"A Midsummer Night's Dream" - by William Shakespeare - Theatre Of Northeastern Connecticut, Inc. at the Bradley Playhouse (Putnam, CT) - REVIEW
(Cover Photo: The CAST of "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" by William Shakespeare, now playing at the Bradley Playhouse in Putnam, CT. through June 15, 2025. Photo Courtesy Bradley Playhouse)
By Kevin T. Baldwin
METRMAG Reviewer
# 774-242-6724
“To say the truth, reason and love keep little company together nowadays.”
- ("Bottom") / William Shakespeare
Theatre Of Northeastern Connecticut, Inc.
at the Bradley Playhouse
Presents William Shakespeare's
"A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM"
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Shane William Kegler
Cast Includes: Abby Duell as “Hermia,” Sarah Oschmann as “Helena,” Renan Fontes as “Lysander,” Dalton Mongeau as “Demetrius,” Stephen Clarke as “Theseus,” Leela Pahl as “Hippolyta,” Jessica Hall as “Egeus,” Tina Huey as “Peter Quince,” Corey Welden as “Francis Flute,” Colin Bragdon as “Tom Snout,” Preston Arnold as “Nick Bottom,” Robert Ellis III as “Robin Starveling,” Jake Terreden as “Snug,” Jack Ferdman as “Oberon,” Lauren Kieler as “Titania,” Madison Palmerino as “Puck,” Imma Santerra as “Cobweb,” Rae’anne Hazard as “Peasblossom.” Christa Belardo as “Moth,” Lily Quinn as “”Mustardseed.”
Additional Creative Team:
Stage Manager – Natalie Crino; Assistant Stage Manager – Jordan Miller; Artistic Committee Liaison – Kathleen Atwood; Production Manager – Jeanne Foley; Production Coordinator – Kathleeen Atwood; Set Design – Shane William Kegler; Costumer – Anna Kate Werge; Props – Bonnie Theriault, Melinda Collelo; Lighting Design – Carl Mercier; Sound Design – Seth Crino; Original Music – Jordan Miller; Lighting Operator – Jordan Miller; Sound Operator – Seth Crino; Logo Design – Adam Leidemer; Set Construction – Carl Mercier, Shane William Kegler, Jordan Miller.
Performances:
June 6, 2025 through June 15, 2025
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
THE BRADLEY PLAYHOUSE, 30 Front Street (Route 44) in Putnam, CT. 06260-1942
TICKETS:
All seats reserved. Reservations may be made with a major credit card online at www.thebradleyplayhouse.org or by calling 860-928-7887.
BUY TICKETS
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The Bradley Playhouse presents an irreverent take on William Shakespeare’s "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" with some highly entertaining results.
The TNECT production has been guided well by Director Shane William Kegler with a focus on not taking things too seriously or approaching the material as holy scripture (although Shakespearean purists might take exception).
There are many moments where the cast completely departs from the Bard’s text but never are these moments done in either an insulting or misguided manner.
Presumed written between 1595 and 1596, when first performed "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" was originally staged and presented in five acts.
As presented by the TNECT team, the play is mercifully performed in two acts, and it is a thoroughly enjoyable two acts.
(Photo: The CAST of "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" by William Shakespeare, now playing at the Bradley Playhouse in Putnam, CT. through June 15, 2025. Photo Courtesy Bradley Playhouse)
"A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" is regarded as one of Shakespeare's most popular and still widely-performed plays.
Before trying to watch this show, one must immediately accept the setting of a dreamlike reality where the rules of the human world have been suspended.
The story features a talented cast portraying characters that include young lovers, a “diverse” play troupe and fairies.
"Why fairies?" one might ask.
"Because why NOT fairies?" would be this reviewer's response.
The fairies in "MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" actually represent magic, the supernatural, and the power of love and imagination.
While an absurdity, these fairies embody the humorous, unpredictable and sometimes volatile nature of love and dreams, influencing the human characters and their relationships.
Set in Athens, the play consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta and, as in any good comedy, anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
One of these subplots involves a conflict among Athenian lovers, with another following a group of six amateur actors rehearsing a play for which they are hired to perform before at an impending arranged wedding.
The above all find themselves in a forest inhabited by “fairies” who manipulate the humans while engaged in their own turbulent subplot.
Coming across as an early influence on the future and oft-used television “sitcom” premise, the story navigates complicated relationships comedically led astray by misinformed individuals, misguided intentions and mistaken identities.
(Photo: Jack Ferdman as "Oberon" the Fairy King with his servant "Puck" played by Madison Palmerino in a scene from "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" by William Shakespeare, now playing at the Bradley Playhouse in Putnam, CT. through June 15, 2025. Photo Courtesy Bradley Playhouse)
In the first of three intersecting subplots for "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" involves the Athenians as we are introduced to Lysander (Renan Fontes), a young Athenian nobleman who is in love with Hermia (Abby Duell), daughter of Egeus (Jessica Hall).
