A Midsummer Night's Dream

THE CELL and THE HIVE THEATRE COMPANY are pleased to announce their gender-bender production of William Shakespeare’s A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, directed by Matthew A.J. Gregory. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM will play a limited engagement at the cell (338 West 23rd Street New York, NY 10011). MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM will be playing in rep with BAD EVIDENCE,as part of the cell’s Summer of Lust.  Performances begin Tuesday, July 5 and continue through Sunday, July 31. Opening Night is Saturday, July 9 (8 p.m.). 

The Hive and the cell have joined forces to present a modern re-imagining of Shakespeare’s classic, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, which casts Hermia and Lysander as lesbian lovers with Demetrius and Helena as a gay couple. This is not your grandmother’s MIDSUMMER, but a MIDSUMMER for 21st century NYC.  This production exposes contemporary America's sexual hang-ups and resistance to gay marriage.   Concepts of what constitutes gender, sexual-orientation and power will be explored and exploded!

MIDSUMMER, the inaugural performance of Shakespeare in the Rear @ the cell, has audiences follow Shakespeare’s lost lovers in and out of doors as they make their way through an urban wilderness. From the cell’s magnificent townhouse interior to its brand new outdoor garden salon, we join the lovers as they journey from a lavish if oppressive high-society gala to a wild outdoor bacchanal of every fetish imaginable--filled with delectable and dangerous fairies straight out of everyone’s fantasies and fears.

The production features scenic design by Justin Couchara (Recent:  Asst. Scenic Designer for Peter and the Starcatcher, Lead Props Sculptor for Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), costume design by Christina Kim, and lighting design by Nick Gonsman (Recent:  Field Project Coordinator for ETC). Justin Stasiw is the sound designer and Lauren Williams is the stage manager.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM plays the following schedule through Sunday, July 31: 

July 5, 6, 9, 14, 15, 17, 19, 20, 23, 28, 29 and 31 at 8pm
July 10, 16, 24 and 30 at 2pm 

Tickets are $18 (student/senior $15 with code “summeroflust”)and are now available online at www.brownpapertickets.com or by calling 1-800-838-3006. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the theater ½ hour prior to performance.

Running Time: 90 minutes

Website: thehivetheatre.com/midsummer and thecelltheatre.org

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