A Midsummer Night’s Dream

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s production is part of Shakespeare in American

Communities, a national program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership

with Arts Midwest.

The National Endowment for the Arts in

partnership with Arts Midwest presents

Shakespeare in American Communities.

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival is one of

40 professional theater companies selected

to participate in bringing the finest

productions of Shakespeare to middle- and

high-school students in communities across the United States.

The Linny Fowler WillPower Tour is

made possible through a generous gift

from

Beall and Marlene “Linny” Fowler And these generous supporters:

Richard H. & Karen Albert

American Bank

Jim & Terri Bartholomew

The Century Fund

DeSales University

Embassy Bank

Chris Coucill & Liz Fillo

The Gadomski Foundation

John & Brenda McGlade

Kathleen Kund Nolan & Timothy Nolan

The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts

Corning & Dorothy Painter

Victoria Plaza

David B. & Patrina L. Rothrock

Darbin & Deborah Skeans

Barbra Barker & Jeffrey Schlamb

Shakespeare in American Communities:

National Endowment for the Arts in

partnership with Arts Midwest

Brenda Shahpari-Azar

Sara Ann Thomas

The Harry C. Trexler Trust

Tom & Elaine Whalen

Anonymous (2)

4

Our performance of A Midsummer Night’s

Dream is designed to energize and inspire

your students - instilling a greater

understanding and appreciation of theatre,

Shakespeare, and language, both spoken and

written. The post-show discussion allows students to directly connect with the

actors/teachers. For schools that have

contracted for the full-day program,

workshops provide students with activities

which illuminate the vitality of Shakespeare’s

words and characters in a highly engaging

experience.

This study guide gives you information and

activities specific to this production of A

Midsummer Night’s Dream which is designed to give young people a fresh view on a classic

work. There is also information and

resources on Shakespeare’s life, language,

and theatre. We will bring all our skill,

passion, and artistry to the task. We hope

you and your students enjoy, and will be filled

with, WillPower!

PREPARING STUDENTS 5

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Who Was This Guy? 6

Shakespeare’s England 7

Shakespeare’s Theatre 9

Timeline 10

Shakespeare’s Language 11

Quotes: On Shakespeare 12

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

Characters in Midsummer 13

Synopsis of the Play 14

WillPower Actors 16

Performance Guide 18

Shakespeare’s Inspiration 20

Shakespeare Inspires 21

The Play in Performance 22

The Text 23

The Fairies of Midsummer 24

CLASSROOM EXERCISES Introducing Midsummer 25

As You Study Midsummer 26

Before the Performance 28

During the Performance 29

After Reading or Seeing Midsummer 31

More Activities to Introduce the Play 34

More Activities to Explore the Play 35

CHARACTER QUIZ 37

RESOURCES WE LOVE 38

OPPORTUNITIES AT PSF 39

MEETING THE STANDARDS 41

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What can we do in class to prepare? We know time is tight in the classroom. You might be spending several weeks on A Midsummer Night’s

Dream, or you may be hosting WillPower in the middle of a completely different unit. In both cases,

this guide is designed with you in mind. We’ve included resources that can work for an extended study

of the play, a quick introduction the day before the performance, and everywhere in between. Here

are some key things you can do to prepare.

Introduce the Plot

The single most helpful thing you can do for your students before the performance is

introduce the story. Don’t worry! The experience of seeing the play will not be spoiled by knowing

the ending. Instead, familiarizing students with the plot ahead of time will allow them to enjoy the

action and language without worrying about following the plot. Our synopsis is on page 14, and there

are several video links on our resources page (38) that summarize the story.

Get to Know the Characters

Shakespeare liked to create a big cast of characters, whose personalities are as detailed and diverse as

our own. Their names can be unusual, so we recommend reviewing who is who before the play. See

page 13 for a list of characters and page 16 to see how we perform the play with just nine actors. If

you are reading the play, use our casting activity on page 26 to guide your character exploration as you

read. If you only have a day to prepare, see pages 18-19 for a helpful infographic of the actors,

characters, and plot.

Explore the Big Ideas

We continue to read and perform Shakespeare’s plays because they grapple with the big questions we

still ask ourselves today. That means you don’t need to be a scholar to talk about the play’s themes!

Check out page 34 for activities that speak to the big ideas of the play. Whether you are reading the

play or not, these are a great way to draw students into the story.

Introduce the Language

At first, our modern ear can be overwhelmed by the richness and complexity of Shakespeare’s text. If

you listen closely, however, and give yourself a few minutes to adjust, the language will begin to reveal

its exceptional beauty. See pages 34 for a quick activity to introduce the language, and page 35 and 36

for a deeper exploration of the text.

Play Your Part

Finally, spend a few minutes preparing your students for their role in the play: the audience! Whether

your students are seasoned theater-goers or getting ready for their first play, it’s smart to talk about

what to expect. Check out our audience member resource on page 28 to guide your discussion and

prepare for your performance.

6

Our knowledge of William Shakespeare’s life is pieced

together from limited primary sources for information:

his own works, various legal and church documents, and

references to him, his plays, and his genius in third-party

letters. Here’s what we do know:

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon

on or about April 23, 1564. Records from Holy Trinity

Church tell us he was baptized there on April 26, 1564.

His father was John Shakespeare, a glove-maker, and his

mother was Mary Arden, a land-owning heiress. William

was the third of eight children, three of whom died in

childhood. His father was fairly successful and was an

alderman and a high-bailiff (mayor) of Stratford.

It is assumed that he went to the free grammar school in Stratford, which was considered an excellent

school. It seems certain that Shakespeare never went on to University.

The next documented event is Shakespeare’s marriage to Anne Hathaway on November 28, 1582.

They had three children: a daughter, Susanna, and twins, Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet died at age 11.

We lose track of Shakespeare for the next seven years. There are rumors that he was fond of

poaching and had to flee Stratford after an incident with one of the gentry there. He began to make a

name for himself in London by 1592, possibly earlier, as both an actor and a playwright. Unfortunately,

the plague forced the closing of the theaters in 1592. By 1594 the plague had abated, and Shakespeare

was acting, writing, and performing the duties of a managing partner for the Lord Chamberlain’s Men.

This was a popular company, enjoyed by the commoners as well as royalty. It was around this time that

Shakespeare and company made plans for the Globe Theater. The Globe was to be across the river

from London, and was built around 1599. In total, Shakespeare wrote 37 plays that have survived (or

38, depending on the point of view of the particular scholar) and numerous sonnets and poems.

April 23, 1616 is the day that marks Shakespeare’s death

(the same as his birthday!) though we are uncertain of that

date’s precision. We do know he was buried in Stratford,

with services at the Holy Trinity Church on April 25, 1616.

In his infamous will, he left his properties to his daughter

Susanna, and to his wife his “second best bed.”

7

Elizabeth I was one of the most popular and

longest-reigning monarchs in English history

(1558 - 1603). Images of her curly red hair

and her reputation for possessing a shrewd

political mind are well-known to us through

books, movies, and works of art. Elizabethan

England was a time of great literary and

artistic flowering, as well as royal turmoil and

global conquest.

Elizabeth I presided over a country rocked

by nearly a century of religious upheaval.

The country had endured radical ideological

shifts, accompanied by public persecutions,

as each new monarch took the throne.

Elizabeth was the daughter of Anne Boleyn

and the infamous Henry VIII of England. She

became Queen of England at the age of 25

after her half-brother and half-sister had

each briefly reigned and died. Her sister

Mary's reign had been particularly brutal and

violent.

Nonetheless, the age of Shakespeare was a

great time in English history. The reign of

Elizabeth saw England emerge as the leading

naval and commercial power of the Western

world with the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, and she firmly established the

Church of England (begun by her father,

Henry VIII, after a dispute with the Pope).

At this time, London was the heart of

England, reflecting all the vibrant qualities of

the Elizabethan Age. Its dramatists and poets

were among the leading literary artists of the

day. London’s population grew 400%,

swelling to nearly two hundred thousand

people in the city proper and outlying region

by the time a young man named Shakespeare

came to town.

