Photo © Kmiecik Imagery

Shakespeare in the Park Performance:

Name: 8/25-8/27: Shakespeare in the Park
Start: 2022-08-25T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2022-08-27T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Memorial Park

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

August 25-27, 2022 | Memorial Park (225 Karlskoga Ave)

Park opens at 6P | Puppet show at 6:45P | Performance begins at 7P

Everyone knows a few lines of Shakespeare. Everyone’s seen a play or two. Experience another of the world’s greatest playwright’s works in the newly renovated Memorial Park Bandshell. Shakespeare in the Park is a high-quality annual theater event presented free of charge to the public by the Wheaton Park District and Wheaton College’s Arena Theater.

We are thankful for our partnership with the Wheaton College Area Theater over the years and excited to see this year’s performance.

For more about Arena Theater and other arts events at Wheaton College, visit https://wheaton.edu/arts.

Presented by:

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PERFORMANCE:

2022: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

A Midsummer Night's Dream resources on folger.edu

About: A Midsummer Night's Dream

"The course of true love never did run smooth."(A Midsummer Night's Dream, 1.1.136)

Plot synopsis

In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, residents of Athens mix with fairies from a local forest, with comic results. In the city, Theseus, Duke of Athens, is to marry Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons. Bottom the weaver and his friends rehearse in the woods a play they hope to stage for the wedding celebrations.

Four young Athenians are in a romantic tangle. Lysander and Demetrius love Hermia; she loves Lysander and her friend Helena loves Demetrius. Hermia’s father, Egeus, commands Hermia to marry Demetrius, and Theseus supports the father’s right. All four young Athenians end up in the woods, where Robin Goodfellow, who serves the fairy king Oberon, puts flower juice on the eyes of Lysander, and then Demetrius, unintentionally causing both to love Helena. Oberon, who is quarreling with his wife, Titania, uses the flower juice on her eyes. She falls in love with Bottom, who now, thanks to Robin Goodfellow, wears an ass’s head.

As the lovers sleep, Robin Goodfellow restores Lysander’s love for Hermia, so that now each young woman is matched with the man she loves. Oberon disenchants Titania and removes Bottom’s ass’s head. The two young couples join the royal couple in getting married, and Bottom rejoins his friends to perform the play.

-From the Folger Shakespeare Library website: https://www.folger.edu/midsummer-nights-dream

A Midsummer Night's Dream resources on folger.edu

CAST & CREW

A. J. Bermudez (Titania/Thesia) is thrilled to be making her Shakespeare in the Park debut and to be reprising the role of Titania, in which she met her real-life spouse, Joshua Noble. You can find her at amandajbermudez.com

Kailey Bell (Peter Quince) is delightfully returning to Shakes in the Park! In daily life, Kailey dances back and forth between being a mom to 4 adventurous boys and being a professional actor. For the upcoming school year, Kailey will also teach/direct at Wheaton College.

Hadleigh Callahan (Moth) just finished four years in Arena Theater and is pumped to join Shakespeare in The Park for the first time. Hadleigh always suspected that she might be a fairy, and can often be found handing out tiny paintings of frogs to those that are worthy.

Caspar Carter (Hermian) just graduated from Wheaton College (‘22) and is looking to find his way as an actor and filmmaker in Chicago. He is delighted to be a part of Shakespeare in the Park again.

Emmaline Cribbs (Changeling Child) recently learned about the importance of conflict in storytelling in school and is pretty sure she is the star of the show given her role. When not telling stories, she can most often be found romping through open spaces riding dragons.

Evelyn Cribbs (Mustardseed) is so excited to be part of the cast this summer after having been in the audience (excepting one very memorable performance with the band) for every summer of her life. Being a fairy is awesome!

Jeff Cribbs (Bottom) is so grateful to be back. With two daughters as acting partners, Jenn Cribbs directing the play, and Kailey Bell (Peter Quince) directing the play within the play, he is getting a lot of direction this year. It’s a Dream.

Caitlin Curry (Oberon Fairy), a senior in Arena Theater, is thrilled to participate in Shakespeare in the Park, bringing this story to life. She is a big fan of stories of all kinds—with a particular fondness for the ones about math.

Christopher David (Philostrate) is ebullient (why, yes, I do have a thesaurus) to return to Shakespeare in the Park. When he’s not awakening the pert and nimble spirit of mirth in Athens, he can be found doing so in sundry other environs.

Jessie Epstein (Puck) is an actor and writer based in Los Angeles. She is delighted to be back in Memorial Park working with so many generous, talented artists on this most magical of plays. You can find more on her work at www.jessiegepstein.com.

Jackie Fitzgerald (Oberon Fairy) is a senior involved in Arena Theater. She is excited to be part of Shakespeare in the Park and all of the learning involved in acting a fairy alongside such talented people!

Emil Ginter (Francis Flute/Thisbe) is grateful to be back for Shakespeare in the Park. He graduated from Wheaton in 2020. He is now cleaning, selling cheese, and coaching after-school chess in Chicago. He loves a good broth.

Beau Hill (Oberon Fairy) is a current student at Wheaton College and is excited to return to Shakespeare in the Park. When not doing work, Beau can be found somewhere on his college campus goofing off.

