BWW Review: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM at Florida Repertory Theatre

Florida Repertory Theatre’s production of Shakespeare’s A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, directed by Bill Kincaid, tells the classic comedic tale of a moonlit night filled with love, confusion, and fairies.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM stars Florida Rep’s 2020/2021 Professional Interns, Patrick Agonito, Nayda Marie Baez, Emily Foley, Sarah Joyce, Matt Kelley, and Micah Weese. They all play various characters throughout the show, from young lovers to a group of actors to fairies and beyond, and it was really impressive to see them not only switch costumes so quickly but character personalities as well. Each character was made distinct by a costume (designed by Rebecca Rankin), but they also all did a great job of portraying each character separately. This is a very talented group of actors, and it has been a pleasure to watch them in every production they’ve done this season.

I really enjoyed the little details of this show. For example, each time a character would have a reaction to a spell that was put on them, there was a distinct sound and light that came on to represent that occurring; I have to give credit to Lighting Designer Tim Billman and Sound Designer Katie Lowe for the fun element this added to the show.

In a typical season, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM would have been a show that Florida Rep’s Professional Acting Interns would have toured to various Southwest Florida high schools. This year, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM was part of Florida Rep’s Outdoor Series for a limited time, and they filmed the production and will be streaming it beginning in March. This show will be available to students for free who get access through their high schools, but you can also purchase your own access to the stream as well. I would definitely check it out when it becomes available, as it is a very entertaining and fun way to see one of Shakespeare’s well-known plays from the comfort of your own home (or school!). For more info, click here: https://www.floridarep.org/the-season/a-midsummer-nights-dream/