In addition to attending the public theatres,

the Elizabethan people engaged in sports:

soccer, swimming, fishing, bowling, wrestling,

and tennis. The people of a town would also

gather together on holidays for huge parties

and festivals, particularly on All Hallow's Eve (Halloween) and the Twelfth Night of

Christmas.

One rather morbid pastime of Elizabethan

England was watching the public punishments

of criminals. In many towns, the stocks were

permanent fixtures where felons would be

locked into place for the mockery and

torment by the townspeople. Public

executions were also well attended. Bear

baiting and cock fighting were other popular

and gruesome sports.

What revels are in hand? Is there no play, To ease the anguish of a torturing hour?

-Theseus, Act 5

8

During the Elizabethan period, table manners

were very different than they are now. Even

noble people would throw bones on the

floor when they were finished, and forks

were a rarity at any table. Bread and meat

were the two most important staples of the

English diet. They also enjoyed a lot of wine

and cheese but ate very few fruits and

vegetables.

This poorly balanced diet was one cause of

the many illnesses that swept through

Elizabethan England. Sicknesses resulted

from malnutrition and improper cooking

habits. Also, smallpox and syphilis were

common afflictions passed from person to

person. But the major cause of death during

Elizabethan England was the plague known as

the Black Death, which flooded all of Europe.

It was carried by the rats living in the streets.

People used herbal remedies for many

ailments, but unfortunately, only the very

rich were able to afford doctors or

apothecaries.

The fashions of both men and women were extravagant and complicated. Men and

women alike were very hair-conscious; they

spent a lot of time and money getting their

hair dyed red or blond (the most fashionable

colors). Men would trim and style their

beards, and women wore their hair in

combs, nets, or jeweled pins. At the time, a

high forehead was considered very

attractive, so women would pluck the hair

from their front hairlines. Both sexes wore

wigs, especially when they lost their own hair

or if it turned gray.

In terms of clothing, women wore very long

dresses that dragged on the ground, and

their bodices were very tightly-laced and

came to a point at the waist. The sleeves

were puffy around the shoulders and tight

around the lower arms. Very large ruffles

around the neck were popular with both

men and women, and were considered a

status symbol for the upper classes. Men

wore shorter breeches or pants with brightly

colored stockings underneath to show off

their calves. Large, ornate jewels were worn

by both sexes, and were often so heavy that

it made dancing difficult.

9

In Renaissance England, theatre was an

important part of everyday life. Public

theatres were built in and around the city of

London and were open to all. The most

expensive seats were in the balconies but the

cheapest admission charge was for the

“groundlings,” the people who stood on the

ground in front of the stage.

In 1599 The Globe opened. It was an open-

air polygonal amphitheatre with many levels

and could seat up to 3,000 people. The stage

area was a large platform that jutted out

from the building and allowed for the

audience to surround it on three sides.

There was no curtain in front of the stage.

A curtained area at the back of the stage

could be opened to reveal another room, or

some kind of surprise. Above this area was a

balcony. This would be a place for kings to

address the masses or perhaps for Juliet to

talk to Romeo. Below the stage was a trap

door that was used for special effects

(Shakespeare was very fond of ghosts!).

Behind the stage was the “tiring house,” a

place where actors changed costumes and

could rest between scenes.

This open-air theatre was dependent on natural lighting and good weather.

Costumes and props (like guillotines,

ladders, crowns, etc.) may have been

extravagant in some cases. The set did not

change from

show to show.

When the play

was to shift

location the

spoken lines

set the scene

(“How dark is

this night!”).

They did use

music and

many sound effects such as cannons and

drums. Many plays also had songs.

Men played all of the roles - In Shakespeare’s day, females were not allowed on the stage (until after 1660). Now, women often play roles originally written for men.

Shakespeare trusted the audience’s imagination, and so do we.

Actors played many parts - At the Globe, an actor might have played seven parts in a

single play! Our actors also double up. It is fun for them and the audience to see them

play multiple roles.

One fixed set - Like Shakespeare’s company, WillPower uses a few pieces of scenery, such as benches and thrones to imply a new location, but mostly we trust the descriptive

language to change the scene.

No lighting design - As with the set, the lighting did not change with each scene (unless

the sun went behind a cloud!)

No intermission - Shakespeare often didn’t have an intermission, and neither do we.

Shakespeare used music - Unfortunately, on the tour we can’t bring live musicians like

Shakespeare. But we do use recorded music to create moods and help tell the story.

10

1564 William Shakespeare and Galileo are born.

1565 Pencils are first manufactured in England.

1567 Two comedies are performed at a Spanish mission in Tequesta, Florida

1576 The first playhouse in England is run by James Burbage.

1588 Spanish Armada is battered by the English

1589-91 Henry VI, Part 1 becomes William Shakespeare's first play to open onstage.

1595 Shakespeare writes Romeo and Juliet.

1596 Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream is completed.

1599 The Globe Theatre is built. Shakespeare writes Julius Caesar.

1600 Shakespeare writes Hamlet.

1603 James VI of Scotland rises to the English throne after

the death of Elizabeth I, uniting England and Scotland

under one crown and takes the new name, James I.

1605 Miguel de Cervantes publishes Don Quixote.

1605-6 Shakespeare writes Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth.

1607 Jamestown, Virginia is founded.

1609 Johannes Kepler establishes that the planets move in

an elliptical path around the sun; Galileo builds his first

telescope.

1611 The King James Bible is published.

1614 English settler John Rolfe marries Pocahontas, the daughter of a Native American chief.

1616 William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes both die.

1623 Publication of the First Folio.

11

The English language and vocabulary were expanding rapidly in Renaissance and Elizabethan

England. Several factors contributed to this:

Scientific progress

Rediscovery and publication of classical texts

Prized social skills to offer stirring praise or stinging insults

Interest in foreign languages

Publication of The King James Bible (1611) – approximately 8,000 different words.

An average person might make use of 17,000 words in a lifetime.

Shakespeare used more than 34,000.

It has been said that Shakespeare invented, or was the first to commit to print, 1,700 words in

writing his plays, sonnets, and long poems.

Here are some words and phrases that first appeared in print in Shakespeare’s

A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Amazedly…Batty...Beached…

Bedroom…Critical…Derived…Dewdrop…

Estate…Eyeballs…Fairyland…

Far-off…Kissing…Mimic…Moonbeams

Sanded…Squash…Swagger…Tangled…

Undistinguishable

12

“My advice to anyone seeing Shakespeare:

Don’t worry so much! Just make sure your ears are clean and your eyes are sharp.

Listen and look and watch.

Look at the distance people stand from each other;

Look at the relationships being developed.

Stay with it. Don’t negate the move that

Shakespeare will make toward your gut, toward your soul –

Because he will touch you there,

If you allow yourself to be touched.” David Suchet, actor

“But Shakespeare's magic could not copied be;

Within that circle none durst walk but he.”

- John Dryden

“What point of morals, of manners, of economy, of philosophy, of religion, of

taste, of the conduct of life, has he not settled? What mystery has he not

signified his knowledge of? What office, or function, or district of man's work,

has he not remembered? What king has he not taught state, as Talma taught

Napoleon? What maiden has not found him finer than her delicacy? What

lover has he not outloved? What sage has he not outseen? What

gentleman has he not instructed in the rudeness of his behavior?”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

“It was Olivier’s Henry V that made

me realize that Shakespeare is

about real people and that his language

wasn’t simply beautiful poetry.”

Robert Brustein

“Soul of the age! The applause, delight and

wonder of our stage!

He was not of an age,

but for all time!

And all the muses still were in their prime,

When like Apollo he came forth to warm Our ears, or like a Mercury to charm!

Sweet swan of Avon.”

