BEACON FALLS — Woodland Regional High School actors will transport the audience from the holiday season to a midsummer’s night.
Woodland Theatre will present William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” for two shows next weekend.
“I chose it because I knew it had a lot of diverse roles, and it’s a classic,” said fine arts and humanities teacher Susan Cinoman, who is directing the production.
Senior Alyssa Korzon, who plays the fairy queen Titania, said that she is looking forward to bringing this play to the stage.
“It’s fun to do something so challenging,” Korzon said.
Korzon, who has been in every production since she was a freshman, has never acted in a Shakespeare play before, and is happy to be starting with Titania.
“I really like her role. I like playing a role of power,” Korzon said.
Sophomore Robert Weiner, who is cast as Nick Bottom, was very pleased to be part of this production and feels it’s shaping up to be a great play.
Weiner pointed out, however, that there was a bit of a problem with the late October snowstorm.
“It’s going fine. Because of the snowstorm, it was a little chaotic, but we always do what we can to make it the best,” Weiner said.
As for the character of Nick Bottom, a thespian whose head is transformed into a donkey’s, Weiner is looking forward to bringing him to the stage.
“It’s one of the funniest and most entertaining roles I’ve played. I’m really glad to have it,” Weiner said.
Senior Lindsay Hawthorne, who plays the trickster fairy Puck, said the character mirrors some of her own traits.
“I’m a person who enjoys playing tricks on people and that’s what my character does,” Hawthorne said. “He’s mischievous and fun.”
Not everyone is satisfied with just acting. Sophomore Katie Steinbacher has multiple roles in the production. She is playing the fairy Peaseblossom and also helped her mother, Karen Steinbacher, create all of the costumes for the production.
“I made all of the fairy skirts myself,” Katie Steinbacher said. “It’s something I love to do because it is different.”
Cinoman felt “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” was a good choice this year since it has so many roles to fill and there were three times as many students auditioning than in previous years.
Cinoman felt that there was a lot of interest in performing a Shakespeare play at the school.
“It’s challenging for the actors and for the audience, but in the end we feel it’s worth it,” Cinoman said.
Weiner felt that the whole cast enjoyed itself during the rehearsals of the play, and hopes that it translates on stage.
“We hope the audience will like it as much as we do,” Weiner said.
The theatre will present “A Midsummer Night’ Dream” Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. at Woodland, 135 Back Rimmon Road. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children, students, and senior citizens. A portion of the ticket sales will be donated to Superstorm Sandy relief efforts via The Red Cross. To reserve tickets, call (203) 906-3584.
