Middlesex CC’s Theatre – LIVE!: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

“Shakespeare is back,” said Karen Oster, Middlesex Community College’s Chair of Performing Arts. “We are excited to be presenting this production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ to you. It is so important that every theatre student have the opportunity to take part in a Shakespearean play. Therefore, every other fall theatre program at Middlesex has been presenting one of Shakespeare’s works.”

William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” features five connecting stories centered around the wedding of the Duke of Athens Theseus and the Amazon Queen Hippolyta. One of Shakespeare’s comedies, the play is based in the woodlands of the fictional Fairyland and set under the moonlight.

Oster – who is the director of the play – emphasizes that the college will be following strict health and safety guidelines for performers and audience members based on state mandated COVID-19 protocols. Because of the pandemic, she has chosen projects that allow performers to remain safely distanced while on stage.

Throughout the first part of the pandemic, Middlesex was able to successfully put on livestreamed and socially distanced productions. The show’s cast and crew – including MCC Studio Arts and Technical Theatre student Jade Gordon who is designing the lights and costumes for the show – is excited to return to performances in front of a live audience.

“After over a year performing with livestreamed audiences in a silent, empty theatre, I can’t express how excited I am to know the cast and crew’s hard work on ‘Midsummer’ will be presented to an in-person audience,” Gordon said. “Karen has done a wonderful job keeping our community tight-knit and forward gazing throughout the pandemic, but there’s nothing quite like the promise of hearing real, live laughter to inspire us to all bring our best work to the stage.”

Curtain times for MCC’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” are 7 p.m. on Thursday, December 9, Friday, December 10, and Saturday, December 11, as well as 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 12. The performances will take place at MCC’s Richard and Nancy Donahue Family Academic Arts Center.

Tickets are $15 for general admission, $10 for MCC faculty and staff, and free for all Middlesex students. Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/performingarts/ for more information or contact [email protected] to buy tickets.

MCC’s Academic Arts Center is located at 240 Central Street in Lowell. With parking not available on site, the nearest public parking facility is the Early Garage on 135 Middlesex St. in Lowell. Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/transportation/ for more information.

Featuring on campus, online and hybrid course formats, MCC is now registering for the Wintersession and Spring 2022 semesters. Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/registration/ or call 1-800-818-3434 for more information and to register for classes.

Discover your path at Middlesex Community College. As one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in Massachusetts, MCC has been a proven leader in education for more than 50 years. Middlesex puts the student first. Meeting each learner where they are, MCC provides them with a safe, welcoming and engaging place to learn. Offering more than 80 degree and certificate programs – plus hundreds of noncredit courses – Middlesex features flexible course formats and a variety of award-winning student support services and resources. Student success starts at MCC!