- Ben Jonson, Elizabethan Playwright

“Just plunge right in (to Shakespeare). See a play, read it aloud, rent

a video, listen to a tape. It’s up to you. When

you look at Shakespeare close up, he’s not as

intimidating as when he’s seen from afar.” Norrie Epstein, The Friendly Shakespeare

“A young man from a small provincial town –

a man without wealth, without powerful

family connections and without a university education

– moved to London in the late 1580’s and in

remarkably short time, became the greatest playwright

not of his age but of all time. His works appeal to the

learned and the unlettered, to urban sophisticates and

provincial first-time theatergoers. He makes his

audience laugh and cry; he turns politics into poetry;

he recklessly mingles vulgar clowning and

philosophical subtlety.” Stephen Greenblatt, Contemporary Scholar

13

A Midsummer Night’s DreamThe Court & Lovers

Theseus – Duke of Athens

Hippolyta – Queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus

Egeus – a nobleman and father to Hermia

Hermia – daughter of Egeus and in love with Lysander

Lysander – in love with Hermia

Demetrius – in love with Hermia (and Egeus’s choice for his

daughter)

Helena – in love with Demetrius

Philostrate – Master of Revels at Theseus’s court

The Fairies

Oberon – King of the Fairies

Titania – Queen of the Fairies

Puck – attendant to Oberon

Peaseblossom – attendant to Titania

Cobweb – attendant to Titania

Moth – attendant to Titania

Mustardseed – attendant to Titania

The Mechanicals

Peter Quince – a carpenter

Nick Bottom – a weaver

Francis Flute – a bellows-mender

Tom Snout – a tinker

Snug – a joiner

Robin Starveling – a tailor

14

ACT 1 “The course of true love never did run smooth.”

The play begins with Duke Theseus and Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, preparing for their

wedding when Egeus interrupts the court with a complaint. Egeus has decided that his daughter,

Hermia, will marry Demetrius, but Hermia has refused because she is in love with Lysander.

Theseus gives Hermia three options: she can marry Demetrius, become a nun, or be put to death.

To escape her punishment, Hermia and Lysander make a plan to meet in the woods to run away

and get married. Hermia confides in her best friend, Helena, who is infatuated with Demetrius.

Helena tells Demetrius the secret in hopes of gaining his affections, and they enter the forest to

follow Hermia and Lysander. Meanwhile, a group of workmen, led by Nick Bottom, plan to

rehearse their play Pyramus and Thisbe, in the forest later that night.

ACT 2 “How now, spirit? Whither wander you?”

In the forest, Oberon and Titania, the King and Queen of the Fairies, fight for custody of a

changeling boy that Titania has adopted. Planning to play a trick on Titania, Oberon sends his

servant, Puck, to find a flower that, when squirted into a sleeping person’s eyes, will make them

fall in love with the first person they see. During this time, Oberon witnesses Demetrius reject

Helena and orders Puck to enchant Demetrius. Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius and when

Helena stumbles upon a sleeping Lysander, he becomes smitten. Helena believes that Lysander is

playing a cruel joke and runs away. Lysander pursues her further into the forest and when Hermia

wakes up alone, she races off to find him.

ACT 3 “Lord, what fool these mortals be!”

Puck finds the actors, who happen to be close to where Titania is sleeping, and hatches a

mischievous plan. He transforms Bottom into an ass (donkey). The other actors are terrified

and run away, but when Titania wakes up, she instantly falls in love with him. Puck returns to

Oberon, who praises his servant, until he sees that Demetrius is not under a spell and still

pursuing Hermia. Oberon remedies the situation by squeezing the flower’s juice in Demetrius’s

eyes. When Demetrius wakes up, he sees Helena and falls in love with her. Hermia finds Helena

and asks for an explanation, but Helena attacks her, believing that Hermia is part of the joke. As

the women fight, Lysander and Demetrius duel for Helena’s affections. Having been warned by

Oberon to keep the four lovers apart until the mistake can be fixed, Puck tricks Lysander and

Demetrius into chasing his voice through the forest until all four lovers collapse. Puck is then

able to reverse the charm on Lysander’s eyes.

15

ACT 4 “I have had a dream, past the wit of man to what dream

it was.”

Oberon finds Titania with Bottom and reverses the spell on her. She awakens, stunned to find

herself beside an ass. The Fairy King and Queen reconcile as day breaks. Theseus and his court

enter the woods to hunt, and instead find Helena, Hermia, Demetrius, and Lysander. Demetrius

is still under the spell, so when Egeus demands that he marry Hermia, Demetrius tells the group

that his love for Hermia has vanished and his heart now belongs to Helena. They all return to

Athens to get married and Bottom wakes up, transformed back into a human, convinced that the

night was merely a dream.

ACT 5 “…That you have but slumbered here while these

visions did appear.”

The marriages take place, along with a performance of Pyramus and Thisbe, which is a

delightful disaster. As the couples leave, Puck tells the audience that if they haven’t

enjoyed the play, they should just think of it as a midsummer night’s dream.

16

Iman Aaliyah (Hermia/Snout) is excited to work with PSF. She has

appeared in numerous PA productions such as Camelot: Cartons of

Ultrasounds; Coriolanus; Running Numbers; and Pocatello to name a

few. Iman's performed in staged readings as well as workshops for new

plays. Iman is a Maryland native and graduated from the University of

the Arts with a BFA in Acting. For more info: @Musiclovespoetry

www.ImanAaliyah.com

Eunice Akinola (Titania/Hippolyta) is a first-generation woman from

Texas. She recently graduated from Ithaca College's BFA Acting

program 17” and now resides in Philadelphia. She can best be

described as an advocate for equal representation and self-care, in and

outside of theatre. Previous works include Antony in The Shakespeare

Project, Juliet in Shakespeare’s R&J, Emily in Third, and Wife in Blood

Wedding. Upcoming works include Cordelia in King Lear with the

Quintessence Theatre Group.

Brian Baylor (Oberon/Theseus) is thrilled to be working with

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival on the WillPower tour for the first

time. He holds a BFA in Musical Theatre, which he received while studying in his native home of southeast Michigan, and is now

relocating to NYC. Favorite professional credits include: A Midsummer

Night's Dream, Peter and the Starcatcher, The Addams Family, The Comedy

of Errors, The 25th Annual...Spelling Bee, Bright Star Black History Tour.

Amy Rose Johnson (Helena/Snug) is excited to give beauty back to

the community after an exhilarating summer with the Pennsylvania

Shakespeare Festival. Favorite credits: The Witch in Into the Woods, Lindsay/”Bless the Lord” in Godspell (DeSales University Act 1); Fabian

in Twelfth Night, The Duchess in Alice in Wonderland (PSF), and

Veronica in Heathers. Amy is a proud graduate of DeSales University,

where she studied musical theatre.

Dane McMichael (Lysander/Flute) is a graduate of DeSales Acting and Directing program, and couldn’t be happier to be a part of the

Willpower Tour. In addition to his on-stage, on-camera and

screenwriting experience at DeSales, Dane has spent the past five

summers working professionally on the PSF stage as an actor, singer,

dancer, puppeteer and combatant in productions ranging from Les

Misérables, to Richard II. He is also an aspiring fight director and world-traveler.

17

Tokunbo Joshua Olumide (Demetrius/Starveling) Born in

Framingham Massachusetts, Tokunbo Joshua Olumide (a.k.a Josh)

started pursuing an acting career in his junior year of high school. That

same year, he was cast in his school play, which solidified the decision

to become an actor. He received his very first credit in the movie

Detroit. Wanting to learn more about acting, he enrolled into The

American Musical and Dramatic Academy in the Fall of 2016.

Bailey Roper (Puck/Philostrate) Off-Broadway: Galatea (WP Theater)

Regional: I’m Not Myself Today (Plant Me Here), Twelfth Night

(Shakespeare Clark Park), The Last Door (Orlando Fringe), Midsummer

Nights Dream (Puck u/s, Arden). Bailey has a BFA in Acting from

University of the Arts class of 2016. baileyroper.com

Bo Sayre (Bottom/Egeus) is happy to be back at PSF after graduating

from DeSales University this year. This summer, he was on the PSF stage

playing the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland, Stanford White in

Ragtime (also u/s Henry Ford), Robin, Lambert, and Guard in

Shakespeare in Love (also u/s Burbage), and Marshall and Scroop in King

Richard II. He has also been a part of PSF’s Troilus and Cressida, Evita,

Julius Caesar, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Pericles, and Les Misérables.

Emily Song Tyler (Quince/First Fairy) is thrilled to return to PSF

after last appearing in Hamlet! Regional: A Christmas Carol (Geva

Theatere Center). National Tours: Paw Patrol Live!

