Commonwealth Shakespeare Company (CSC) is pleased to present Community Performances of our Stage2 Series production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream!  This year, Stage2 takes up residence at the historic Strand Theatre in Dorchester, MA. A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of Shakespeare's most fanciful and enchanting comedies, telling the tale of four bewitched lovers as they reckon with jealousy, desperation, and the complications of true love. The production itself will examine the themes of popularity, gender, authenticity, romance, and ideas about kindness, acceptance, understanding and respect. It sets the Fairy kingdom in the free-wheeling late 60s and the Royals and Mechanicals in the stuffy, uptight, mall-culture of the late 80s. The disconnect between these two periods will be emphasized by both music and costume, while the scenic look envelops the audience in the magic of the forest, a place where anything can happen. With the help of chandeliers in the treetops, we can change from enchanting fairyland to dark, foreboding forest with a snap of Puck’s fingers.

This project is part of Shakespeare in American Communities, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. Major Funding for Stage2 is provided by Paul Kastner.  Additional support is provided by the Paul and Edith Babson Foundation and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.