Brian Howell (Egeus) is honored to be part of Shakespeare in the Park for the first time. He regularly performs at Westside Improv and hopes to have more theater in his life going forward. His day job is teaching cultural anthropology at Wheaton College.

Collin Kavanaugh (Helenus) recently graduated from the University of Chicago (‘22) where he studied theatre and performance. He also recently lost his bike so let him know if you see it.

Joshua Noble (Oberon/Hippolytus) is a writer, actor, and producer. In addition to his work on stage and screen, he is a founding producer of The American Playbook and Director of the National Winter Artists Retreat. He received an MFA from the Yale School of Drama.

Erik Park (Snug/Lion) is a recent Wheaton grad (‘20) who currently likes to listen to Little Dragon while designing websites. He is excited to make his return and play the Cowardly Lion. Wait, is this not the Wizard of Oz?

Wesley Peterson (Tom Snout/Wall) Is ecstatic to be back again for Shakespeare in the Park with Wheaton after graduating in ‘16. It is always an honor to perform here. He lives with his wife Victoria and their new baby daughter Rosemary in Glen Ellyn.

Anna Rios (Cobweb) is a junior at Wheaton College and a member of Arena Theater. She is thrilled to be returning to Shakespeare in the Park this year, working with such talented people is always a joy.

Lilia Smith (Lysandra) is ecstatic to be back running around through fairies and magic in Shakespeare in the Park. She is a local actor in downtown Chicago and part-time barista. If you ever need a monologue with your cappuccino, she’s your person.

Magnolia Smoak (Peaseblossom) is a sophomore at Wheaton College and a member of Arena Theater. She is delighted to join Shakespeare in the Park this year and aims to live like a fairy in daily life as well. Please give her any flowers you find.

Annie Varberg (Demetria) is jazzed to be back in Memorial Park for another round of running through the woods of Midsummer. She is a freelance video producer in Chicago, and you can find more of her work at www.annievarberg.com.

Zoé Zervas (Oberon Fairy) is a senior at Wheaton College and a member of Arena Theater. She loves baking bread, long walks and talking to plants. You can find her outside.

PUPPET SHOW

Noah Chapman (‘25), Anna Perri (‘23), Ashley Swaner (‘25), Emma Ware (‘24), Lydia Ritchie (‘23), Meredith Wilcox (‘25), Jessie Wright (‘23)

THE BAND

Margaret Winchell (‘15), Noel Streacker (‘17), Elisabeth Wismer (‘14), Thomas Ritchie (‘10), Emma Ware (‘24)

PRODUCTION TEAM

Director………Jenn Miller Cribbs*
Assistant Director/Company Manager………Felicia Bertch
Producer/Scenic Designer/Puppet Master……Andy Mangin
Production Assistant………Alison Gibson
Production Stage Manager………Sarah Luse*
Assistant Stage Managers………Lydia Ritchie and Anna Perri
Costume and Puppet Designer……Jeremy Floyd
Costume Assistant/Costume Shop Supervisor………Heidi Elliott
Lighting Designer………Diane Fairchild**
Music Director/Composer………Margaret Winchell
Composer/Arranger………Hannah Cruz
Props Masters………Lydia Ritchie ‘23 and Heidi Elliott
Fight Choreographer………Dave Reifsnyder
Company Assistants………Mark Lewis, Phoebe Silva, Naomi Talbott
Costume Crew………Hadleigh Callahan, Noah Chapman, Caitlin Curry, Anna Perri, Magnolia Smoak, Meredith Wilcox
Set Crew………Jackie Fitzgerald, Beau Hill, Anna Rios, Phoebe Silva, Ashley Swaner, Emma Ware, Jessie Wright, Zoé Zervas

Class Years indicate Wheaton College Alumni
* Member of Actors’ Equity Association
**Member United Scenic Artists 829

The professional actors who are joining us this evening are all alumni of the theater program at Wheaton College. For more about Arena Theater and other arts events at Wheaton College, visit wheaton.edu/arts.

PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED

2013: As You Like It
2014: Love’s Labour’s Lost
2015: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
2016: Twelfth Night
2017: Much Ado About Nothing
2018: The Tempest
2021: Henry IV, Part 1

GALLERY

DETAILS:

Admission

Admission is free–donations are welcomed!

Concessions

Concessions will be available.

Concession proceeds will benefit the DuPage County Historical Museum.

Donate Support for DuPage County Historical Museum

Seating

Limited seating is available. Guests are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and picnic blankets.

Directions & Parking

Please visit memorialparkwheaton.com to view directions and parking information.

Weather

Performances will happen rain or shine, with the exception of severe weather. Any delays or cancellations due to inclement weather will be posted on the Wheaton Park District Facebook page, and RainoutLine.

PARTNER WITH US:

For information on sponsorship and vending opportunities please contact Margie Wilhelmi at mwilhelmi@wheatonparks.org or 630-510-4984.

8/25-8/27: Shakespeare in the Park

August 25, 2022 - August 27, 2022

Shakespeare in the Park Performance:

A Midsummer Night’s Dream