October Night's Dream

I Have a Song to Sing, O!

Magic happened last night at Sunset HS. Maybe Oberon & Titania decided to take pity on the theatre department as it struggled against weather and construction to put on "Midsummer Night's Dream." The tech rehearsal sucked big time, and they hadn't run the entire show as a continuous production; when we began, we had no idea how long it would run! Worse, we had no idea if we'd have an audience: SHS Bison had a football game, and the Rangers played Game 7 in the World Series.

The weather felt chilly on bare legs & arms, so we moved the stage into the back atrium. Then, we blew the circuit in the back wall -- and the portable light board (an ancient device). We grabbed extension cords and started stringing them to every available outlet ... The director said not to worry, but our "Thisbe" (in his tiny tunic) persevered. We got work lights on the stage. The sound system worked ... and people started to arrive. All told, I think about 40-50 people came to the play. One teacher sourly commented that they came to see their kids ... well, duh. However, I'd done plays at Sunset before, and we didn't have that many people.

Once started, the actors hit their stride, although they never quite mastered Shakespeare's poetry. In other words, they forgot lines ... One flat almost fell on Demetrius when he lay down. As the audience gasped, he caught it, and Oberon pushed it back into place -- and theatrically shushed the audience so the play could continue. (Well played, King!) Lines echoed, and it was hard to hear at times. (No mikes -- the space had too much reverb.) Still, the audience laughed at the right places -- and was quiet. Of course, the clown scene stole the show, thus proving that in low comedy there is no such thing as going "over the top."

After the show, cast and crew -- and parents! -- helped strike the set, roll up cords, and get almost everything into place. Monday morning, they'll have to finish moving tables & Bo Bison into their usual places.

Then we get to do it all over again Monday night ... and, hopefully, the fairies will persuade Mother Nature to grant us clement weather, so "Shakespeare in the Parking Lot" can appear in its natural environ -- before a stone wall with a grassy knoll covered with trees.