A Midsummer Night's Dream

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is playing at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park. It runs two hours forty five minutes with one intermission. The play closes on August 13, 2017.

William Shakespeare wrote the comedy in 1595/1596.

Anneleigh Ashford received a Tony Award for You Can’t Take It With You (2015) and was nominated for a Tony Award for Kinky Boots (2013).

De’Adre Aziza nominated for a Tony Award for Passing Strange (2008).

Danny Burstein has been nominated for six Tony Awards for Fiddler on the Roof (2016), Cabaret (2014), Golden Boy (2013), Follies (2012) South Pacific (2008) and The Drowsy Chaperone (2006).

Phylicia Rashad won A Tony Award for A Raisin in the Sun (2004) and was nominated for a Tony Award for Gem of the Ocean (2005).

Kristine Nielsen was nominated for a Tony Award for Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike.

David Rockwell is the scenic designer. He won a Tony Award in 2016 for She Loves Me and was nominated for five Tony Awards for On the Twentieth Century, You Can’t Take it With You, Kinky Boots, Lucky Guy and Hairspray.

Clint Ramos is the costume designer. He won a Tony Award in 2016 for Eclipsed.

There are three different plots, an interlock plot and confusion.

Theseus- Duke of Athens (Bhavesh and Hippolyta Queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus are having a discussion. They are approached by Egeus (David Manis) about his daughter Mia (Shalita Grant). He wants her to marry Demetrius (Alex Hernandez) but she loves Lysander (Kyle Beltran). Mia wants to marry Lysander. Egeus want her put in jail if she won’t marry who he wants her to.

Meanwhile Helena (Annaleigh Ashford) has the hots for Demetrius but he has no interest in her.

The Mechanicals are rehearsing a play they want to perform at Theseus and Hippolyta wedding. Peter Quince (Robert Joy) a carpenter leads the group of five. Nick Bottom (Danny Burstein) a weaver wants to do several roles. Francis Flute (Jeff Hiller) a bellows-mender, Snout (Patrena Murray) a tinker, Snug (Austin Durant) a jointer and Robin Starveling (Joe Tapper) a tailor make up the rest of the group.

The last group are The Fairies. Oberon (Richard Poe) is the King of the Fairies. Titania (Phylicia Rashad)is the Queen of the Fairies. Titania has her eyes on someone else besides the King. Oberon had Robin Goodfellow (Kristine Nielsen) a puck ,sprays fairies dust on Titania and Demetrius to make them fall him love Oberon and Helena. This will happen when they first wake up and see that person. Titania wakes up and sees Nick Bottom. She sprays Lysander by mistake. He wakes up to Helena.

All hell breaks out. I’m not telling what, if you don’t know already. You will have to see the show.

This is a wonderful, funny play. If you don’t like Shakespeare you will now.

What a delight.

The cast is great. Annaleigh Ashford and Danny Burstein are at their best. Kristine Nielsen and Phylicia Rashad are outstanding. I would love to give all four of them an award!

The Fairy Singer, Marcelle Davies-Lashley sings three songs. Her voice will blow you away. WOW!

It was well worth waiting four hours to get a free ticket. I’d do it again- well maybe not. But still bring a book, and get a ticket for this marvelous production. You won’t be disappointed.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich.

Photos by Annazor.

To read a candid interview with the cast, scroll down to the left for recent photos. Click on a photo, the click back to album and finally click on back to gallery for this and other shows.