[NEohioPAL]Review- Louisville's presentation of Midsummer's Night Dream hits a homerun

[DVangaasbe at aol.com]

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After Shaky Start, Louisville=E2=80=99s A Midsummer=E2=80=99s Night Dream hi=
ts  a homerun
=20
 Twice in one week I have done something that I normally do not do  when I=20
attend theatre presentations.  First, I went to the North Canton  Playhouse=
=E2=80=99s=20
presentation of Aladdin Jr., a youth production.  I normally  steer away fro=
m=20
those but on Saturday I was pleasantly surprised.  Second,  last night, I at=
tende
d a presentation of William Shakespeare=E2=80=99s A Midsummer=E2=80=99s  Nig=
ht Dream.  You=20
have to know something about me and Shakespeare.  I  love his tragedies and=20=
the=20
only comedies I like are Much Ado About Nothing and  The Twelfth Night. =20
Midsummer=E2=80=99s ranks about last of the lowest in my  enjoyment. =20
=20
 So, when I went to see my good friend, Frank Motz, play Theseus at =20
Louisville=E2=80=98s Metzger Park on South Nickelplate Road, I went to see a=
 friend and  not a=20
play.  However, Herb Crum and his cast and crew changed that quickly  as I=20
thoroughly enjoyed the play.  Mr. Crum did the right thing by  streamlining=20=
the=20
play and he removed several monologues that cause this play to  be referred=20=
to=20
by me as the =E2=80=9CMarch of the Snails=E2=80=9D.  Mr. Crum also believes=20=
 in what I=20
believe in when I direct and that is =E2=80=9CKeep it moving, Keep it  movin=
g.=E2=80=9D  That is=20
what the cast and crew did last night at the Metzger Park  stage in Louisvil=
le=20
and the audience came away delighted with the  presentation.
=20
 Not that the performance did not have its drawbacks.  The  opening curtain=20
was delayed fifteen minutes while a farmer threshed his hay in  the next fie=
ld.=20
 Two airplanes flew low overhead within the first minutes  of the curtain. =20=
A=20
train also pulled through Louisville with full revelry  of bells and horns=20
and the sound system had fits.  Once darkness fell, the  canopy of distracti=
ons=20
died and the sound system suddenly snapped into  gear.  Mr. Crum by staging=20
this play outside gave the play what it needed  for atmosphere but he was=20
walking a tight rope with disaster with the weather  which was chilly and ou=
tside=20
noise.  He should be commended for his  aggressiveness.
=20
 The first night jitters gripped a portion of the cast at the  beginning but=
=20
by the time the play went into the woods, everyone relaxed and the  fun bega=
n.=20
 Unfortunately, the young lovers seemed quite at home in the  woods and=20
totally ill at ease in Athens.  When the play started, fair  Hermia (Catie H=
ewitt),=20
stalwart Demetrius (Steven Redd), and wooing Lysander  (Michael Doerschuck)=20
seemed like they were more at a ninth grade dance with  girls on one side an=
d=20
boys on the other than in a battle as to who would marry  who.  Added on was=
=20
carefree Helena (Erika Berg) who seemed to look at the  audience time to tim=
e=20
with the expression of =E2=80=9CDo you believe I got through  that?=E2=80=
=9D when she spoke. =20
Fortunately, Theseus (Frank Motz) and Hippolyta  (Dani Beale) managed to kee=
p=20
everything under control with their dignified and  firm presentations.  Mr.=20
Crum was very wise to sprinkle the mostly young  cast with stage veterans wh=
o=20
steadied nerves.
=20
 The play began to take off well when Bottom (Anthony Sylvester) and  Peter=20
Quince (John Gresko) arrived to cast the play within the play.  Mr.  Sylvest=
er,=20
a late addition to the cast, gave a very funny presentation of  Bottom, the=20
actor who wants to play every part, be the director and playwright,  and be=20=
the=20
audience, all at the same time.  He could have over milked this  part but he=
=20
skillfully fought the urge.  His Bottom was quite memorable as  was Matt Ank=
ey=E2=80=99
s presentation in Kent State Stark=E2=80=99s presentation in June.   Both ga=
ve=20
different interpretations and both were highly credible and  enjoyable.
=20
 Mr. Gresko did a very good job as Quince as he settled the cast down  for=20
the big presentation.  His comedic timing was perfect this evening as  he sh=
owed=20
many a budding actor and actress that you do not need a line to  act.  His=20
gestures were excellent as Bottom dominated the scene.
=20
 The real treat in these scenes was Caroline Power as Flute.  She  played a=20
boy who was to play a woman in the play within the play.  She is  excellent=20=
as=20
she transforms herself into a boy and then into a woman.  For  several=20
minutes, I thought she was a boy.  When she does her performance in  the las=
t act,=20
she is thoroughly in charge and does a great job with Mr.  Sylvester.  I wou=
ld=20
like to have her come to the Canal Fulton Players this  year for at least on=
e=20
production as I would Mr. Sylvester.
