A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM is Coming to Portland Center Stage This Summer

Portland Center Stage will present the final play of their 2022-23 season by one of the world's most renowned playwrights: directed by Artistic Director Marissa Wolf, William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream begins preview performances on June 3, opens on June 9, and runs through July 2 on the mainstage. When four young lovers escape their oppressive society and seek refuge in the fairies' woods on a midsummer night, mayhem ensues! Tickets are on sale now, including sliding scale tickets for BIPOC affinity night, a.k.a. The People's Party, on Friday, June 30, at 7:30 p.m.

When Hermia refuses to let oppressive Athenian law keep her from happiness, she and her true love Lysander rush off to elope. Helena, hoping to catch the attention of Hermia's discarded prospect, tells Demetrius about Hermia's plan, and all four lovers escape to the enchanted woods. There, they cross paths with a bumbling band of theater makers, fiendish fairies with a penchant for magic revenge spells, and several mistaken love matches. Will the games at hand offer an escape from their repressed existence, or will desire and a youthful vision for the future win, allowing their wildest dreams to become permanent?

"Midsummer feels so brightly alive to me right now, bringing both a wellspring of deep love and joy that courses through the play, as well as a rich social resonance," offers Artistic Director Marissa Wolf. "We journey from the oppressive society of Athens, which seeks to legislate over people's lives and bodies, to the forest, where dreaming, desire, and mayhem abound. With this incredible team of actors and designers, I'm excited to invite audiences into a space of rocking humor, tenderness, and pleasure!"

Marissa is joined in her pursuit of merriment by some of Portland's best and brightest creatives, including Peter Ksander, designing the spellbound forest locale, Sarita Fellows creating the costumes, Carl Faber on lighting design, and Luke Norby & Five OHM building the soundscape for the play. On stage, PCS favorites return: Andrés Alcalá, Lauren Bloom-Hanover, Nicole Marie Green, Tyler Andrew Jones, Jennifer Lanier, Treasure Lunan, Andy Perkins, Jesse Weil, and Ken Yoshikawa.

ABOUT THE PLAY

Kings, queens, fairies, lovers, and sprites leave their oppressive Athenian society behind to dream their wildest dreams in the enchanted forest one midsummer night, proving that "the course of true love never did run smooth." One of Shakespeare's most popular comedies takes us on a beguiling odyssey full of mistaken identities, misguided passions, love potions, and magic spells. Fall in love all over again - but watch your step!

SPECIAL EVENTS

June First Thursday with Adriana Wagner Quartet

Thu, June 1, 5 p.m. • FREE
June First Thursday will feature live music by the Adriana Wagner Quartet in the Main Lobby and an interactive exhibit by Comma (PSU) graphic design students on the Mezzanine.

The People's Party: BIPOC Affinity Night for A Midsummer Night's Dream

Fri., June 30, 2 p.m. • Sliding scale tickets w/ FREE pre- & post-show offerings

We hope you'll join us for the People's Party: BIPOC Affinity Night for A Midsummer Night's Dream. We invite all who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), and their guests to attend a performance of this classic Shakespearean comedy full of fiendish faeries, hapless theater makers, and sneaky sprites.

THE CAST

The playful cast of nine consists of entirely Portland local artists playing a range of characters, including Andrés Alcalá playing Egeus, Lauren Bloom-Hanover (Macbeth) playing Hippolyta, Nicole Marie Green (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) playing Hermia, Tyler Andrew Jones (Tick, Tick... Boom!) playing Helena, Jennifer Lanier (Redwood) playing Theseus, Treasure Lunan (It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play) playing Lysander, Andy Perkins (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) playing Bottom, Jesse Weil (Tick, Tick... Boom!) playing Demetrius, and Ken Yoshikawa (Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles) as Puck.

THE CREATIVE TEAM

Director Marissa Wolf; Scenic Designer Peter Ksander; Costume Designer Sarita Fellows, Lighting Designer Carl Faber; Sound Designer Luke Norby & Five OHM; Choreographer Muffie Delgado Connelly; Shakespearean Language Coach Jonathan Cullen; Intimacy Coordinator Amanda Vander Hyde; Stage Manager Janine Vanderhoff; Assistant Stage Manager Gillian Lelchuk; Assistant Director Orion Bradshaw, and Dramaturg Kamilah Bush.

TICKET AND PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

When: June 3 - July 2, 2023*

*Opening Night/Press Night: Friday, June 9, at 7:30 p.m.

Preview Performances: June 3, 4, 7, and 8 at 7:30 p.m.

Pay What You Will Performances: June 4 and June 22 at 7:30 p.m.

The People's Party: BIPOC Affinity Night: June 30 at 2 p.m.

Where: On the U.S. Bank Main Stage at The Armory, 128 NW Eleventh Ave, Portland, Oregon.

To Purchase Regular Tickets: Prices range from $25 to $93, and tickets may be purchased at 503-445-3700 or in-person from the box office. Prices vary by date and time and are subject to change.

Ticket Specials: Visit pcs.org/deals to view ticket specials, including Rush Tickets, Pay What You Will, Arts for All, Active Duty, Military Veteran, Student, Under 30, The Armory Card, Groups of 10+, and more.

Please Note: This production is recommended for ages 12 and up. Contains adult situations and mischievous fairies.

Accessibility: Learn about accessibility options at pcs.org/access.

PORTLAND CENTER STAGE

Portland Center Stage's mission is to create transcendent theatrical experiences and community programs that break down the barriers separating people. We support our community in celebrating the full scope of humanity, appreciating difference, and fostering belonging. PCS was established in 1988 as a branch of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and became independent in 1994. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Marissa Wolf and Managing Director Liam Kaas-Lentz, the company produces a mix of classic, contemporary, and world-premiere productions, along with a variety of high-quality education and community programs. As part of its dedication to new play development, the company has produced 28 world premieres, many of which were developed at its JAW New Play Festival. PCS's home is The Armory, a historic building originally constructed in 1891. After a major renovation, The Armory opened in 2006 as the first building on the National Register of Historic Places, the first performing arts venue in the country, and the first building in Portland to achieve a LEED Platinum rating.

Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying and interrupting instances of racism and all forms of oppression through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA). Learn more at pcs.org/idea.

Portland Center Stage's 2022-2023 season is funded in part by Season Superstars the Regional Arts and Culture Council, and the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation; Season Sponsors the Oregon Arts Commission, a state agency funded by the state of Oregon and the National Endowment for the Arts, and US Bank; and Producing Sponsors Ellyn Bye, Ray and Bobbi Davis, Ronni Lacroute, Mark Spencer, Argyle Winery, and Deschutes Brewery. Young Americans was supported in part by the Wallace Foundation.

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