Corning Community College
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Corning Community College

This is a preview of A Midsummer Night's Dream, filmed during dress rehearsal. Corning Community College's Muse of Fire Theatre brings to life Shakespeare's classic romantic comedy. Lunatics, lovers, and poets meet in the wild Athenian woods to find moonlight, magic, music, and romance. This imaginative production features original music and songs, composed for the production by area composer, musician, and member of the CCC Music faculty, Will Wickham, who also directs the musical elements of the show. The show will run from April 18 to 21, 2013 in the Science Amphitheatre, located in the Science building on the Spencer Hill campus in Corning, NY. Set in the dreamlike landscape of the imagination, A Midsummer Night's Dream follows the antics of four young lovers, a troupe of enthusiastic amateur players, and factions of warring elves and fairies through a summer's night of fancy, frolic, fighting, and foolery. Passions run riot before all is set to rights on the wedding day of King Theseus and Queen Hippolyta in ancient Athens—an Athens seen through the poetic lens of Shakespeare, and brought into the present by the Muse of Fire Theatre production. The play is directed by Mary Guzzy, the set and lighting is designed by Ryan Spruck, Bethanie Rogers is Stage Manager, and makeup and mask design is by AJ Hart and Brianna Johnson. "We are diving into the richness and juiciness of Shakespeare's language, and playing with a contemporary "world music" spin on the Celtic tradition in music," said director Mary Guzzy. "There is a timelessness to A Midsummer Night's Dream. It's themes of nature, crossed loves, and the encounter between art and magic are eternal. We intend our production to reflect those themes." A large, merry band of CCC students will perform, featuring Muse of Fire veteran and recent CCC alumnus James Mitchell as 'Demetrius,' and faculty regular Gary Yoggy as 'Egeus.' Favorites from the past Muse of Fire productions will again light up the stage. Cameron Bockus as 'Oberon,' Raymond Bulkley as 'Peter Quince,' Selena Seaman as 'Puck,' and Jessica Malone as 'Cobweb' will be familiar from last semester's Blithe Spirit. Samuel Overton as 'Philostrate' last appeared in The Threepenny Opera. Making their Muse of Fire Theatre debut are Lance Barton as 'Snug,' Kilynn Bennett as 'Peaseblossom,' Jessica Bulkley as 'Hippolyta' and 'Moth,' Stephanie Butters as 'Hermia,' Gordan Crans as 'Theseus,' Anjelicka DesJardins as 'Mustardseed,' Anna Deery as 'Helena,' Sarah Schlueter-Eisman as 'Titania,' Jacob Ferito as 'Bottom,' Benjamin Joseph as 'Lysander,' Sam McLean as 'Snout,' Eric Olson as 'Starveling,' and Gladys Roy as 'Flute.' Josh Carson and Jessica Malone are understudying all male and female roles.