(Nickelodeon/Cirque de Soleil), Miss Nelson is Missing (TheaterWorks

USA). New York: Measure for Measure and Henry IV, Part 1 (Hip to

Hip), A Chorus Line, Titus Andronicus. Film/Television: Healthy You

(WXXI), Prized Progeny. AMDA NY graduate.

Jessie Higgins (Stage Manager) is excited to be working with

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival and the 2018 WillPower Tour.

Favorite Stage Management and Production Assistant credits include

Hi, Are You Single?, Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery,

Clybourne Park (Cleveland Play House), Liars, WonderFest (Children’s

Theatre of Charlotte), Heathers: High School Edition, Beauty and the Beast, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (Stagedoor Manor). Jessie

is a member of the Actor’s Equity Association’s EMC Program.

A Midsummer Night's DreamAt first....

Lysander

Hermia and Lysander are in love. Demetrius loves Hermia, too. Helena loves Demetrius, whodoesn't love her back...

Hermia DemetriusHelena

...and Oberon and Titania are mad at each other.

But then...Oberon Titania

Puck and Oberon use magic to play a trick on Titania, making her fall in love with an actor,Nick Bottom, whose head has been changed into a donkey's head!

Titania Nick Bottom

Puck

Hermia

Puck also uses magic to make Demetrius love Helena,but both Demetrius AND Lysander fall in love with her.

Hermia is left out.

LysanderDemetrius Helena

Performance Guide WillPower 2018

Finally...Oberon and Puck undo some of the magic, and everyone pairs off.

Lysander & Hermia

Demetrius & Helena

Titania & Oberon

Nick Bottom and his friends practice for a play. They are not professional actors. Some are toonervous, and some are too confident. The play is supposed to be serious, but it turns out silly.The actors play goofy roles, like the moon, a wall, and a lion.

...and while all of that is happening...

Starveling as Moonshine

Flute as Thisbe

Snout as WallSnug as Lion

Bottom as Pyramus

Quince as Prologue

20

With any work of art, there is always a seed

of inspiration: A germinal idea that grows

into a painting, a dance or a play. Sometimes,

after being influenced by particular works,

writers and playwrights will adopt elements

of such works and fashion them into their

own story.

Shakespeare was known for taking

inspiration from other authors; several of his

most famous plays were adaptations of older

stories. In writing A Midsummer Night’s

Dream, however, Shakespeare expanded his

horizons and borrowed ideas from folklore

and myths as well as other authors.

In Shakespeare’s day, fairies played a large

role in English folklore. Many of Puck’s

tricks and pranks played into the

superstitions of the era. His ability to shape-

shift and the way he and the other fairies

meddle in human affairs were common

notions held about fairies back then. Puck,

himself, was a devilish fairy that Shakespeare

borrowed from mythology that English

audiences knew well.

Theseus, the Duke of Athens, is a character

Shakespeare took from Greek mythology.

Shakespeare probably learned about

Theseus from the English translation of

Plutarch’s Live of Noble Grecians and Romans,

which depicts Theseus as a heartbreaker

and a fearless warrior, who slayed the half-

man, half-bull Minotaur. In A Midsummer

Night’s Dream, Shakespeare doesn’t focus on

Theseus’ heroic past, but takes inspiration

from another writer, Geoffrey Chaucer. In

Chaucer’s “The Knight’s Tale,” Theseus has

been domesticated and is preparing for his

wedding to Hippolyta. Similar to A

Midsummer Night’s Dream, Theseus must

deal with unrequited lover as two prisoners

fall in love with the same woman and

escape into the woods to duel for her love.

The origins of Shakespeare’s four lovers-

Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius and Helena-

cannot be traced back as clearly, but they

still would have looked familiar to the

Elizabethan audience. The Pastoral drama

was a popular genre when Shakespeare was

writing and was characterized by characters

fleeing society in favor of living in the

forests for a different, simpler life.

Many agree that the Mechanicals were inspired by Shakespeare’s acting troupe and

that Bottom and his crew were entirely

original creations by the playwright. Will

Kempe, the actor who originated Bottom,

also was the first to play Dogberry in Much

Ado About Nothing and originated the role of

Falstaff.

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Artists have always been interested in

reinventing Shakespeare. They are as

inspired by him as he was by the artists who

came before him. Since its premiere in 1596,

A Midsummer Night’s Dream has been re-

envisioned in music, opera, dance, and film.

In 1692, composer Henry

Purcell and librettist,

Thomas Betterton wrote

a full length opera, The

Fairy Queen, based on the

play. They shifted the focus

to the fairies and

modernized a great deal of

Shakespeare’s original text.

In 1843, a composer named

Felix Mendelssohn created

his own score for the play.

His beautiful arrangement

and unique musical themes

inspired lavish stagings of

Shakespeare’s classic.

Another opera, written

by Benjamin Britten in

1960, has also seen great

success since it first premiered.

In 1906, Rudyard Kipling (author of The

Jungle Book) published Puck of Pook’s Hill. The

story features Puck (who declares himself

“The oldest Old Thing in England”) creating

mischief in the British countryside.

In 1962, choreographer George Balanchine

created a two act ballet of A Midsummer

Night’s Dream. The ballet was set to Felix

Mendelssohn’s original composition, but

Balanchine used other music by Mendelssohn

as well.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream has also been

repeatedly adapted for film. While stage

directors in the twentieth century

moved away from over-the-

top sets, movie directors

were able to capitalize on

the show’s ethereal quality.

It was first adapted for the

screen in 1909, when it

was turned into a silent

movie.

In 1935, Max Reinhardt’s

film adaptation featured

hundreds of tiny fairies

flying around with

glowing lanterns and

starred a young Mickey

Rooney as Puck.

Michael Hoffman’s 1999 film

adaptation starred Christian Bale

(Batman in The Dark Knight Trilogy) as

Demetrius and Stanley Tucci (Caesar

Flickerman in The Hunger Games) as Puck.

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To this day, historians still debate the exact date of the premiere of A Midsummer Night’s Dream;

it was most likely performed at an aristocratic wedding in 1596, but the actual date remains

unknown.

In 1642, during the English Civil War, the play underwent many changes. Audiences experiencing

the chaos of war firsthand did not wish to see it on stage, so the fairies and lovers were cut from

the script and A Midsummer Night’s Dream became The Merry Conceited Humors of Bottom the Weaver.

In 1755, the play was reimagined by famous London actor/director David Garrick, who kept the

fairies, but cut the Mechanicals. Garrick’s version used less than 600 lines from Shakespeare’s

original, but included lines from some of Shakespeare’s other plays.

In the nineteenth century, the fairies remained the stars of the show. In 1840, an English

actress/theatre producer, Mme. Lucia Vestris, staged the show and played the Fairy King, Oberon,

beginning a longstanding tradition of women playing the part.

Over-the-top productions, based on Felix Mendelssohn’s 1843 composition, became the fashion.

His score inspired astounding sets and extravagant performances. Directors created lush forests

on stage and one rendition even featured live rabbits hopping across the stage!

With the advent of World War I, these over-the-top productions were replaced by darker

adaptations. In 1914, director Harley Granville-Barker staged a haunting, dark production that

was designed to highlight the play’s mischief, power struggles, and violence.

German director, Bertolt Brecht, staged A Midsummer Night’s Dream with very little scenery and

constantly reminded his audience that the fairies’ magic was actually the magic of the theatre.

In 1938, Sir Tyrone Guthrie employed a technique that many now use when producing

Shakespeare; he set it in Victorian England, rather than the Elizabethan period.

In 1970, Peter Brook directed his own production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Brook’s set

was practically non-existent. His direction left “setting the scene” entirely up to the actors, the

way they would have in Shakespeare’s time. The show received rave reviews.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream has been continuously adapted and performed since it premiered

over 400 years ago. It continues to fascinate directors and actors and each strives to bring

something new to the table. The play continues to delight audiences and provides an

opportunity for us to examine the world we live in today in relation to the world of

Shakespeare and the Elizabethans.

23

No copies of plays written in Shakespeare’s hand have survived, as far as we know. In fact, the

only surviving writings believed to be in his hand are four signatures.

