Sherburne Music-Theatre Society performing "Midsummer" this weekend
Cast members of the Sherburne Music-Theater Society's production of Shakespeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream," set to debut this Saturday, August 14, and Sunday, August 15. The full cast list includes: John Orr, Max Collins, Susan Galbraith, Jacob Camiel, William Greenman, Molly Stahl, Xena Becker, Bobbi Clarkson, Clark Vischi, Keven Simmons, Levi Brown, Max Collins, Cameron Carpenter, Will Doonan, Lisette Shiffer, Karen Doonan, Jessica Moquin, Amelia Casscles, Susan Galbraith, and Liza Taylor. (Photo submitted by SMTS)
SHERBURNE — The Sherburne Music-Theatre Society (SMTS) will be putting on their rendition of Shakespeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream" at 6 p.m., this Saturday, August 14, and at 3p.m., Sunday, August 15.
The show will be held in Gaines Park in Sherburne, located next to the Sherburne Public Library. The performance will be completely free to attend, but SMTS board members are asking for free-will donations.
"Both family-friendly performances are free-will donation. Actors will be passing a hat for those seeking to make a donation to Sherburne Music-Theatre Society," said SMTS board members in a statement.
SMTS Board Member and Director Michael Moren was inspired by two outdoor Shakespeare performances he saw, put on by SUNY Geneseo and Perry, NY.
“Both of these shows were done with little or no scenery,” Moren said. “I realized that Shakespeare productions were all about the words and acting. It was these two shows that prompted me to propose that SMTS try some Shakespeare in the Park of our own.”
From there, the idea grew. Moren and SMTS Board Secretary and Director Colleen Law-Tefft decided to add some modern-style music pieces to the show. Their rendition of "Midsummer" will also stay true to the original storyline, but with an exciting twist: all the actors will be performing in steampunk style costumes, according to Law-Tefft.
"I think our production is unique, because we’ve added a little music to it. Some of it’s modern music so it’ll be kind of an interesting twist I think for a lot of people," she explained. "We're doing it in a steampunk style, so all of the costuming will reflect that."
"Midsummer Night's Dream" tells the story of a young woman forced into marrying a man she does not love. Instead of going through with it, she runs off into the woods with her lover, explains Law-Tefft.
"She either marries this other man, or her father can put her to death, which is horrible. So that's the serious part in the beginning, she runs off into the woods," Law-Tefft said. "Well, and her best friend is in love with the guy that she's supposed to marry. So there's two sets of lovers basically."
SMTS had planned on performing this show last summer, in traveling theater fashion, according to Law-Tefft.
"We planned to do this last year and it had planned to be a bigger type thing where we were gonna travel from different parks in the county. Like we were going to go to Norwich, and Oxford, and Hamilton, and Sherburne," she explained. "Kind of a traveling show type of thing. But, you know, with COVID nothing happened."
She said that this year, SMTS decided to scale back their original plan and just do two performances in Sherburne. Both will be outdoors, so guests are encouraged to bring along a picnic blanket or chair for seating.
"With COVID we weren't sure what conditions were gonna be like, so an outside production seemed like the best way to go," Law-Tefft explained. "It's looking like it's gonna be really good, so we're really hoping that it will. The humidity's gonna break, it'll be in the 70s, so it looks like it's gonna be great. And that will be good for everyone, actors and the patrons."
The SMTS production of "Midsummer Night's Dream" is made possible by funding through the Decentralization Program, a re-grant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and administered by The Earlville Opera House, according to SMTS officials.
"It's a very fun, very rowdy, lots of fun, kind of in your face show," said Law-Tefft. "And really it's for all ages ... it's very family friendly."
For more information on the Sherburne Music-Theater Society or their upcoming performance, visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/SherburneMusicTheaterSociety.
The show will be held in Gaines Park in Sherburne, located next to the Sherburne Public Library. The performance will be completely free to attend, but SMTS board members are asking for free-will donations.
"Both family-friendly performances are free-will donation. Actors will be passing a hat for those seeking to make a donation to Sherburne Music-Theatre Society," said SMTS board members in a statement.
SMTS Board Member and Director Michael Moren was inspired by two outdoor Shakespeare performances he saw, put on by SUNY Geneseo and Perry, NY.
“Both of these shows were done with little or no scenery,” Moren said. “I realized that Shakespeare productions were all about the words and acting. It was these two shows that prompted me to propose that SMTS try some Shakespeare in the Park of our own.”
From there, the idea grew. Moren and SMTS Board Secretary and Director Colleen Law-Tefft decided to add some modern-style music pieces to the show. Their rendition of "Midsummer" will also stay true to the original storyline, but with an exciting twist: all the actors will be performing in steampunk style costumes, according to Law-Tefft.
"I think our production is unique, because we’ve added a little music to it. Some of it’s modern music so it’ll be kind of an interesting twist I think for a lot of people," she explained. "We're doing it in a steampunk style, so all of the costuming will reflect that."
"Midsummer Night's Dream" tells the story of a young woman forced into marrying a man she does not love. Instead of going through with it, she runs off into the woods with her lover, explains Law-Tefft.
"She either marries this other man, or her father can put her to death, which is horrible. So that's the serious part in the beginning, she runs off into the woods," Law-Tefft said. "Well, and her best friend is in love with the guy that she's supposed to marry. So there's two sets of lovers basically."
SMTS had planned on performing this show last summer, in traveling theater fashion, according to Law-Tefft.
"We planned to do this last year and it had planned to be a bigger type thing where we were gonna travel from different parks in the county. Like we were going to go to Norwich, and Oxford, and Hamilton, and Sherburne," she explained. "Kind of a traveling show type of thing. But, you know, with COVID nothing happened."
She said that this year, SMTS decided to scale back their original plan and just do two performances in Sherburne. Both will be outdoors, so guests are encouraged to bring along a picnic blanket or chair for seating.
"With COVID we weren't sure what conditions were gonna be like, so an outside production seemed like the best way to go," Law-Tefft explained. "It's looking like it's gonna be really good, so we're really hoping that it will. The humidity's gonna break, it'll be in the 70s, so it looks like it's gonna be great. And that will be good for everyone, actors and the patrons."
The SMTS production of "Midsummer Night's Dream" is made possible by funding through the Decentralization Program, a re-grant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and administered by The Earlville Opera House, according to SMTS officials.
"It's a very fun, very rowdy, lots of fun, kind of in your face show," said Law-Tefft. "And really it's for all ages ... it's very family friendly."
For more information on the Sherburne Music-Theater Society or their upcoming performance, visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/SherburneMusicTheaterSociety.
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