Ensemble Shakespeare Company (ESC), New York City’s innovative theatre ensemble for classical theater, presents Shakespeare’s classic comedy painted in colors like never before. Four lovers escape the confines of the city to a forest ruled by battling fairies. A royal wedding is prepared after a brutal war, and an amateur troupe rehearses a play after a long day of work. As these worlds intertwine in delightful chaos, characters navigate truths and illusions about who they are and what they value.

Though arguably Shakespeare’s best-known comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream asks us to consider profound questions about the nature of love and art. ESC’s Midsummer thwarts conventions of gender and traditional setting so that our audience can immerse themselves in the poetry and wildness of the storytelling. The production utilizes innovative theatrical techniques to literally paint our scenes and actors in bold colors as the story unfolds.

ESC Executive Director Dylan Diehl* directs an ensemble cast of fifteen, including Chloe Champken, Dylan Diehl, Susannah Hoffman*, Dennis Kear*, Gerrard Lobo, Jesse Cao Long, Paul Marchegiani, Diego Millan, Celeste Moratti, Ella Olesen*, Katie Pelensky, Erin Roth*, Joe Staton, Lawrence E. Street*, and Colleen Smith Wallnau*.

“While A Midsummer Night’s Dream can so often be reduced to a romp with glittery fairy wings, our Midsummer is expansive in every way. A 15-member cast and an unabridged script allow us to create Midsummer in all its colors. The play’s magnificence lies in its size: it traverses worlds, class, and gender through the deftness and beauty of Shakespeare’s words,” shares Diehl. “Every character touches the heights of intellect and imagination but also falls into abject confusion and absurdity. Our nontraditional casting and focus on the extraordinary language of the play will challenge our audience to meet Midsummer anew.”

The runtime is approximately two hours, plus one 15-minute intermission.