The Cell and The Hive Re-invent A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM

THE CELL and THE HIVE THEATRE COMPANY are pleased to announce their gender-bender production of William Shakespeare?s A MIDSUMMER NIGHT?S DREAM, directed by Matthew A.J. Gregory. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT?S DREAM will play a limited engagement at the cell (338 West 23rd Street New York, NY 10011). MIDSUMMER NIGHT?S DREAM will be playing in rep with BAD EVIDENCE, as part of the cell?s Summer of Lust. Performances begin Tuesday, July 5 and continue through Sunday, July 31. Opening Night is Saturday, July 9 (8 p.m.).

The Hive and the cell have joined forces to present a modern re-imagining of Shakespeare?s classic, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT?S DREAM, which casts Hermia and Lysander as lesbian lovers with Demetrius and Helena as a gay couple. This is not your grandmother?s MIDSUMMER, but a MIDSUMMER for 21st century NYC. This production exposes contemporary America's sexual hang-ups and resistance to gay marriage. Concepts of what constitutes gender, sexual-orientation and power will be explored and exploded!

MIDSUMMER, the inaugural performance of Shakespeare in the Rear @ the cell, has audiences follow Shakespeare?s lost lovers in and out of doors as they make their way through an urban wilderness. From the cell?s magnificent townhouse interior to its brand new outdoor garden salon, we join the lovers as they journey from a lavish if oppressive high-society gala to a wild outdoor bacchanal of every fetish imaginable--filled with delectable and dangerous fairies straight out of everyone?s fantasies and fears.

The production stars Chris Critelli* (frequent appearances at Lincoln Center Songbook Series, Off Broadway ? THE NEW HOPEVILLE COMICS) as Puck/Philostrate, Teniece Divya Johnson (DEAD MAN?S CELL PHONE at the Hippodrome State Theatre) as Oberon/Hippolyta, Samuel Gaines* (KING LEAR at Kansas City Rep) as Titania/Theseus, Ashley Denis Robinson as Lysander, Alan Winner* (Trevor Nunn?s GONE WITH THE WIND in the West End) as Demetrius, Shira Gregory* (FROST/NIXON on Broadway) as Hermia, Michael Raver * (Notable credit - VIEUX CARRE at The Pearl Theatre Co directed by Austin Pendleton) as Helena, Ron Bobst * (Notable credits - WOYZECK at Toy Box Theatre Company, TOGETHER THIS TIME at NY Fringe (Lucille Lortel Theatre)) as Egeus/Tom Snout, Ryan Lee * (Notable credits ? VENUS OBSERVED at Boomerang Theatre Company, DIRT at Theatre Row, Virginia Shakespeare Festival, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Ojai Shakespeare Festival) as Nick Bottom, Marissa Parness as Quince, Robin Starveling (Flea Theatre ? MRS. FARNSWORTH with Sigourney Weaver, Mac Wellman?s CELLOPHANE) as Robin Starveling, as well as Katie Gould, Chen Tang (Notable credits ? 30 ROCK), Lekethia Dalcoe, Pamela Weingarden, Emilio Aquino and Cameron Smith.

The production features scenic design by Justin Couchara (Recent: Asst. Scenic Designer for Peter and the Starcatcher, Lead Props Sculptor for Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), costume design by Christina Kim, and lighting design by Nick Gonsman (Recent: Field Project Coordinator for ETC). Justin Stasiw is the sound designer and Lauren Williams is the stage manager.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT?S DREAM plays the following schedule through Sunday, July 31:

July 5, 6, 9, 14, 15, 17, 19, 20, 23, 28, 29 and 31 at 8pm
July 10, 16, 24 and 30 at 2pm

Tickets are $18 (student/senior $15 with code ?summeroflust?)and are now available online at www.brownpapertickets.com or by calling 1-800-838-3006. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the theater ½ hour prior to performance.

Running Time: 90 minutes

Website: thehivetheatre.com/midsummer and thecelltheatre.org

BIOGRAPHIES

MATTHEW A.J. GREGORY (Director) As a director, actor and costume designer, Matthew has worked on and off Broadway, and in venues across the country. He has directed productions for the cell, the Secret Theatre, Saratoga Second Stage, NYU and most recently directed and co-adapted a new adaptation of Moliere?s ?The Hypochondriac? at the cell in Chelsea. He has performed at the Kennedy Center, the Mint Theater, and the Saratoga Shakespeare Company. His designs have been seen at the Juilliard School, the Theatre for the New City and the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. Matthew has also worked as a costume artisan on various films including ?X-Men?, ?How the Grinch Stole Christmas?, and ?Charlie?s Angels?. As an educator, Matthew has taught at Adelphi University, SUNY Albany, Siena College and is now a member of the faculty at CUNY - Kingsborough.

Matthew is the Artistic Director and a founding member of the Hive Theatre Company. He is dedicated to promoting social and economic justice through theatre and education.

THE HIVE THEATRE COMPANY is an experiment in collaboration dedicated to building and serving community through play.
The Hive is committed to:
· Producing original works created from the ground up by the full company, reinventing the classics, and fostering the work of new and under-exposed playwrights.
· Providing affordable productions that engage audiences as participants in an immersive theatrical event rather than simply spectators.
· Nurturing artists in and around the NYC metro area.
· Continuing to demonstrate how theatre raises social awareness.
· Reaching out to artists, audiences and sponsors in order to enrich and expand our community.

About the cell: A Twenty First Century Salon?
Since its inception in 2006, the cell: A Twenty First Century Salon? (Nancy Manocherian, Founding Director; Kira Simring, Artistic Director) has been, and continues to be, an incubator for creative projects. Through its strong commitment to cultivate undiscovered artists, the cell has created residencies for diverse groups including the Tandem Reading Series, Center for Contemporary Opera and The Blackboard Reading Series. the cell is located in the heart of Chelsea, New York City. For more information, please visit www.thecelltheatre.org.

 

To post a comment, you must register and login.