Ouachita Stories

Ouachita Baptist University’s Department of Theatre Arts will present Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” beginning Thursday, Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m. in Verser Theatre. Performances will also take place Nov. 7-8 and Nov. 10-11 at 7:30 p.m., with a 2:30 p.m. matinee on Nov. 9. Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased at www.obu.edu/boxoffice.

A comedy by William Shakespeare, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” focuses on four groups of characters—a royal court, fairies, lovers and mechanicals (craftsmen)—who, through the course of the play, converge in dramatic and hilarious ways.

“The play exposes, among many things, the ridiculous nature of love and how it can take you in a new direction,” said Drew Hampton, director of the show and assistant professor of theatre arts.

“I think with most comedies, especially Shakespeare’s comedies, we laugh at ourselves,” Hampton said. “One of my goals in producing this play goes back to what Shakespeare was trying to do when he wrote it, which is to present characters—some we can closely relate to and some less so—that show us we do silly things when we are in love.”

Ouachita’s adaptation of the play will be in a late-1800s Victorian English setting. The uncut version of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is five acts long, but Ouachita’s production will reduce all of the action of the play into two acts. Although the play remains true to the 400-year-old language, Hampton said he thinks the audience will not be far removed from Shakespeare’s original audience.

“It’s entirely okay, if not preferable, for an audience to come in and feel a little unsure,” said Hampton. “When Shakespeare was writing these plays, he was inventing some new words and phrases, so even his audience was hearing them for the first time. Another goal of ours is to help make the language more accessible and engaging to help our audience follow the plot and character relationships.”

Hailey Weiner, a sophomore theatre major from Maumelle, Ark., who plays Helena, said the cast hopes to prove Shakespeare “does not have to be boring.”

“Although ‘Midsummer’ is a comedy, there is so much more to it than the humor,” Weiner said. “There is a lot of hidden symbolism that the audience really doesn't pick up on until the end.”

Tickets are $10 each and may be purchased from the OBU Box Office weekdays from 1-5 p.m. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.obu.edu/boxoffice. Ouachita students may receive one free ticket by presenting their student ID at the box office. For more information, call the box office at (870) 245-5555 during business hours.

 

 

By Rachel Gaddis



Cast Members:

Royal Court

• Aaden Jones, a sophomore musical theatre major from Maumelle, Ark., as Theseus


• Stacy Hawking, a junior musical theatre major from Sherwood, Ark., as Hippolyta


• Marcus Moore, a freshman musical theatre major from Cabot, Ark., as Egeus


• Bethany Gere, a senior musical theatre and communication sciences disorders major from White Hall, Ark., as Philostrate

Fairies

• Benjamin Braudrick, a freshman theatre arts major from Frisco, Texas, as Oberon


• Hunter Brown, a junior musical theatre major from Central City, Ark., as Puck


• Hailee Draughon, a freshman musical theatre major from Mesquite, Texas, as Titania


• Lauren Hutcheson, a sophomore musical theatre and education major from Bossier City, La., as Mustardseed


• Jessica Smith, a senior musical theatre major from Van Buren, Ark., as Peaseblossom


• Mattie Alexander, a freshman theatre arts and mass communications major from Midwest City, Okla., as Cobweb


• Mattie Bogoslavsky, a junior musical theatre and psychology major from North Little Rock, Ark., as Moth

Lovers

• Bret Sanders, a sophomore musical theatre major from Jonesboro, Ark., as Hermia


• Benjamin Stidham, a senior musical theatre major from Dallas, Texas, as Lysander


• Hailey Weiner, a sophomore musical theatre major from Maumelle, Ark., as Helena


• Garrett Sayers, a junior musical theatre major from Greenwood, Ark., as Demetrius

Mechanicals

• Kenderick Scorza, a junior musical theatre major from North Little Rock, Ark., as Bottom


• Tara Clem, a senior musical theatre and Spanish major from Texarkana, Texas, as Quince


• Walter Dodd, a junior theatre arts major from Little Rock, Ark., as Flute


• Taylor Ford, a sophomore biology major from Dayton, Texas, as Starveling


• Nadalie Gill, a freshman theatre arts major from Price, Texas, as Snout


• Michael Pere, a freshman musical theatre major from Roland, Ark., as Snug

 

Crew members:

• Stage Manager: Dallas Sleeman, a junior theatre arts major from Kentwood, Mich.


• Assistant Stage Manager: Hope Wakeling, a freshman theatre arts major from Bryant, Ark.


• Movement Assistant: Stacy Hawking, a junior musical theatre major from Sherwood, Ark.


• Costume crew head/designer: Kaylee Nebe, a senior musical theatre major from Mesquite, Texas


• Costume crew: Eli Ash, a freshman musical theatre major from Little Rock, Ark.; Esther Atkinson, a freshman musical theatre major from Rogers, Ark.; Allison Austin, a freshman musical theatre major from Mena, Ark.; Anna Darr, a freshman musical theatre major from Alexander, Ark.; Walter Dodd, a junior theatre arts major from Little Rock, Ark.; Hailee Draughon, a freshman musical theatre major from Mesquite, Texas; Hannah Hines, a freshman musical theatre major from Russellville, Ark.; Marcus Moore, a freshman musical theatre major from Cabot, Ark.; Bret Sanders, a sophomore musical theatre major from Jonesboro, Ark.; Emily Shull, a sophomore theatre arts major from Little Rock, Ark.; Lauren Teague, a sophomore art and graphic design major from Jonesboro, Ark.; and AJ Valdez, a freshman musical theatre major from Terrell, Texas


• Makeup and hair crew head/designer: Kaylee Nebe, a senior musical theatre major from Mesquite, Texas


• Makeup and hair crew: Taylor Ford, a sophomore biology major from Dayton, Texas, and Blaine Surber, a senior musical theatre major from Sulphur Springs, Texas


• Props crew heads: Angela Morgan, a junior musical theatre major from Bryant, Ark., and Kayla Walker, a sophomore musical theatre major from North Little Rock, Ark.


• Props crew: Walter Dodd, a junior theatre arts major from Little Rock, Ark., and Hailey Weiner, a sophomore musical theatre major from Maumelle, Ark.


• Scenery designer and technical director: Eric Phillips, professor of theatre arts


• Shifting/run crew: Sarah Engebrecht, a freshman art and graphic design major from Morrilton, Ark.; Tori Golden, a freshman secondary education major from Rogers, Ark.; Angela Morgan, a junior musical theatre major from Bryant, Ark.; Kyle Osmon, a junior musical theatre major from Rogers, Ark.; Bethany Powell, a freshman theatre arts major from North Augusta, S.C.; and Kayla Walker, a sophomore musical theatre major from North Little Rock, Ark.


• Lighting designer: Eric Phillips, professor of theatre arts


• Light board operator: Nat Williams, a junior music and theatre arts major from Little Rock, Ark.


• Light crew: Shelby Spears, a junior English major from El Dorado, Ark.


• Sound designer and operator: Andrew Martin, a sophomore biology major from El Dorado, Ark.


• House manager: Caroline Cain, a junior theatre arts and mass communications major from Boise, Idaho


• Poster and program design: Adam Wheat, fine arts administrator


• House, publicity and lobby crew: Tara Clem, a senior musical theatre and Spanish major from Texarkana, Texas, and Garrett Sayers, a junior musical theatre major from Greenwood, Ark.