A black out. Silence. The air becomes still. The audience sits in their seats, waiting. The stage lights flash on; Act I unravels.

Loomis student actors performed stage II of Shakepeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream from October 29th to 31st in the NEO’s Black Box Theater. The play follows four Athenian lovers who run into the woods. One couple, Hermia and Lysander, seeks to elope and run away from an arranged marriage; another character is an Athenian woman, Helena, who has an unrequited love for Demetrius and chases after him. However, the faeries lurking in the Athenian woods plan their own mischief. With the introduction of a magical purple flower, said to be struck by Cupid’s bow itself, Shakespeare’s play explores the chaotic nature of romance.

From flying accusations to the comedic play-within-a-play, all of the students and faculty devoted great effort to making the show happen. “It really was a collective effort,” Assistant Director and English Faculty Hailey Young said. “Overall, I am super proud of all of the actors and the crew for all of their dedication and for making the world come alive!”

The actors in the play sought to discover the uniqueness behind their characters and embody those personalities on stage. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream stood out to me because of its range of characters—all unique, funny, and full of emotion. It’s hard not to love every single one of them,” commented Surin Kim ’28, who played Oberon and Theseus.

For both new and returning actors, A Midsummer Night’s Dream brought out the students’ passion for acting. “For me, I love the adrenaline of a play, the skill it takes to put it on and the community we build as a cast,” said Nathaniel Kelly ’29, who played Lysander. Some students heard about this opportunity and decided to take it. Shlok Muthavarapu ’29, who played Snug, noted, “I thought it would be a good way to try something new!”

Additionally, some returning theater students felt their passion, skills, and confidence improving immensely during this production; they found themselves giving this show their all. “I’ve always enjoyed acting, stepping into different roles and doing things that you wouldn’t do in your daily life,” remarked Tonnam Jongcharoensiri ’28, who played Quince. 

Phoenix Olen ’28, who played Bottom, recalled a previous performance that hadn’t gone as well as he had hoped. “I wanted to redeem myself, through proper channels, and so here we are!” 

Katy Su ’28, who played Hermia, reflected on the impact theater had on her over the past two years: “I realised that I not only got better at acting, but I also gained confidence, friends, and other memories that I will cherish forever. Theater changed my life and I aim to continue doing it for the rest of my time at Loomis.”

Behind the cast and their skillful acting is the stage crew, a crucial aspect of producing the magic behind the show. With strategically placed lighting and sound effects, the stage crew enhances the performance and immerses the audience further into the world of Athens. 

“I hope the audience throughout the show can get the emotions the actors are feeling and walk away having found a new play they can say they enjoyed,” Zöe Rhodes ’28 said. “​​I’m most excited for the coming years with this amazing cast… I can’t wait to see what they do!”

The basis of the show wouldn’t be possible without the guidance of the directors. “We like to say in the performing arts department that we ‘discover in the doing,’” Director Will Eggers said. “[Other faculty and I] work to provide an environment that encourages cast and crew to collaborate in creating a world for the audience.” 

Looking back at the entire process from the beginning to end, Dr. Eggers reflects: “A Midsummer Night’s Dream has long been a favorite of mine, and its meaning has changed for me over many years and within many contexts… It has been a privilege seeing the cast and crew create such a vivid, dynamic production.”