In Shakespeare’s time, plays were not considered literature, and if they were published, it was

done cheaply in a small book called a “quarto.” If the plays were viewed as literature worthy of

publication, then they were published in an oversized book called a “folio.”

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as we know it today, was first published in “The First Folio” in 1623,

seven years after Shakespeare’s death. Just about half of his plays were first published in this Folio

volume. Elizabethan playwrights often didn’t want to publish their works because rival theatre

companies could then present them without paying any royalties, jeopardizing the livelihood of

the playwright’s own company.

24

The fairies of A Midsummer Night’s Dream are among the most magical characters that

Shakespeare penned. While fairy stories and folklore were commonplace in Shakespeare’s time,

Shakespeare’s depiction of fairies was revolutionary.

In traditional folklore, fairy stories were cautionary tales. The English believed that fairies were

shape-shifters who lead humans to humiliation, as in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. They believed

that fairies often meddled in human affairs and told folk stories to caution each other against

carelessness. Shakespeare’s plays changed the popular opinion of fairies; they were tricky, but

not malicious.

Oberon and Titania – The King and Queen of the Fairies

Oberon’s name means “powerful elf.” Titania means

“woman of the Titans.” In Greek mythology, the Titans

were older than the gods, and extremely powerful.

Puck

Puck, also known as Robin Goodfellow, was a legendary

fairy before A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Many ancient

languages had similar names for this tricky sprite: “Puca” in

Old English, “Puki” in Old Norse, “Puke” in Swedish and

“Puks” in Low German. The original meaning of his name was “demon” or “devil.” He was a shape-shifter who

enjoyed leading travelers astray and causing mayhem. Puck

appears in writings as early as 1588, but A Midsummer Night’s

Dream marks a change in his popular portrayal; after the

play was published, Puck was no longer seen as an evil

sprite, but as a playful, childish trickster.

Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, and Mustardseed – Attendants to Titania

Each of these four fairies is named after a common household remedy in Elizabethan times.

Most of their medical knowledge came from the Greeks and Romans, and they used herbs to

cure their illnesses. Peas were used to treat a variety of ailments, cobwebs were placed on cuts

to stop bleeding, the common night moth was used externally to treat sores as well as

internally to treat bladder problems, and mustard seed was crushed into a paste and used as a

pain reliever on sore muscles.

The Changeling

Elizabethan tradition held that fairies would steal human babies and replace them with fairy

children. The fairy children would grow up as humans in the mortal world, but their true nature

was eventually revealed by strange abnormalities.

25

The dramaturg is an important person in the rehearsal process that helps everyone else

understand the story. They might help the playwright revise dialogue to make the plot clearer.

If the play was written many years ago, the dramaturg will research historical events that

influenced the playwright. The director might ask them about the unfamiliar culture of the

people of the play, and actors will come to the dramaturg when they don’t understand a word

or custom. Dramaturgs are great at research and know a lot about the structure of a good play.

Dramaturgy can help you read a play in class, too. Individually or in small groups, research the

following topics. Present your findings to the class. As you read, discuss how each item might

have influenced the playwright, the values and lifestyle of the people in the play, or how a

theater company might present A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

1. Research famous productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. What do they have in common?

What is different? What type of actors are cast as Lysander? Puck? Helena? What time periods

are the productions set in? What does that tell you about the kind of story you are about to

read or see?

2. Check out our list of characters on page 13. The “mechanicals” are a group of people who

are going to perform in a play. Research their professions. What does a tinker, joiner, or

bellows-mender do? What can you infer about these characters and their ability to act in a play?

Predict what their performance will be like.

3. Fairies and magic play important roles in this play. Research traditional and contemporary

examples of fairies. (See page 22 for ideas.) What did Elizabethans believe about fairies? What do we believe about fairies or other supernatural beings today?

4. What was it like to see a play during Shakespeare’s lifetime? Research the Globe Theater.

What structural features of the building would the actors have utilized during the first

production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream? What were the scenery and costumes like? Where

did the audience sit and what kind of people attended the theater?

5. In small groups, flip through the script and find two words that you are pretty sure no one

will know. Then, using the foot notes or a lexicon (if you have one) look up the definitions.

Next as a group make up two other believable definitions that your classmates might think is

the answer. First read the line in which the word appears out loud. Then read the three

definitions out loud, including the correct one. Then as a class, vote on the definition that you

think is correct!

26

Before a play goes into rehearsal, the director must pick the right actor to play each character.

How does the director decide what kind of actor to cast in each role? They look for clues in

the script about each character’s looks and personality in what the character does, what they

say about themselves, and what other characters or the author say about them.

As you read, take notes about the characters using the chart below. When you have filled in

the first four columns, think of a celebrity who fits the description and cast them! Discuss your

casting decisions as a class. (If you aren’t reading the play, see page 29 to modify this activity.)

Character

What the character

says about himself

What others say

about the character

What the

character does

Potential

Actors

Hermia

Helena

Lysander

Demetrius

Oberon

Titania

Puck

Bottom

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A crucial part of putting on a play is attracting an audience to

enjoy it! The marketing department’s job is to create posters,

brochures, website content and other media to tell potential

theater-goers about the play and to entice them to attend a

performance.

A great poster design begins with a close look at the mood,

symbols, and themes of a play. For example, the mood of

Macbeth is fatalistic, so PSF’s poster for our 2014 production

features the ruins of a building and relies on dark colors.

Compare our posters for Pride and Prejudice and King John.

What do the colors tell you about the mood of each play? A

theme of Measure for Measure is doing what is right even

when you are the only person doing it- so the figure in our

poster is walking alone.

Define mood, symbol, and theme. Think about A Midsummer

Night’s Dream and the most important things an audience

member should know about the play. Design a poster using

the mood, symbols, and themes of the play.

Pride and Prejudice, 2011 King John, 2012 Measure for Measure, 2013

Macbeth, 2014

28

Going to see a play is different than a movie or even a live concert. Here’s what to expect.

Our show is 80 minutes long, and there is no intermission.

o Be ready to be in the theater for a little while. Be sure to use the restroom

before the show, so you don’t miss anything!

The actors can see and hear you!

o They may talk to you or come into the audience during the show, so be ready to

interact with them.

o The cast can also hear you react to the show. Actors love to hear you laugh,

gasp, and clap during the show, but other noises like talking, phones ringing, or

watches beeping can be distracting.

If you have your phone, please turn it ALL THE WAY OFF (not just on

silent!) and silence anything else that might make noise during the show.

There will be lots of other students from different classes watching the

show with you today. Please be respectful and avoid talking during the

performance, so that everyone can hear the words. If you have a

question or thought, hang onto it for later! We want to hear what you

think AFTER the show!

o Remember, the more engaged you are, the better the show will be!

You only get one chance to see this show!

o You can’t rewind or re-watch this story, so make sure you don’t miss anything

by texting, doing other work, or talking to your friends. You will have plenty of

time and plenty to talk about after the show!

You will get to talk to the actors after the performance.

o After the show, the actors will stay to answer your questions. You can ask about

the show, acting, Shakespeare, or just about anything! Be ready with questions!

Finally, HAVE FUN!

o We are so excited to share this story and hope you have a great time today. If

you enjoy this play, come to PSF over the summer. Because your school saw

WillPower, you can see our summer plays for just $5 per ticket using your

school ID. We do musicals and non-Shakespeare plays, too!

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If you made any materials in preparation for the performance, bring them!

If not, check out the performance guide on page 18. It was designed just for this production and made

to be easily printed on a single, double-sided sheet of paper so you can bring it with you.

Character Captains Revisit the casting activity on page 26. If you will not read the play in class, you can also use the activity by assigning students a single character each to follow closely during the performance. What

does that character say about him or herself, what do others say about the character, and what does

the character do? Students can create a modified graphic organizer in a notebook and scribble notes

during or after the show. Afterwards, reconvene student to share their findings, and deepen their

understanding by casting familiar celebrities.

