "This is a thrilling year! Not only is it our 15thanniversary of free Shakespeare in Los Angeles City Parks, but we'll be rounding out the summer with the groundbreaking of the Griffith Park Performing Arts Stage Project. This is a $4 million project by the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks at ISC's performance site at the Old Zoo."
ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM AND CAST
Melissa Chalsma (Director) is the co-founder and Artistic Director of Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC). Under her leadership, along with co-founder David Melville, the company created the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival, which has grown into the largest theater event of its kind and a uniquely Los Angeles must-do summer event. In 2015, ISC received the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle's highest honor, the Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in theater.
She directs and acts in many ISC productions, including last season's Measure for Measure,and also Richard III, Romeo & Juliet, Oliver Goldsmith's She Stoops to Conquer, Hamlet,The Comedy of Errors, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Two Gentleman of Verona. As a performer she has worked in theaters across the country, on Broadway (including the American premiere of Harold Pinter's Moonlight with Jason Robards, Blythe Danner, and Liev Schreiber), and in the UK.
As director: Oliver Goldsmith's She Stoops to Conquer, Hamlet,The Comedy of Errors,The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Two Gentleman of Verona, Romeo & Juliet.She has performed in theaters across the country, on Broadway (including theAmerican premiere of Harold Pinter's Moonlightwith Jason Robards, BlytheDanner, and Liev Schreiber), and in the UK.
In her ten years as a college faculty member she taught at Moorpark College, Pepperdine University, and California State University, Northridge. Drawing on her experience as an educator, she has guided the company in the development of educational programming for schools, as well as workshops directed toward families that take place before performances in Griffith Park.
The cast of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM will feature: Jose Acain, Julia Aks, Richard Azurdia, Patrick Batiste, Joseph Culliton, William Elsman, Daniel Jimenez, Aisha Kabia, David Melville, Kelvin Morales, Xavi Moreno, Bukola Ogunmola, Katie Powers-Faulk, Darian Ramirez and Evan Lewis Smith.
Season Production Design is by Caitlin Lainoff. Season Lighting Design is by Bosco Flanagan. Costume Design is by Rouxuan Li. Sound Design & Composer is Chris Porter.
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM will preview on Saturday, June 30 at 7:00pm, will open on Saturday, July 7 at 7:00pm and perform in repertory with TITUS ANDRONICUS through September 2 at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park. All ISC summer Shakespeare in the park productions are FREE to the public.
For more information, please call (818) 710-6306 or online at www.iscla.org
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