MTSU Teams With Nashville Shakespeare Festival for A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM 11/9-12

Middle Tennessee State University's Theatre Department teams with Nashville Shakespeare Festival for the upcoming production of Skakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by NSF artistic associate and MTSU adjunct professor of theatre Santiago Sosa. Midsummer runs November 9-12 at MTSU's Tucker Theatre.

Some 20 MTSU students - from freshmen to seniors - join four professional actors in the Sosa-directed production, including Kyle Kennedy, head of MTSU's acting department, NSF artistic director Denice Hicks (playing Titania) and acclaimed Nashville actor Brian Russell, who plays Oberon. Justin Hand, also a professional actor from Nashville, takes on the comedic role of Bottom in the production.There are 20 MTSU students in the production, ranging from freshmen to seniors, and four professional

MTSU student actors taking part include Parker Chase, Alexa Pulley, Lakryslin Williams, Chris Anderson, Connor McCabe, Devin Bowles, Cailyn Hurley, Blake Holliday, John Carter, Jay Mullens, Aaron Johnson, Gabriel Matos, JR Knowles, Lauren Hawkins, Ren Creasy, Meredith Aydelott, Mallory Gonyea, Kaitlin Newcomb, Chance Rule and Matthew Phillips.

A Midsummer Night's Dream portrays the events surrounding the marriage of Theseus, Duke of Athens, to Hippolyta. These include the adventures of four young Athenian lovers and a group of six amateur actors, the "rude mechanicals," who are controlled and manipulated by the fairies that inhabit the forest in which most of the play is set.

Sosa's concept for A Midsummer Night's Dream sets Shakespeare's play in an imagined Athenian world inspired by high fashion and features a magical soundscape by composer Natalie Bell. Costume design is by Tommy Macon, set design by Scott Boyd and lighting design is by Darren Levin.

Sosa's role as a creative force both at MTSU and with NSF, the collaboration affords MTSU students a unique opportunity to work with professional, Shakespearean actors.

"I am so happy to be able to work both with this university and the theatre company that has given me so many opportunities since I moved to Tennessee," Sosa says.

Nashville Shakes will return to MTSU's Tucker Theatre in early 2018 with its professional production of Hamlet from January 31-February 3.

NSF is booking school groups for the two 10 a.m. student matinees on November 9 and 10. For bookings, contact education@nashvilleshakes.org. For public performance tickets, go to www.mtsu.edu/tuckertheatre.

Show times for A Midsummer Night's Dream: Thursday, November 9 at 12 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Friday, November 10 at 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, November 11, at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, November 12, at 2 p.m. MTSU's Tucker Theatre is located at 615 Champion Way on the MTSU campus in Murfreesboro.

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