What’s My Line? Shakespeare’s plays contain some of the most famous lines in theater. Below is a list of lines from

Midsummer that help to set the tone, reveal inner thoughts, and move the story forward. Before your

performance, assign a line to each student. Use what you know about the story to predict where each

line comes in, who says it, and why it’s important. During the show, ask students to listen for their line

to discover its context, speaker and meaning. Reconvene after the show and ask each student to share

what they learned and perform their line for the group.

1. O, methinks, how slow/This old moon wanes!

2. I would my father look’d but with my eyes.

3. You have her father’s love, Demetrius;/Let me have Hermia’s: do you marry him.

4. The course of true love never did run smooth.

5. Call you me fair? that fair again unsay.

6. Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind;

7. The raging rocks/And shivering shocks/Shall break the locks/Of prison gates;

8. Let me play the lion too: I will roar, that I will/do any man’s heart good to hear me;

9. Thou speak’st aright:/I am that merry wanderer of the night./I jest to Oberon and make him

smile/When I a fat and bean-fed horse beguile,

10. These are the forgeries of jealousy:

11. But she, being mortal, of that boy did die;/And for her sake do I rear up her boy,/And for her sake I

will not part with him.

12. Thou shalt not from this grove/Till I torment thee for this injury.

13. The juice of it on sleeping eye-lids laid/Will make or man or woman madly dote/Upon the next live

creature that it sees.

14. Do I entice you? do I speak you fair?/Or, rather, do I not in plainest truth/Tell you, I do not, nor I

cannot love you?

15. For you in my respect are all the world:/Then how can it be said I am alone,/When all the world is

here to look on me?

16. Nay, good Lysander, for my sake, my dear,/Lie further off yet, do not lie so near.

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17. What thou seest when thou dost wake,/Do it for thy true-love take,…Wake when some vile thing is

near.

18. And run through fire I will for thy sweet sake./Transparent Helena! Nature shows art,/That through

thy bosom makes me see thy art.

19. Not Hermia but Helena I love:/Who will not change a raven for a dove?

20. Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born?/When at your hands did I deserve this scorn?

21. Some one or other must present Wall: and let them hold their/fingers thus, and through that cranny

shall Pyramus/and Thisby whisper. 22. An ass’s nole I fixed on his head!

23. I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of me;/to fright me, if they could.

24. What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?

25. to say the truth, reason and/love keep little company together now-a-days.

26. The sun was not so true unto the day/As he to me: would he have stolen away/From sleeping

Hermia?/It cannot be but thou hast murder’d him;

27. What hast thou done? Thou hast mistaken quite/And laid the love-juice on some true-love’s sight:

28. Lord, what fools these mortals be!

29. Helena, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine!

30. O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent/To set against me for your merriment:/Can you not hate me, as I

know you do,/ But you must join in souls to mock me too?

31. Lysander, keep thy Hermia; I will none:/I e’er I loved her, all that love is gone.

32. Why seek’st thou me? could not this make thee know,/The hate I bear thee made me leave thee so?

33. Lo, she is one of the confederacy!/Now I perceive they have conjoin’d all three/To fashion this false

sport, in spite of me.

34. What, can you do me greater harm than hate?/Hate me! wherefore?

35. How low am I, thou painted maypole? speak;/How low am I? I am not yet so low/But that my nails can

reach unto thine eyes.

36. O, when she’s angry, she is keen and shrewd!/ She was a vixen when she went to school;/And though

she be but little, she is fierce.

37. Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray,/My legs are longer though, to run away.

38. Up and down, up and down/I will lead them up and down:

39. What visions have I seen!/Methought I was enamour’d of an ass.

40. I have had a most rare/vision. I have had a dream, past the wit of a man to/say what dream it was.

41. I know you two are rival enemies:/How comes this gentle concord in the world,

42. And all the faith, the virtue of my heart,/The object and the pleasure of mine eye,/Is only Helena.

43. And, most dear actors, eat no onions/nor garlic, for we are to utter sweet breath; and

I/do not doubt but to hear them say, it is a sweet comedy.

44. A play there is, my lord, some ten words long,…But by ten words, my lord, is too long,

45. With blade, with bloody blameful blade,/ He bravely broach’d is boiling bloody

breast;

46. You, ladies, you, whose gentle hearts do fear/The smallest monstrous mouse…,/May now

perchance both quake and tremble here,/When lion rough in wildest rage doth roar.

47. O dainty duck! O dear!

48. Now die, die, die, die, die.

49. If we shadows have offended,/Think you but this, and all is mended,/That you have but

slumber’d here/While these visions did appear.

50. Give me your hands, if we be friends,/And Robin shall restore amends.

31

Questions for Essays and Discussion

As a member of the audience, YOU are a very important part of the play! In the same way that

you might talk about a new movie on the way home after seeing it, take some time to talk

about what you just saw. Here are some things to think about. It might be helpful to write about these questions before you discuss them, or hold a class discussion to prepare you to

write an essay about them!

Hermia is given a choice- marry a person she does not love, become a nun, or be put to

death. She chooses instead to elope with Lysander. Do you think she made the right

decision? What would you do? Why?

At the end of the play, Demetrius is still under a spell and ends up with Helena. Do you

think this is a good or bad thing? Would Helena be better off with someone who really

loves her? Would Demetrius be better off continuing to love Hermia? Why or why not?

Which character would you want to play? Which character would you not want to play?

Why?

Why is A Midsummer Night’s Dream still read and performed today? What is it about the

characters and story that keep us interested?

Several of our actors play more than one character. Pick an actor who plays two roles. What characteristics do the two roles share? In what ways are they different? How does

the actor differentiate between the two roles during the play? How successful was the actor

in making the roles distinct? What might you have done differently?

Discuss how the “rude mechanicals” played the roles of “wall,” “moonshine,” and “lion” during their play. What costumes, props, or movements did they use to represent each

thing? If you were telling that story, how would you do it differently?

Puck speaks one of the most famous lines in the play when he says “Lord, what fools these mortals be!” Why does he think the lovers are foolish? Do you agree? Why? Are the fairies

any LESS foolish than the mortals?

Another famous line is “the course of true love never did run smooth.” Do you

think this is true? Can you think of an example of “true love” that has had its

problems? Can you think of an example of “true love” that DID run smooth?

This story starts and ends in the city of Athens, but mostly takes plays in

the forest. Why do you think Shakespeare moved the story from the city to

the woods? What is different about these two locations? Who is “in charge”

in each place? How is it different for the four lovers? For Nick Bottom?

Shakespeare uses magic to drive the plot. Do you think magic is a force

for good or bad in this story? Why? Do you believe in fairies, witches, or any of

the other magical beings in Shakespeare’s plays?

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How are the characters different by the end of the play? Who changes? Who stays the

same? Why? Pick a character and trace how they grow or change during the story. Do they

change for better or worse?

A director is someone who decides how to tell the story of the play, and guides the work

of the actors, costume designer, and set designer. Consider our production of A Midsummer

Night’s Dream. To what extent do the costumes and set support the story? Do the

costumes tell you about the personality of each character? How? What do you think the

director was trying to accomplish with his choices? Did he succeed? What would you have

done differently?

Think about the title of the play. Why do you think Shakespeare chose to call it A Midsummer Night’s Dream? In what ways is this story dreamlike? Whose dream might this

be? Can you easily distinguish dream from reality in this story?

Helena laments, “Things base and vile, holding no quantity,/ Love can transpose to form and dignity:/ Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind;/ And therefore is wing'd Cupid

painted blind.” Discuss what this quote means to you. Do you agree that love makes us

blind? Do you think it has the power to “transpose” ugly things into beautiful things? Is this

a good thing or a bad thing? Why?

The characters in this play fall into three main groups: the lovers, the fairies, and the

mechanicals. In what ways are these groups distinct from each other? How do you know?

How does Shakespeare use language to differentiate between the groups?

At the beginning of the play, Helena is left out of the group when both Demetrius and

Lysander love Hermia. Later, Hermia is left out when the men both love Helena. How

would you feel if someone you love suddenly stopped loving you? How would you feel if

someone who was mean to you suddenly started flattering you? What would you do in

Hermia’s situation? Helena’s?

Most of Shakespeare’s comedies include a fool or a clown. In Midsummer, Nick Bottom

plays the fool. In what ways is he foolish? In what ways is he wise?

