MISCHIEF IN THE WOOD: THE RESIDENT THEATRE AT EDGE OF THE WOOD PRESENTS SHAKESPEARE’S A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

CHICAGO, IL (October 14, 2013) – The Resident Theatre at Edge of the Wood presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream, October 25 through November 2 at their space in the Edgebrook Community Church in Chicago. The beloved Shakespeare comedy, with its crazy lovers, magical fairies, and working stiffs looking for their big break in the theatre, is the second production in the Resident Theatre’s inaugural season and features 22 actors, children and adults from across Chicagoland.

Eight of those actors are returning to Edge after a successful run in the Resident Theatre’s sold-out production of the The Secret Garden this spring. Also returning are Garden’s co-directors, John Chambers and Stacey Lind. In keeping with the theatre’s dual aims of empowering children and serving the community, the show features six students from the Edge of the Wood Theatre school, all three of the school’s instructors, and several actors from the neighborhood.

“It’s exciting to take on Shakespeare and bring this show to Edgebrook,” says Jeanann Power, Edge of the Wood co-founder. “Our students and parents are well-versed in musical theatre, but many have never been to a Shakespearean play. I think people will be surprised by how funny and how familiar the characters seem.”

Power and Edge co-founder Janet Rourke are both funny and familiar to their audience. They’re playing Quince and Snout, two of the “mechanicals” — tradespeople whose attempts at moonlighting as actors yield hilarious results. Comedy is essentially the same today as it was 400 years ago, says Rourke, “Put someone in an awkward situation and watch them try to wriggle out. It makes us laugh or cry because we can relate — we imagine what we would do in the same circumstances.”

“Most people’s circumstances don’t lead them to run into the woods and fall victim to prankster fairies with magic potions,” says Chambers, “but we’ve all felt love, quarreled with the people we love, and we’ve all wished for greater things in life. Sometimes you go into a situation and you come out on the other end a bit different than you went in — you go into the woods and come out changed.”

Journeying into nature and coming back with a new perspective is emerging as a theme for the Resident Theatre.  They’ve just announced their spring 2014 show: Stephen Sondheim’s and James Lapine’s Into the Woods.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream runs October 25-November 2. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for children. The theatre is located in the Edgebrook Community Church at 6736 N Loleta Ave, Chicago, IL 60646. For tickets and information visit edgeofthewood.com.

About Edge of the Wood Theatre
The Edge of the Wood school at Chicago’s Edgebrook Community Church is a complete theatre program where young people, ages 6-18, become versed in acting, improv, speech, movement, and musical theatre skills in a professional atmosphere. Edge of the Wood has served hundreds of students, many of whom have gone onto careers in the performing arts and arts education. 

The Resident Theatre at Edge of the Wood was founded in 2013 and produces family-friendly shows across genres, bringing professional-caliber theatre to the Edgebrook community, and engaging and inspiring young people as performers and theatre-goers.

http://edgeofthewood.com/resident-theatre/