Commonwealth Classic Theatre Company (CCTC) is proud to announce that their fifth summer of Free Theatre in the Parks will feature a production of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream directed by Associate Artistic Director, Joshua L. Browns. CCTC will offer free performances in outdoor public spaces throughout the 5-County area of Philadelphia from July 9th through July 25th.

“These things seem small and undistinguishable, Like far off mountains turned into clouds.”

Thus one of Shakespeare’s young lovers in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM explains the disconcerting memory of a misguided romantic romp in a fairy-haunted wood on a midsummer’s night. THE DREAM, as it is often referred to, is, in the eyes of many, Shakespeare’s first unqualified masterpiece. One of the few Shakespearean plays with an original story, it artfully weaves together three distinct plots and groups of characters: “the Lovers”; “the Mechanicals”; and “the Fairies.” The play is full mayhem and madness and an all encompassing compassion for the foibles of its characters and, indeed, for all human “fools.” With its elements of magic, magically rendered in exquisite verse, and its uproarious broad comedy, Shakespeare’s most beloved play is a Dream perfectly suited to celebrate the 5th Anniversary of CCTC’s Free Theatre in the Parks program!

Says Director, Joshua L. Browns, “What I'm most excited about is the opportunity to take on this most absurd of Shakespeare's plays - this is certainly the silliest of the comedies, and I think, if done well, one of the most fun to watch. The great fun in this show is watching all of these people from various levels of society, and even characters of the Fairy realm, trying their best to get what they want - and making absolute fools of themselves in the process.

I'm very much looking forward to bringing in puppetry and a little stage magic into the show this year - we've always attracted a lot of children, and this is certainly one of the more "kid-friendly" of Shakespeare’s plays (which means all of the dirtier jokes will at least be smart dirty jokes), and I think will help enhance the fantasy world of the play.”

Producing Artistic Director, Mary Ann Baldwin says “I have been continually asked by Park leaders and audience members alike, “when will CCTC do “DREAM?” and I have always responded that we would if we made it to a 5th year. I just can’t believe that 5th year is here already! Of all Shakespeare’s plays, or, at least of his comedies, this play is the one that makes the broadest connection - across differences of age, gender, education and economic conditions. This broad human connection makes DREAM the seminal play for Commonwealth Classic Theatre Company to produce in celebration of its program that exists to artistically serve the “common good”.

The DREAM will be a reunion for many CCTC company artists from past productions. John Jezior plays Bottom the Weaver this summer, returning to CCTC after playing Dogberry in 2006’s Much Ado About Nothing and Don Armado in 2007’s Love’s Labor’s Lost. Also returning to the parks after last summer’s The Taming of the Shrew are Andrew Gorrell as the master of mayhem himself, (Puck) and Paul Parente (Quince). Cyndi Janzen (Titania) and Stephen Lyons (Oberon) both performed in Much Ado About Nothing in 2006 and now pair up as the King and Queen of the Fairies!

CCTC’s Free Theatre in the Parks program began in 2005 with a production of George Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man, followed by 2006’s Much Ado About Nothing, 2007’s production of Pierre Marivaux’s The Game of Love and Chance and last years triumphant production of The Taming of the Shrew featuring newlyweds Joshua L. Browns and Trice Baldwin Browns.

Commonwealth Classic Theatre Company (CCTC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded and incorporated in 2005 in the state of Pennsylvania. CCTC is dedicated to the principle that theatre is a vital component of a civil society. It is our mission to present theatrical works from both the classic and contemporary canons that bear witness to the rich variety and commonality of human experience and which enhance our audience’s appreciation of theatre as a humanizing art form. Theatre, of all the arts, is uniquely able to offer a magical and ephemeral communal experience – an experience that has been enhancing the quality of communal life for thousands of years. CCTC’s first program is dedicated to ensuring this age-old tradition by bringing “Free Theatre in the Parks” to public spaces in and around the 5 counties of Philadelphia.

*This project was made possible through the support of the PA Council on the Arts, a state agency, through its regional arts funding partnership, PA Partners in the Arts(PPA).

FACT SHEET

Commonwealth Classic Theatre Company presents A Free Theatre in the Parks production of
William Shakespeare’s
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

PRODUCTION STAFF
Producing Artistic Director: Mary Ann Baldwin
Director: Joshua L. Browns
Production Manager: Timothy Martin
Stage Manager: Danielle Kindt
Set Design/Puppetry: William Pollock
Costume Designer: Jody Anderson
Casting Coordinator: Trice Baldwin-Browns
Technical Coordinator: Stephen Dombkoski Light Coordinator: Michael Hazeltine

CAST (alphabetical order)
Brian Browne: Snout
Timothy Carmello: Theseus/Moth
Matt Dell'Olio: Starveling/Cobweb
Andrew Gorell : Puck
Stephen Harkins: Egeus/Snug
Cyndi Janzen: Titania
John Jezior: Bottom
Felicia Leicht: Helena
Stephen Lyons: Oberon/Flute
Nick Martorelli: Demetrius/Mustardseed
Rebecca A. Miglionico: Hippolyta/Peaseblossom
Lena Mucchetti : Hermia
Paul Parente: Peter Quince
Michael Tomasetti: Lysander

WHEN & WHERE:

Thursday, July 9th Everhart Park, - West Chester 7:00 P.M. (Raindate: Tuesday, July 14th)

Friday, July 10th West Pikeland Cultural Center, Chester Springs 7:00 P.M. (rain location indoors)

Saturday, July 11th Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, Phila. PA 7:00 P.M. (rain location indoors)

Sunday, July 12th Northampton Community Park, Richboro, PA 6:30 P.M. (rain location indoors)

Wednesday, July 15th 20th Century Club Lawn, Lansdowne, PA 7:00 P.M.

Thursday, July 16th McMichael Park, East Falls, Phila, PA 7:00 P.M. (raindate: Tuesday, July 21st)

Friday, July 17th Brookhaven Municipal Building Lawn, Brookhaven, PA 7:00 P.M. (rain location indoors)

Saturday, July 18th West Goshen Community Park, West Chester, PA 7:00 P.M. (raindate: Sun. July 19th)

Wednesday, July 22nd White’s Road Park Amphitheatre – Lansdale 7:30 P.M. (Raindate: Sun. July 26th)

Thursday, July 23rd Abington Art Center Outdoor Stage – Abington 7:00 P.M. (rain location: indoors)

Friday, July 24th PENDING

Saturday, July 25th LOVE Park, Philadelphia 6:30 P.M.

For more information about performances or about Commonwealth Classic Theatre Company, please visit our website: www.commonwealthclassictheatre.org.