MIDSUMMER NIGHTS: A DREAM
August 16 to September 3, 2022 at 7pm
Dundurn Castle in Hamilton and Fieldcote Park in Ancaster
“After a two year hiatus, Tottering Biped Theatre is delighted to officially announce the return of our acclaimed Summer Shakespeare Series. Midsummer Nights: A Dream was the first production ever in this series, and we are thrilled to bring an updated, expanded, and even more thrilling production of this piece back to live theatre audiences. Formerly at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Tottering Biped Theatre has moved its performances to the grounds of Hamilton's Dundurn Castle and Ancaster's Fieldcote Park. Our Summer Shakespeare Series would not have survived the on-going pandemic without the generous support of our esteemed supporters. Thanks and gratitude to all those who donated to our 2020 fundraiser - Save Summer Shakespeare. I am excited and scared to take the helm of this project and I hope to see you all at a performance. Or two! My heart beats in iambic pentameter in anticipation!” – Alma Sarai, Artistic Director for Tottering Biped Theatre’s Summer Shakespeare Series
PERFORMANCE DATES, TIMES AND LOCATIONS
Dundurn Castle Grounds
(610 York Blvd, Hamilton, ON, L8R 3E7)
Once home to Sir Allan Napier MacNab, railway magnate, lawyer and Premier of the United Canadas (1854-1856) and his family. The grounds have a history of live theatre performance. Tottering Biped Theatre brings back a lost tradition of performance with their presentation of Midsummer Nights: A Dream. MacNab, an apparent Shakespeare fan, had a collection of the Bard’s complete works in his Dundurn Castle library.
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Tuesday, August 16, 2022 to Saturday, August 20, 2022 at 7pm
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Tuesday, August 30, 2022 to Saturday, September 3, 2022 at 7pm
Fieldcote Memorial Park & Museum Bandshell
(64 Sulphur Springs Rd, Ancaster, ON, L9G 1L8)
A cultural heritage centre with an emphasis on the collection, preservation and exhibition of local history, the promotion of fine arts and the celebration of natural heritage through beautiful landscaped gardens and walking trails.
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Tuesday, August 23, 2022 to Saturday, August 27, 2022 at 7pm
All performances will begin at 7pm, weather permitting. Open to all ages. Tickets are Pay-What-You-Can. Cash and debit or credit via tiptap or e-transfer will be taken at the door. Bring a blanket or lawn chair with you to sit on. As the evenings are now getting cooler make sure to bring a sweater. Light refreshments will be available. Washrooms are on site. Running time is 90 minutes including a 20 minute intermission. Free parking available.
WANT TO BUY YOUR TICKETS IN ADVANCE?
Scan the QR code or click on the link to Tottering Biped Theatre's Donor Box Page for Midsummer Night's Dream 2022.
STORY
Midsummer Nights: A Dream infuses Shakespeare’s 1595 magical comedy with a liberation and social justice lens. Spurred by ambitions and hormones, aspiring actors, lovers and fairies meet in the woods of their sleeping minds in this highly physical adaptation of the classic play. Thesus, Duke of Athens, is to marry Amazon Queen, Hippolyta. Egeus petitions Thesus as his child Hermia refuses to marry Demetrius because they love Lysander. In defiance of Egeus, Hermia and Lysander flee into the woods. Demetrius follows pursued by Hermia’s sister Helena whose love he spurns. In the same woods a theatre troupe gather to rehearse a play that they hope to perform at Theseus and Hippolyta’s wedding. Meanwhile, Oberon and Tatania, the quarreling King and Queen of the Fairies, have interactions with their human visitors that will entail some extraordinary transformations.
CREATIVE TEAM
Midsummer Nights: A Dream will be directed by Trevor Copp with Raymond Louter as Assistant Director. The production will star Rebecca Durance Hine (Helena), Michael Hannigan (Egeus & Peter Quince), Jesse Horvath (Thesus & Titania), Desmond Lazar (Snout & Mustardseed), Matthew Lazaris-Brunner (Demetrius), Sean Parkinson (Flute & Cobweb), Zach Parsons (Bottom), Natasha Ramondino (Lysandra), Alma Sarai (Hermia), Severine Salvador (Starveling & Peaseblossom), Kendelle Smith-Parks (Oberon & Hippolyta), Claud Spadafora (Puck) and Morgan Hilliker (Understudy). Alyssa Campbell will be stage managing, with Ava Robitaille as Assistant Stage Manager, Kit Simmons as Technical Director and Kristina Ojaperv as Costume Designer.
HEADSHOTS AND BIOS
Click on photo to read bio
ALMA SARAI TREVOR COPP RAYMOND LOUTER ALYSSA CAMPBELL
Associate Producer Director Assistant Director Stage Manager
AVA ROBITAILLE KIT SIMMONS KRISTINA OJAPERV
Assistant Stage Manager Technical Director Costume Designer
REBECCA DURANCE HINE MICHAEL HANNIGAN JESSE HORVATH DESMOND LAZAR
Helena Egeus & Peter Quince Thesus & Titania Snout & Mustardseed
MATTHEW LAZARIS-BRUNNER SEAN PARKINSON KENDELLE PARKS ZACH PARSONS
Demetrius Flute & Cobweb Oberon & Hippolyta Bottom
NATASHA RAMONDINO ALMA SARAI SEVERINE SALVADOR CLAUD SPADAFORA
Lysandra Hermia Starveling & Peaseblossom Puck
MORGAN HILIKER
Company Understudy
MIDSUMMER NIGHTS: A DREAM PROGRAM
Click HERE for a PDF of our program
SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS
Midsummer Nights: A Dream was made possible due to the generous support of the Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, Canada Summer Jobs, Incite Hamilton, Hamilton Community Foundation, Hamilton Arts Council, City of Hamilton, Pieczonka Family Foundation and Schreiber Family Foundation.
PRESS RELEASE
http://www.lylamiklos.com/PressReleases/Midsummer.pdf
PLAY THIS: HAMILTON
The Fairy Garden
(Dundurn Castle)
Spend your pre-show or intermission of Tottering Biped Theatre's Midsummer Nights: A Dream exploring the hidden ghosts, fairies, and stories of Dundurn! Scan the QR code or visit https://playthishamilton.com to experience Tottering Biped's new audio and augmented reality project: PLAY THIS: Hamilton. It's free!
Try your hand at ghost hunting near the castle; explore the magical world hidden in the historic gardens; or learn about the stories of Dundurn through the verbatim writing of former resident, Sophia MacNab.
You'll find our three audio experiences for Dundurn geo-located across the castle grounds. (Making them a bit of a scavenger-hunt to find!). Each piece runs 8-10 minutes.
