A Kid Summer Night's Dream

2017-18 youth Play Production Series

Directed by Justin Shaw

Music Direction by TJ Carabeo

october 2017 - march 2018

suncor energy centre for the performing arts

Our 2017 - 2018 Youth Play Production was for youth in grades 6-9, and is a series of workshops and performances involving 14 young theatre artists. The goal was to mount an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The play’s adaptation was developed through a contemporization of the play’s text and themes, which was then further developed with the ensemble through improv­-based exercises.

Each participant played a role in the production — whether as an actor, an assistant stage manager, or backstage support.  Each role encouraged team work, education, exploration, and professionalism. Rehearsals will began with warm-up and dramaturgical activities, followed by traditional script and scene work. By incorporating these warm up and learning activities, we encouraged the importance of “process”, “play”, and “discovery” to theatrical work.

The Youth Play Production series started on October 10th with rehearsals on Tuesday evenings from 6:00-8:00 pm and Sundays from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm. The program wrapped up on March 10 & 11, 2018 with two performances of A Kid Summer Night's Dream. The program was presented in partnership with the Suncor Energy Centre for the Performing Arts.