Puck is a trickster who causes a lot of mischief during the story. Why is this fun to watch?

Can you think of any other characters who are always getting into trouble? What is it about

characters like this that make them so compelling?

What did you think of the mechanicals’ performance at the end of the play? Do you think those characters are good performers? Why or why not? Was their play entertaining? Why

or why not? Have you ever seen something so poorly done that it was actually entertaining?

Why do you think that was the case?

How would this play be different as a tragedy? How would it end? What would be different

along the way?

Now that you have seen a play by William Shakespeare, what did you think? How did it

compare with your expectations? If you read the play first, how was the experience of

seeing the play different from reading the story? What advice would you give to someone

reading or seeing a Shakespeare play for the first time?

33

A critic is a person who judges the merits of an artistic endeavor. They give their opinion of what they saw and felt when they watched a production, saw a movie or heard a song. Everyone has

an opinion, and by writing a review, you have the opportunity to express yours.

As you write your review of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, use the

outline below as a guide.

1. Introduction. Start by telling the reader what play you saw,

who the playwright was and when and where you saw it. Tell

them what kind of show it was (drama, comedy, melodrama,

farce, etc.) and give them a brief synopsis of the play.

2. Tell your reader what you thought of the play.

Things to consider:

1. The Direction. The director is the person who, in the end,

is responsible for what you see on stage. They pick the

actors, design, costumes and staging for the show. Do you think that they did a good job? Were their choices

successful in creating an enjoyable performance? What did you think of the pacing of

the production – was it too fast or too slow?

2. The Acting. Discuss the acting. Did the actors make you believe in what they were

doing on stage? Did they make you laugh or cry? Which performances did you

particularly enjoy?

3. The Design. How did the design contribute to the production? What did you think of

the costumes and set? Did they make the play more enjoyable or were they

distracting?

3. Conclusion. Summarize your opinions – How did the play make you feel? How did your

reactions compare with the people around you (i.e. did they laugh at a joke you didn’t like?).

What did you particularly like about the production? Did it change your thoughts on theatre or

life? Did you learn anything new? You might conclude by considering if your appreciation of

theatre was developed by what you saw.

Remember to be specific as you write your review! Include as many details as you can.

Your audience wasn’t at the performance with you, so it is your job to tell them what you saw

and what they missed.

P.S. As a critic, it is ok to write down things that you didn’t like too. It’s your opinion!

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Activities to introduce the play

Step in Their Shoes The characters in Midsummer face situations not so different from our lives today. In groups, discuss how you

would react to the following scenarios. Or better yet, get on your feet and improvise the scene! Do this before

reading a synopsis.

Your parents don’t like the person you are dating, who is a musician. They want you to date a math whiz.

A group of guys are asked to put on a skit for anti-bullying month, but know nothing about drama. Some are

shy and don’t want to perform and one is a know-it-all who gives bad advice.

A girl finds out that her boyfriend is trying to cheat on her with her best friend, but the best friend has low

self-esteem and thinks he is making fun of her.

At the same party, the most popular girl at school accidentally rips her contact lenses then flirts with the

geekiest guy in school. Her ex-boyfriend and his friends watch from across the room.

Take a Stand You don’t need to read the play to discuss its big ideas. Put a line of painter’s tape on the floor down the center

of your classroom, and designate one side as “Agree” and the other as “Disagree.” Pose the following statements

to your students, and ask them to vote with their feet. Then ask a few students on each side to defend their

opinion. Revisit this activity after seeing the play and see if opinions change!

It’s worth sacrificing family to be with the one you love.

I value my parents’ opinions on who I date.

I value my friends more than my boyfriend/girlfriend.

Love makes us blind to the faults of the one we love.

Love makes us do foolish things.

Love at first sight is possible.

It is okay to use shortcuts to reach your goals.

When it comes to matters of love, trust your feelings.

Move Your Feet Shakespeare writes in iambic pentameter. Although those are big words they make reading Shakespeare easy and

fun to read. First you have to feel the rhythm! Take Helena’s speech in 1.1 (“How happy some”) and read it

silently. Count the number of syllables in each line -there may be a few lines that do not follow the strict 10

syllable rule, so don’t worry! Form a circle and walk as you read the lines out loud. Let the rhythm or the lines

set the pace for your circle. Don’t think too hard about this, just speak the lines and walk! Allow the rhythm of

the writing to affect the speed of your steps. Guess what? You’re walking in iambic pentameter! When you get to

the end of the line repeat, repeat, repeat.

Learn from the Past Countless artists have explored Midsummer since it was first written, each with different ideas about the world of

the play and the characters in it. Check out our resources page to find links to trailers from some of these

productions. How are they alike? How are they different? Watch several versions of Puck’s epilogue to get an

even better sense of how the story can be endlessly reimagined. (You will also find links to video summaries on

the resources page.)

Track Your Journey Start a bulletin board for A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This will be a place where you can add pictures, quotes, and

poetry that remind you of the characters, plot, events, and key objects of the play. Start off by putting pictures or

words that represent anything you may know or think you know about Midsummer before you read it. As you

progress through the play, add items to your bulletin board until it is covered with A Midsummer Night’s Dream

information! As you read, look for images of some of the play’s major symbols – the forest, a love potion, fairies,

etc. As you go deeper into the play, periodically discuss your additions to the board.

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Activities as you study the play

Lover Diagram Confused by all of the lover relationships in this play and how they change? Map it out! Create a diagram

of the four lovers (Hermia, Helena, Demetrius, and Lysander) as well as Oberon, Titania, and Bottom.

Using pictures and arrows, map out who loves whom at the beginning of the play, in the middle (following

Puck’s mischief) and at the end.

Tragical Mirth Read the play Pyramus and Thisbe, as it is performed before the court in Act 5, Scene 1. You may have

already read Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, or maybe you saw WillPower production of it last year!

Many scholars think that the play-within-a-play in Midsummer is a deliberate reference to Shakespeare’s

own tragedy. Indeed the two plots are almost identical. But Pyramus and Thisbe moves us to laughter,

whereas “R&J” evokes tears. Why? What is it about Pyramus and Thisbe that makes it ridiculous instead

of tragic? Try acting the scene two different ways. First, make the play as hilarious as possible. Next, play

it seriously, trying to make your audience feel sympathy for Pyramus and Thisbe. How do the scenes

differ? What remains the same?

Fifteen Minute Midsummer In order to fit the performance in your school day, we cut our production down to just 80 minutes. Can

you get it down to 15? Divide into five groups, and assign each group one act of the play. Using only lines

from the play, create a 3-minute version of your act. It’s harder than you think! What are the most

important aspects of the plot? Characters?

Unleash Your Inner Shakespeare Shakespeare was a talented expressive writer. This exercise is done all on your own. First find a location

that has a lot of activity, like a hallway, the cafeteria, or outside somewhere. Once you have chosen your

secret destination, sit and write for 10-15 minutes. Write about whatever you see, hear, smell, or feel.

Make your writing as descriptive as possible. To see how well you described your location, see if your

class can tell where you wrote.

“Thou Art Translated!” Putting Shakespeare in Your Own Words At first, Shakespeare’s language can seem lofty or unfamiliar to the modern reader, but once you spend

some time with the text, you might find that it is not so different after all. Pick a scene or speech to

explore. Examining one thought at a time, “translate” the original text into your own words. Put the

speech in “plain English,” then work in pairs to create a second, creative translation. Fill a hat with the

names of celebrities, cartoon characters, or movie personalities, and ask students to pull from the hat.

How would Spongebob do the speech? Wonder Woman? Darth Vader? What changes, and what stays the same? We recommend visually separating the text for students to make it easy to focus on one

thought at a time. See the next page to tackle Helena’s speech from 1.1.

Extend the activity: If your students are theatrically inclined, you might also assign whole scenes for

students to improvise in their own words or in a celebrity personality.

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Making Shakespeare’s Words Your Own

In Act 1, Scene 1, Helena talks about her situation and makes a plan. Taking two lines at a time,

“translate” her words into the way you would say it. Once you’ve done that, flip the page and come up

with a creative translation, reimagine the speech as your favorite celebrity or character might say it!