=20
 Once the young lovers come to the woods, the nerves are gone and fair =20
Hermia shows a great knack for the comedic while Demetrius and Lysander batt=
le  for=20
Helena=E2=80=99s hand.  Ms. Hewitt is excellent in her confused state and Mr=
.  Redd=20
and Mr. Doerschuk deliver great performances as the dueling suitors.   Howev=
er,=20
Ms. Berg comes alive as the rather wacky Helena and gives reason for  the=20
suitors who are under a spell to fight for her hand.
=20
 The spell is delivered by that mischievous imp, Puck, played very  well by=20
Katy Russell.  Ms. Russell=E2=80=99s Puck embodies the good natured imp who=20=
 is a=20
klutz.  When she realizes that she has made a big =E2=80=9Cboo-boo=E2=80=9D,=
 she is  absolutely=20
delightful in her manner in rectifying it.  Her master, Oberon,  played with=
=20
laid back restraint by Josh Doerschuk, is good in his dealings with  Puck as=
 they=20
try to untangle the mess that has been made.  I have seen Puck  played as a=20
mean spirited elf in other productions and have not liked it.   Ms. Russell=
=E2=80=99s=20
presentation of the good natured oaf makes this presentation  delightful.
=20
 Titania played by Ashley McKinney seemed to be most affected by the  waywar=
d=20
sound system and most of her exchanges with Oberon are lost.  She  tried to=20
deliver but what I got out of it was a whiny spoiled brat which is  somethin=
g I=20
do not believe she wanted.  She nearly had to shout her lines  to be heard =20
However, after the system corrected itself, Ms. McKinney=E2=80=99s  scenes w=
ith Bottom=20
as the Ass are very good and she shows a great deal of  range.  It is=20
unfortunate that the system was not helping her at the  beginning. =20
=20
 Mr. Crum was wise to limit the fairies to four.  At Kent State=E2=80=99s =20
presentation, there seemed to be so many fairies on stage that it sometimes=20=
 looked like=20
they were lined up to catch a New York Subway train.  The four  young ladies=
=20
did a very good job in what probably was their first Shakespearean =20
performance.  Also giving good performances in small supporting roles were =20=
Michael=20
Rogers as Snug/Lion, Ace as Snout, Jane MacGregor Jones as Selene, Tom  McAl=
ister=20
as Starvling, and Chelsea Justice as Philostrate. =20
=20
 I came to see a friend and I left reconsidering A Midsummer=E2=80=99s Night=
  Dream. =20
Mr. Crum who has done some excellent work in the community for  years has hi=
t=20
a homerun with this production and I would say go see this  baby.  It not=20
only is free, it is good.  I give it three and one half  stars out of four.

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<DIV align=3Dcenter>After Shaky Start, Louisville=E2=80=99s A Midsummer=E2=
=80=99s Night Dream hits=20
a homerun</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> Twice in one week I have done something that I normally do not do=
=20
when I attend theatre presentations.  First, I went to the North Canton=
=20
Playhouse=E2=80=99s presentation of Aladdin Jr., a youth production.  I=
 normally=20
steer away from those but on Saturday I was pleasantly surprised.  Seco=
nd,=20
last night, I attended a presentation of William Shakespeare=E2=80=99s A Mid=
summer=E2=80=99s=20
Night Dream.  You have to know something about me and Shakespeare.&nbsp=
; I=20
love his tragedies and the only comedies I like are Much Ado About Nothing a=
nd=20
The Twelfth Night.  Midsummer=E2=80=99s ranks about last of the lowest=20=
in my=20
enjoyment.  </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> So, when I went to see my good friend, Frank Motz, play Theseus a=
t=20
Louisville=E2=80=98s Metzger Park on South Nickelplate Road, I went to see a=
 friend and=20
not a play.  However, Herb Crum and his cast and crew changed that quic=
kly=20
as I thoroughly enjoyed the play.  Mr. Crum did the right thing by=20
streamlining the play and he removed several monologues that cause this play=
 to=20
be referred to by me as the =E2=80=9CMarch of the Snails=E2=80=9D.  Mr.=
 Crum also believes=20
in what I believe in when I direct and that is =E2=80=9CKeep it moving, Keep=
 it=20
moving.=E2=80=9D  That is what the cast and crew did last night at the=20=
Metzger Park=20
stage in Louisville and the audience came away delighted with the=20
presentation.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> Not that the performance did not have its drawbacks.  The=20
opening curtain was delayed fifteen minutes while a farmer threshed his hay=20=
in=20
the next field.  Two airplanes flew low overhead within the first minut=
es=20
of the curtain.  A train also pulled through Louisville with full revel=
ry=20
of bells and horns and the sound system had fits.  Once darkness fell,=20=
the=20
canopy of distractions died and the sound system suddenly snapped into=20
gear.  Mr. Crum by staging this play outside gave the play what it need=
ed=20
for atmosphere but he was walking a tight rope with disaster with the weathe=
r=20
which was chilly and outside noise.  He should be commended for his=20
aggressiveness.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> The first night jitters gripped a portion of the cast at the=20
beginning but by the time the play went into the woods, everyone relaxed and=
 the=20
fun began.  Unfortunately, the young lovers seemed quite at home in the=
=20