Lysander is completely devoted to her but soon becomes infatuated with Helena (Sarah Oschmann) due to some magical mischievousness caused by the fairies.
Hermia is in love with Lysander and defies her father's wishes for her to marry Demetrius (Dalton Mongeau), a young Athenian nobleman.
While Demetrius is initially in love with Hermia, again due to some misdirected magical mischief, he soon falls for and pursues Helena under a love potion's spell.
The cause of the mischief stems from Oberon (Jack Ferdman), “King of the Fairies” who, from the play’s second intersecting subplot, is engaged in a conflict with his queen, Titania (Lauren Kieler).
Oberon has ordered the highly volatile and unreliable Puck (Madison Palmerino) to use a love potion to resolve their domestic dispute.
The loyal but looney Puck carries out Oberon's orders, often with unintended consequences, leading to much of the play's confusion and humor.
(Photo: Lauren Kieler as "Titania" with the Fairies in a scene from "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" by William Shakespeare, now playing at the Bradley Playhouse in Putnam, CT. through June 15, 2025. Photo Courtesy Bradley Playhouse)
In the show’s final intersecting subplot involves the “Mechanicals” where we observe the antics of an amateur troupe of actors who are presenting a play to the Athenians (i.e. the “play-within-a-play” concept - a theatrical device for which Shakespeare may not have invented but certainly deserves much credit for its popularity).
Nick Bottom (Preston Arnold) is a weaver who considers himself a great actor.
Through a comedic mix-up of potions, Bottom is afflicted with a donkey’s head by Puck, who simultaneously steers Titania into being infatuated with Bottom.
Other members of the Mechanical’s troupe include:
Peter Quince (Tina Huey), a carpenter who directs the play; Francis Flute (Corey Welden) who portrays the character “Thisbe” in the play-within-the-play; Snug (Jake Terreden) a novice who plays a “lion”; Tinker Tom Snout (Colin Bragdon) who plays a “Wall” (in highly clever costuming); and tailor Robin Starveling (Robert Ellis III) who portrays a poor man’s “Man in the Moon.”
(Photo: The CAST of "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" by William Shakespeare, now playing at the Bradley Playhouse in Putnam, CT. through June 15, 2025. Photo Courtesy Bradley Playhouse)
The set and costuming for the show fluctuates from a traditional (mostly when it comes to the fairies) to a more modern approach (mostly with - but not limited to - the Athenians), coinciding with the approach taken by the show's director.
The entire ensemble for "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" is engaging and entertaining while seemingly put through a multitude of arduous scenes, scattered onstage effects and complex dialogue.
Of particular note are the performances given by Palmerino as the unpredictable Puck, Ferdman as the beleaguered ruler Oberon, Ellis as Starveling and Arnold as Bottom.
With only two performances remaining, "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" concludes at the Bradley Playhouse in Putnam, CT. on June 15th.
Coming up next from TNECT at the Bradley Playhouse will be the hit musical “THE PROM" beginning July 25th and running through August 9th, 2025.
For tickets and more information, visit www.thebradleyplayhouse.org or call # 860-928-7887.
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Approximately two hours, 20 minutes with one intermission.
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE SHOW
Theseus, Duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons are to be married and great celebrations are planned.
"A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" is William Shakespeare's tale about how four Athenians run away to the forest only to have Puck the fairy make both of the boys fall in love with the same girl.
A story of order and disorder, reality and appearance and love and marriage.
The four run through the forest pursuing each other while Puck helps his master play a trick on the fairy queen.
In the end, Puck reverses the magic, and the two couples reconcile and marry.
ABOUT THE BRADLEY PLAYHOUSE
THE BRADLEY PLAYHOUSE is a 117 year-old vaudeville theatre in the heart of the Putnam antiques and restaurant district in the “Quiet Corner” of Northeastern Connecticut. Since 1991, THE BRADLEY PLAYHOUSE has been managed by the volunteers of The Theatre of Northeastern Connecticut, Inc. (TNECT).
ABOUT THEATRE OF NORTHEASTERN CONNECTICUT (TNECT)
TNECT produces eight main season shows per year and a number of special fundraising events for The Bradley Playhouse Restoration Fund. TNECT’s mission is to produce and sponsor quality theatre and entertainment for the residents of Northeastern Connecticut and the surrounding areas, to encourage the development of creativity through the support of local artists, and to support education and hands-on experience in the creation, direction, and production of theatre and the performing arts.
30 Front Street
P.O. Box # 71
Putnam, CT. 06260-1942
