BWW Reviews: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM at the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company - Another New Theater Opens

"Willcommen, bienvenue, welcome" to Baltimore Chesapeake Shakespeare Company and what an auspicious debut it was. What a gathering it was when Artistic Director Ian Gallanar and Managing Director Lesley Malin took to the thrust stage to welcome the guests for the opening night gala celebration for the new home of the CSC. For over 10 years, the CSC has been wowing audiences at their outdoor performance space in Ellicott City and moving from location to location in Howard County during the other months . They finally found the perfect location at the old Mercantile Bank Building at the corner of East Redwood and South Calvert Streets which is just two blocks from Baltimore's Inner Harbor and Harborplace. The building is one of the few remaining structures that survived the great 1904 Baltimore fire. Who could have possibly envisioned this Romanesque building would be re-invented into a theater similar to the famous Globe Theater in Shakespeare time in London. But don't fret, the CSC will be returning each summer for one outdoor production to the Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park.

This inaugural season will feature six shows in the intimate, custom-built, 260-seat playhouse with English designed ergonomic bench seating. (See my article on the theater elsewhere on this site.) The rest of the season includes RICHARD II, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, UNCLE VANYA, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, ROMEO AND JULIET, and THE COMEDY OF ERRORS.

Artistic Director Gallanar explained why he chose A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM to open the theater. "I love that it is a play that reaches different people in different ways. It is perhaps, the most accessible Shakespeare play for children. It is also, perhaps, the Shakespeare play that can remain interesting each time you see it. It's been produced in all sorts of ways with all levels of artists. Yet, it remains fun. It remains true."

And Gallanar is spot on because this production may be the most enjoyable and funny I have ever seen. This is my first CSC production and I am very excited to see many more. Gallanar is an accomplished director and shows his skills throughout the evening. He has an incredible sense of humor and it shines with his actors.

You can bet there will be plenty of music and dance in future CSC productions. This one had all sorts of musicians, one on a banjo, two on a guitar, one playing an accordion, one on a piano. According to the Director, the play mentions music more than a dozen times. There is some old music and new You may even recognize the theme from "Moon River".

Gallanar is assembled a wonderful cast of 26, including five adorable Fairies. Each and every one of them looked they were having the time of their life.

One of the highlights of the evening is watching Gregory Burgess as Nick Bottom. Burgess is the consummate actor who just takes over whenever he appears.

Kudos to Rachel Jacobs (Hermia),Audra Bertaux (Helena), Bobby Heneberg as Francis Flute, Scott Alan Small (Oberone), Vince Eisenson (Puck), Jeff Keogh (Peter Quince) Elizabeth Kelly as Titania, and James Jager (who reminded me of Jason Biggs) as Demetrius. Loved his argyle socks.

The costumes were just perfect by Kristina Lambdin and the sound is by Sandra Thompson.

This is no ordinary theater. There are two bars on the first two levels and patrons are encouraged to use them DURING the show since you can observe what's happening on stage anywhere. The house lights stay on to replicate what daylight was during the time of Shakespeare. There's even a child's room to the side which has a TV monitor so one could watch the play while dealing with young ones. The CSC really aims for a young audience and it was pretty obvious from the opening night crowd that they are successful which can only be good news for the future of theater. It was nice to see represented at opening night, many different Shakespeare Theatre Companies in attendance. There was even a note in the program of congratulations from London's Shakespeare's Globe.

I do recommend you get to the theater early to read the synopsis. It is quite a complex story.

I look forward to many more visits to the CSC. Look for the large SHAKESPEARE marquee at 7 S. Calvert Street.

For tickets call 410-244-8570 or visit www.chesapeakeshakespeare.com. You have until October 12.

cgshubow@broadwayworld.com

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