woods and totally ill at ease in Athens.  When the play started, fair=20
Hermia (Catie Hewitt), stalwart Demetrius (Steven Redd), and wooing Lysander=
=20
(Michael Doerschuck) seemed like they were more at a ninth grade dance with=20
girls on one side and boys on the other than in a battle as to who would mar=
ry=20
who.  Added on was carefree Helena (Erika Berg) who seemed to look at t=
he=20
audience time to time with the expression of =E2=80=9CDo you believe I got t=
hrough=20
that?=E2=80=9D when she spoke.  Fortunately, Theseus (Frank Motz) and H=
ippolyta=20
(Dani Beale) managed to keep everything under control with their dignified a=
nd=20
firm presentations.  Mr. Crum was very wise to sprinkle the mostly youn=
g=20
cast with stage veterans who steadied nerves.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> The play began to take off well when Bottom (Anthony Sylvester) a=
nd=20
Peter Quince (John Gresko) arrived to cast the play within the play.  M=
r.=20
Sylvester, a late addition to the cast, gave a very funny presentation of=20
Bottom, the actor who wants to play every part, be the director and playwrig=
ht,=20
and be the audience, all at the same time.  He could have over milked t=
his=20
part but he skillfully fought the urge.  His Bottom was quite memorable=
 as=20
was Matt Ankey=E2=80=99s presentation in Kent State Stark=E2=80=99s presenta=
tion in June. =20
Both gave different interpretations and both were highly credible and=20
enjoyable.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> Mr. Gresko did a very good job as Quince as he settled the cast d=
own=20
for the big presentation.  His comedic timing was perfect this evening=20=
as=20
he showed many a budding actor and actress that you do not need a line to=20
act.  His gestures were excellent as Bottom dominated the scene.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> The real treat in these scenes was Caroline Power as Flute. =
 She=20
played a boy who was to play a woman in the play within the play.  She=20=
is=20
excellent as she transforms herself into a boy and then into a woman. =20=
For=20
several minutes, I thought she was a boy.  When she does her performanc=
e in=20
the last act, she is thoroughly in charge and does a great job with Mr.=20
Sylvester.  I would like to have her come to the Canal Fulton Players t=
his=20
year for at least one production as I would Mr. Sylvester.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> Once the young lovers come to the woods, the nerves are gone and=20=
fair=20
Hermia shows a great knack for the comedic while Demetrius and Lysander batt=
le=20
for Helena=E2=80=99s hand.  Ms. Hewitt is excellent in her confused sta=
te and Mr.=20
Redd and Mr. Doerschuk deliver great performances as the dueling suitors.&nb=
sp;=20
However, Ms. Berg comes alive as the rather wacky Helena and gives reason fo=
r=20
the suitors who are under a spell to fight for her hand.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> The spell is delivered by that mischievous imp, Puck, played very=
=20
well by Katy Russell.  Ms. Russell=E2=80=99s Puck embodies the good nat=
ured imp who=20
is a klutz.  When she realizes that she has made a big =E2=80=9Cboo-boo=
=E2=80=9D, she is=20
absolutely delightful in her manner in rectifying it.  Her master, Ober=
on,=20
played with laid back restraint by Josh Doerschuk, is good in his dealings w=
ith=20
Puck as they try to untangle the mess that has been made.  I have seen=20=
Puck=20
played as a mean spirited elf in other productions and have not liked it.&nb=
sp;=20
Ms. Russell=E2=80=99s presentation of the good natured oaf makes this presen=
tation=20
delightful.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> Titania played by Ashley McKinney seemed to be most affected by t=
he=20
wayward sound system and most of her exchanges with Oberon are lost.  S=
he=20
tried to deliver but what I got out of it was a whiny spoiled brat which is=20
something I do not believe she wanted.  She nearly had to shout her lin=
es=20
to be heard  However, after the system corrected itself, Ms. McKinney=
=E2=80=99s=20
scenes with Bottom as the Ass are very good and she shows a great deal of=20
range.  It is unfortunate that the system was not helping her at the=20
beginning.  </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> Mr. Crum was wise to limit the fairies to four.  At Kent Sta=
te=E2=80=99s=20
presentation, there seemed to be so many fairies on stage that it sometimes=20
looked like they were lined up to catch a New York Subway train.  The f=
our=20
young ladies did a very good job in what probably was their first Shakespear=
ean=20
performance.  Also giving good performances in small supporting roles w=
ere=20
Michael Rogers as Snug/Lion, Ace as Snout, Jane MacGregor Jones as Selene, T=
om=20
McAlister as Starvling, and Chelsea Justice as Philostrate.  </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> I came to see a friend and I left reconsidering A Midsummer=E2=
=80=99s Night=20
Dream.  Mr. Crum who has done some excellent work in the community for=20
years has hit a homerun with this production and I would say go see this=20
baby.  It not only is free, it is good.  I give it three and one h=
alf=20
stars out of four.</DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>

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