I wake up every morning and I read the paper and what's missing in our world so much is just joy. My wife is not in the theater at all, and to watch her life and the way that she sees her work change, the theater, I think now ready to say, we can now approach art as artists in a different way, because we've seen the world without it.”ĭirector Sam Gregory is focused on the joy this project can bring for the artists and the audience. “And it has been profound in so many ways for so many people. “I think I would be pretty arrogant to say that the pandemic didn't change a lot, as an artist, especially a theater artist who has spent my entire professional career in the theater, to watch all of that evaporate and watch my community struggle and watch jobs disappear,” Miller said. But, the post-pandemic spirit, Miller said, is different. The Midsummer cast is a mix of union and non-union actors, which isn’t unusual in Colorado. “You know, the theater's a crazy place, but I had never heard of a husband understudying, a wife and playing the same role,” Wilson said. Courtesy Anna Drum-Oden, Yellow Banana Photography The cast of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" rehearses in Centennial, Colorado. It’s not the first time Wilson has taken over a role for his wife: he did so once before in Tartuffe, a play by Molière. Cause it's so fun and it's great company,” Wilson said. One of the very select few roles I just love to do again. “I love the play so much and I'd played Bottom, hmm, 20 years ago. Leslie O'Carroll was originally slated to play Bottom, but she has another show starting rehearsals - so her husband, Steve Wilson, stepped in instead to play the role. It's got fairies, it's got love, it's got mischief and who doesn't love summer and a giant, beautiful full-blown moon.” “It's magical because Midsummer Night’s Dream touches anybody, even people that are not the biggest Shakespeare fans, you go, ‘What Shakespeare play do you like?’ And never fails that they say Midsummer,” said Chelsea Frye, who plays Peter Quince and Cobweb. This is a place for artists to come and work with people they love, or they enjoy that they want to be part of,” Miller said.Ĭommunity and collaboration are sentiments repeated by the actors in between rehearsing their scenes. “And after the pandemic, it became abundantly clear that we, that I, wanted to do something with my community in which I had artistic collaborators. Miller said the pandemic taught the troupe lessons about what work they wanted to do next. So that no matter what happens, that play keeps going.” “In other words, as soon as the last word of the last scene is spoken, the next word of the next scene is spoken … even if actors aren't fully in costume yet. Courtesy Anna Drum-Oden, Yellow Banana Photography The set for Shakespeare in the Wild's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Courtesy Anna Drum-Oden, Yellow Banana Photography The cast of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" rehearses in Centennial, Colorado. Gregory added that another unique idea in the production is that the play never stops. People pull out their costumes and things and put on pieces and, and launch into it.” So everything comes out of a box that you'll see on stage. “And my whole concept is dictated by our budget, which has virtually no money. And it set me on the course of a 35-year career in the theater. “I have to tell you that, “Midsummer Night’s Dream” was the first play I ever did. After the difficulties of the past two years, however, Miller - founder and producing artistic director of Shakespeare in the Wild - and artistic director Sam Gregory decided to present one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies instead, “ A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and the company of actors agreed. The original plan was to open a production of “ The Tempest“ in June 2020. I was expecting more pushback, but he said, ‘We would love that, please.’" What, what do I have to do to do that?’ And it was a pretty difficult conversation because he just started with ‘Yes,’ Miller said. “‘I want to do Shakespeare in your space. Then about three years ago, Miller called the executive director of South Suburban Parks and Recreation and made his pitch. Somebody should do Shakespeare,’” Miller said. We've lived in our house for 11 years and for 11 years, I on a monthly basis would tell my wife, ‘They really should do Shakespeare down there. Leigh Miller came up with the idea while on a run on the Highline Canal path. They are preparing to make their dream come true of presenting Shakespeare, outdoors, for free. Just off the walking path in the open space behind the Goodson Recreation Center in Centennial, a band of actors is rehearsing.
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