By ALEXA REYES
Contributing Writer
A modern day version of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” will feature both a fairyland and the real world while the audience experiences three stories at once.
This play will be held at The College of Saint Rose theater on Nov. 19, 20, and 21 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 22 at 2 p.m. and is produced and directed by Angela Ryan-Ledtke. Tickets are $5 (with student ID) and $10 for general admission. This production will be about two hours long. Everything is modern: the set, the stage, the props, and the costumes.
Ryan-Ledtke even bent gender roles, with men playing women, and double casted leads, so two main couples are being played by two actors. Every actor plays a part in both the “fairy land” and in the “real world.”
“The greatest prize is to see someone be inspired to do more. Acting is such a collaborative art form that highlights people’s talents. I like seeing them grow into desirable actors,” said Ryan-Ledtke.
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is the fifth play Ryan-Ledtke has directed and produced at Saint Rose. She chose to do this play because she “honestly wanted to change the space and involve more actors. We’ve evolved into this nice little family; instead of limiting the amount of actors I wanted to choose a play that would be open to more actors. Overall I thought it was just time to grow as a family and tackle some Shakespeare.”
The actors come from several majors, including political science and criminal justice. In the play, Chloe Ader performs as Titania, the fairy queen, and Hippolyta, the dutchess of the human world. She has performed in “Stop Kiss” and “Crimes of Heart” at Saint Rose.
“A lot of people don’t know we have a theater program. I wish more people knew about it. It’s nice we are finally getting noticed,” said Ader. She added, “The play is cool because it starts out as a human world and transitions into a fairy world, which adds to the dreaminess.”
Alex Stevens performs as one of the lovers, Demetrious. Stevens explains his excitement for acting: “It’s just the love for the show; it’s definitely fun and interesting to play someone else and the view point from a different character. I will definitely keep doing it, even if it’s just the local theater in my hometown. I’d love to be in film as the next great actor.”
Stevens’ step-father helped found Cortland Repertory Theatre in Cortland, NY. Stevens grew up attending that theater. “I’ve been going there my whole life, I didn’t realize it then but I have a different perspective on it now. I have a greater appreciation for acting. It is an immense amount of work.”
Stevens has also been in “Stop Kiss” at Saint Rose and the “Christmas Nativity Scene” at his middle school.
Proceeds from admission fees will be used to pay for the set, lights, costumes, technical elements, mechanicals, props and invested in the next production.
J.D Falotico, from Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, is designing the set. “Usually I am a one-woman band and do all of the set, props and costumes. This year I am still buying costumes, sorting and arranging them, but I’m glad to have the help with the set,” said Ryan-Ledtke.
Ryan-Ledtke and Stevens added, “we’ve practiced for nine weeks, three to four times a week; everyone involved has put so much time and effort we would really appreciate the encouragement and support from a full house.”
