A Midsummer Night's Dream

I've said it before and I'll say it again: this play is going to be so awesome I almost can't stand it.

I spend every rehearsal smiling, giggling, chuckling, chortling, guffawing, and any number of other synonyms for "laughing" you can think of. This is easily the most fun I've had on a production in a long time.

Sandra Clayton, who I have worked with on a few shows, plays Egeus, some of the attending fairies, and Peter Quince. Having worked with her before, I know what energy and fire she can bring to roles like Emma Goldman in "Ragtime" and what cuteness she can bring to roles like Stella in "Follies", but her comedic skill was something I had only seen flashes of before. She's hilarious - plain and simple. Her Egeus in particular is something I have not seen done with that role before and I really love it!

Stacie Rearden Hall is my geek soulmate, as it turns out, and she and I have had many conversations that include phrases like "So I was reading Sims 2 stories online today..." and "So I just watched that episode of 'Firefly' and I've been singing 'The Hero of Canton' all day..." This lovable geekiness is being used to full advantage in her Helena, and yet Stacie has the ability to suddenly become a total BA when she's Hippolyta, approach some sort of critical mass of sexiness when she's Titania, and bring entirely new levels to Snug the Joiner that I would feel terribly guilty if I divulged here...you'll just have to see the play!

Kerry McGee plays Hermia, Puck, and Robin Starveling - and I completely agree with the theory that if you don't have a crush on her by the end of the play, it's because you didn't watch the play. Her Hermia is romantic and bright, Puck is everything you would hope Puck would be, and Starveling? Well, that's another one you'll just have to see...but let's just say that the phrase "Fair ladies..." will never be as hilarious as when it is uttered by Kerry. Trust me on that one. I can't say enough about her Starveling...she has taken a character who is often overlooked and made them one of my favorite parts in the entire show.

Adam Mincks, taking on the roles of Demetrius, some attending fairies, and Nick Bottom, proves he's willing to jump, dive, leap, and get beat up by a girl for this play. Repeatedly. His energy onstage is completely infectious, and his personal sense of humor shines through when least expected (such as when he surprised us all by singing Bottom's song "The ousel cock so black of hue..." to the tune of "Tiny Dancer"). Adam's my go-to guy for all things Others Have Never Heard Of, so those of you who are good with the pop culture references (both obvious and subtle) should pay particular attention to Adam's performance - it's chock full of 'em.

Brandon Crowder has the exhausting task of playing Theseus, attending fairies, Lysander, Oberon, and Francis Flute. Just listing all his parts made my hands tired. And yet he handles each character transition with grace, and every character is so wonderfully different from the other that it is clear just how very talented this actor is. I have never seen a more physically impressive Oberon, nor a funnier Flute, nor a Lysander that could so easily beat Morrissey in a pathetic-off. Watching these rehearsals, I am continually amazed at the amount of responsibility Brandon has and how easy he makes his job look. Amazing!

Working with Andrew Hamm has also proved to be a blessing. I've vaguely known him for a while and I've seen him in a number of productions in the past few years, but after spending the past few weeks as his minion, I can't help but wish we'd gotten to know each other sooner. I've dubbed him "Delightfulbolical" (a reference to the way he laughs with an equal amount of glee and darkness), he likes to whisper into my bad ear, "George Bailey, I'll love you till the day I die". We're a good team - sometimes drifting a little into the Oberon-Puck territory since he occasionally uses me as his puppet while demonstrating things to the actors. I really hope I get to work with him again.

The show opens soon - April 16th is our preview night - and I hope everyone comes to see. It's going to be hilariously wonderful and wonderfully hilarious, and has become my favorite show I've ever worked on!