A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by James Lapine
One of Shakespeare’s most well-known comedies, Midsummer intertwines the stories of four Athenian lovers, a group of amateur actors, and the fairy kingdom. A love quadrangle in Athens leads to a chaotic night in the forest, where fairies manipulate the lovers with magic, causing them to fall in and out of love with each other. Lapine’s productionwas performed at the Public’s outdoor Delacorte Theater surrounded by a real forest of luscious greenery as part of the New York Shakespeare Festival.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
The Public’s Delacorte Theater
August 3, 1982 - September 5, 1982
Photos by Martha Swope
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Opening Night Production Credits:
James Lapine, Director
William Shakespeare, Playwright
Joseph Papp Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival, Producer
Joseph Papp, Producer
Allen Shawn, Music
Graciela Daniele, Choreographer
Heidi Landesman, Set Designer
Randy Barcelo, Costume Designer
Frances Aronson, Lighting Designer
Ricky Jay, Magic Effects
D.W. Koehler, Production Stage Manager
Johnna Murray, Stage Manager
Katherine Mueller, Conductor
Michael A. Ellert, Bass Clarinet
Michael A. Ellert, Bassoon
Deborah Gilwood, Celeste
Matthew Zory, Double Bass
John Gustafson, English Horn
Stephen Ametrano, Flugelhorn
Michael A. Ellert, Flute
Katherine Mueller, Flute
John Gustafson, Oboe
William Uttley, Percussion
Deborah Gilwood, Piano
Katherine Mueller, Piccolo
Stephen Ametrano, Piccolo Trumpet
Stephen Ametrano, Trumpet
Paul Friedman, Viola
Paul Friedman, Violin
Mary Rowell, Violin
Marcie Shaw, Vocalist
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Christine Baranski: Helena
Paul Bates: Flute
Tessa Capodice: Fairy
Kevin Conroy: Lysander
Peter Crook: Snug
Jeffrey De Munn: Bottom
Ralph Drischell: Egeus
Tim Flavin: Prologue/Fairy
Leah Carla Gordone: Fairy
Roshi Handwerger: Fairy
James Hurdle: Theseus
William Hurt: Oberon
Ricky Jay: Philostrate
Andreas Katsulas: Snout
Paul Kreshka: Prologue
Emmanuel Lewis: Fairy
Rick Lieberman: Demetrius
David Logan-Morrow: Attendant to the Duke
Cheryl McFadden: Prologue/Fairy
Caroline McGee: Attendant to the Duke
J. Patrick O'Brien: Starveling
Nicky Paraiso: Fairy
Tina Paul: Prologue/Fairy
Angela Pietropinto: Fairy
Rosemary Richert: Fairy
Marcell Rosenblatt: Puck
Deborah Rush: Hermia
Marcie Shaw: Attendant to the Duke
Michele Shay: Titania
Diane Venora: Hippolyta
Steve Vinovich: Quince
Understudies:
Peter Crook (Demetrius/Lysander), Paul Kreshka (Bottom/Quince/Flute/Snout), David Logan-Morrow (Theseus/Egeus/Philostrate), Cheryl McFadden (Hippolyta/Helena), Caroline McGee (Titania), Nicky Paraiso (Starveling/Snug), Angela Pietropinto (Hermia/Puck)
Awards & Features
1983 Obie Awards
Winner for Set Design (Heidi Landesman) & Performance (Christine Baranski)
The 1982 production was filmed for TV and can be viewed above!
The film was directed by Emile Ardolino.