TAP Presents “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

The Theatre Arts Program (TAP) at Sacred Heart University is performing “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare from Sept. 26 to Oct. 12 in the Black Box Theatre.

This play follows the four lovers Hermia, Lysander, Helena and Demetrius, who travel through a magical forest where they find a mischievous fairy, Puck, who uses love potions to create romantic chaos.

The director of the play held auditions while Justin Zenchuk, Director of Theatre Arts, emailed the selected students and their corresponding parts subsequent to the audition. Sophomore Brigid Gawley, who plays Helena, thoroughly enjoyed the whole audition process.

“It was a super comfortable place to be in,” said Gawley. “Everyone was there to support you and wants you to succeed.”

Prior to the audition, the students were sent script sides for them to review. They then read the sides for their audition and the director would give them feedback.

Junior William Heidelberger was ecstatic when he found out that TAP was doing “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and that he received the role of Cobweb.

“Going into auditions, I really wanted one of the forest characters because I thought they’d be super fun to play,” said Heidelberger. “However, I really desired just to be in the show because I love performing Shakespeare.”

In the play, Cobweb is one of the four fairies that attend to Bottom for Queen Titania. The fairies serve Bottom because the Queen falls in love with him under the influence of a magical potion.

Gawley also felt grateful and honored for receiving her role as Helena.

“When I got Helena, I was super excited because when I read her monologue for the audition, I really did feel how she was feeling in that moment,” said Gawley. “She has a lot of powerful words to say and a lot of powerful feelings that everyone does feel at some point in time.”

Helena is a determined and passionate character. She is a young woman in love with the character Demetrius. Demetrius rejected Helena’s love, which made her follow him into the forest in hopes to win him back. Because of the fairy’s love potion, Demetrius falls in love with Helena.

The cast of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” have been in the rehearsal process prior to opening night and tech rehearsals. Depending on what part they have, they rehearse a couple times a week. During tech week, they rehearse everyday.

“Rehearsals have been super fun,” said Heidelberger. “I love the director as well as everyone on the creative team.”

The TAP and the play’s cast members encourage students to watch and support.

“Even though Shakespeare might be intimidating, I really do think that the actors help the audience understand it,” said Gawley. “It’s also a super funny comedy with a lot of talented people in it.”

The show will be running three times throughout the weekends of Oct. 3 and Oct. 11. The opening weekend of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” was during Family Weekend on campus where they sold out the theatre. Tickets are $5 for Sacred Heart University students.