Original Text How I Would Say It

How happy some o'er other some can be!

Through Athens I am thought as fair as she.

But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so;

He will not know what all but he do know:

And as he errs, doting on Hermia's eyes,

So I, admiring of his qualities:

Things base and vile, holding no quantity,

Love can transpose to form and dignity:

Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind;

And therefore is wing'd Cupid painted blind:

Nor hath Love's mind of any judgement taste;

Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste:

And therefore is Love said to be a child,

Because in choice he is so oft beguiled.

As waggish boys in game themselves forswear,

So the boy Love is perjured everywhere:

For ere Demetrius look'd on Hermia's eyne,

He hail'd down oaths that he was only mine;

And when this hail some heat from Hermia felt,

So he dissolved, and showers of oaths did melt.

I will go tell him of fair Hermia's flight:

Then to the wood will he to-morrow night

Pursue her;

and for this intelligence

If I have thanks, it is a dear expense:

But herein mean I to enrich my pain,

To have his sight thither and back again.

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Name:_____________________________

Write the name of the characters below next to their description.

Bottom

Demetrius

Egeus

Helena

Hermia

Hippolyta

Lysander

Oberon

Puck

Theseus

Titania

__________ 1. The queen of the fairies. She falls in love with a character who looks like a

donkey.

__________ 2. Attendant to the Fairy King. Uses a magical flower to enchant those in the

forest.

__________ 3. The Duke of Athens. He is soon to be married.

__________ 4. A young man who flees Athens with the woman he loves.

__________ 5. The king of the fairies. He places a spell on his queen.

__________ 6. A young woman who loves a person who doesn’t love her back.

__________ 7. A young man who ignores the one who loves him and follows his crush into

the woods.

__________ 8. A weaver and an amateur actor. He is enchanted in the forest.

__________ 9. Queen of the Amazons. She is soon to be married.

__________ 10. A nobleman who asks the Duke for help with his daughter.

__________ 11. A young woman who flees Athens to defy her father.

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Here are some tried and true resources that we referenced for this study guide. We hope you find

them useful in your classroom! If you have a resource that you love and think other teachers should

know about, please let us know!

Books

The Essential Shakespeare Handbook by Leslie Dunton-Downer and Alan Riding

The Friendly Shakespeare by Norrie Epstein

Shakespeare A to Z by Charles Boyce

Shakespeare Set Free, part of Folger Shakespeare Library’s Teaching Shakespeare Series

Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human by Harold Bloom

Folk-Lore of Shakespeare, by T.F. Thistleton Dyer

Digital Texts

Folger Digital Text: https://www.folger.edu/midsummer-nights-dream

MIT Text: http://shakespeare.mit.edu/midsummer/full.html

No Fear Shakespeare: https://www.sparknotes.com/nofear/shakespeare/msnd/

Audio Edition

Folger Shakespeare produces quality, unabridged audio editions featuring a full cast of professional

actors (several of whom you may have seen at PSF!) This is a great resource to support independent reading.

https://www.folger.edu/podcasts-and-recordings#AudioEditions

Videos to Introduce or Review the Play

Kids Explain Shakespeare’s AMND: https://youtu.be/AQiSzmvykL0

Vitagraph Studios (1909 silent film, 11 min.): https://youtu.be/Yjlc-8RRJ2c

Shmoop Summary of AMND: https://youtu.be/Twz-BuzvBM0

How to Pronounce Character Names in AMND: https://youtu.be/iQXNR42K-98

The Beatles Perform Pyramus and Thisbe: https://youtu.be/Vo8qpZ-rl0o

Compare and Contrast: Production Trailers

Latest film, 2018: https://youtu.be/HGN8wJyJ_AY

Max Reinhart film, 1936: https://youtu.be/7jjUe3G4BtA

Shakespeare’s Globe, 2014: https://youtu.be/O7EeES8u6QE

BBC First TV movie, 2016: https://youtu.be/VHwS3Yb5p4I

Compare and Contrast: Puck’s Epilogue (“If we shadows have offended…”)

The Royal Shakespeare Company: https://youtu.be/Jh27CeneQ0c

Mickey Rooney as Puck (start at 2:15): https://youtu.be/iTeQDMfq8Gw

Dead Poet’s Society: https://youtu.be/iBMuBTnonQc

The Stage Company: https://youtu.be/58WDPqkteeo

39

The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival is a professional

theater company and the Official Shakespeare Festival of the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania now celebrating its 28th season

on the campus of DeSales University. Every summer, the finest

actors, directors, designers, and artisans from Broadway, off-

Broadway, regional theater, television and film converge at the

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. The area’s leading professional theater company, PSF brings five full-

scale productions, the WillPower tour, and Shakespeare for Kids to the stage each year.

Our Mission is to enrich, inspire, engage and entertain the widest possible audience through first-rate

professional productions of classical and contemporary plays, with a core commitment to the works of

Shakespeare and other master dramatists, and through an array of educational and mentorship programs.

We are on social media! Please tell your students they can like

Willpower at facebook.com/PAShakespeare of follow us

@PaShakespeare to learn more about upcoming events and stay

connected even after your WillPower day has ended.

Student Rush Tickets As a WillPower participating school, your students are eligible to attend PSF’s professional summer

productions at the dramatically reduced price of $5.00 on a rush basis (with their student I.D.) Single

ticket prices for the general public are normally $25 - $50+. As a teacher, if you are interested in bringing

a group to the Festival, you can take advantage of our group discounts by calling 610-282-1100, x1737.

The Summer Theater Institute (STI) at DeSales University, in association with The Pennsylvania

Shakespeare Festival, offers professional theater training to high school and college students, and

members of the community, as well as the best in drama education for grade school students.

The Summer Video Institute (SVI) at DeSales offers students an introduction to the theories and

techniques of digital moviemaking. Working with state of-the-art technology, students will design, shoot,

and edit films of their own creation.

The Summer Dance Intensive (SDI) at DeSales offers professional dance training to students ages

14 and up. The two-week program focuses on technical training in ballet, modern, and jazz dance.

For more information, visit https://www.desales.edu/news-events/act-1-productions/educational-opportunities.

http://www.pashakespeare.org/competition

41

Shakespeare and the Common Core

Standard Area – CC.1.3: Reading Literature: Students read and respond to works of literature – with

emphasis on comprehension, making connections among ideas and between texts with focus on textual

evidence.

Grade 6: CC.1.3.6.A, CC.1.3.6.B, CC.1.3.6.G, CC. 1.3.6.H, CC.1.3.6.K

Grade 7: CC.1.3.7.A, CC.1.3.7.B, CC.1.3.7.G, CC.1.3.7.K

Grade 8: CC.1.3.8.A, CC.1.3.8.B, CC.1.3.8.G, CC.1.3.8.K

Grades 9-10: CC 1.3.9-10.A, CC.1.3.9-10.B, CC.1.3.9-10G, C.C.1.3.9-10H, C.C.1.3.9-10K

Grades 11-12: CC.1.3.11-12A, CC.1.3.11-12.B, CC.1.3.11-12C, CC.1.3.11-12G, CC.1.3.11-12.K

Standard Area – CC.1.4: Writing: Students write for different purposes and audiences. Students write

clear and focused text to convey a well-defined perspective and appropriate content.

Grades 6-8: CC.1.4.6-8.A, CC.1.4.6-7.C, CC.1.4.6-7.D, CC.1.4.8.D

Grades 9-10: CC.1.4.9-10.A, CC.1.4.9-10.B, CC.1.4.9-10.C, CC.1.4.9-10S

Grades 11-12: CC.1.4.11-12.A, CC.1.4.11-12.B, CC.1.4.11-12.C, CC.1.4.11-12.S

Bolded standards are directly related to the viewing of a play and comparing it with the

original text.

1.) Titania

2.) Puck

3.) Theseus

4.) Lysander

5.) Oberon

6.) Helena

7.) Demetrius

8.) Bottom

9.) Hippolyta

10.) Egeus

11.) Hermia

“If we shadows have offended, Think but this, and all is mended- That you have but slumbered here While these visions did appear. And this weak and idle theme,

No more yielding but a dream…” -Puck, Act 5