Canadian Stage is celebrating 40 years of Dream in High Park with the return of the hilarious Shakespearean love story, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
The beloved romantic comedy was the first production the theatre company showed at Toronto’s High Park Amphitheatre in 1983.
The play is set in Athens, Greece and consists of several subplots, including a conflict among four Athenian lovers who flee into the forest in pursuit of true love the night before Theseus and Hippolyta’s royal wedding.
Canadian Stage’s rendition of the play this year has a modern take which provides a fun, whimsical experience for all ages to enjoy.
“…We are done staying at home watching TV and streaming. We want to be together in public and the outdoors is the best way to do that. If you haven’t been to a theatre in a while, this is a great way to do that in a safe way and feel comfortable with your fellow citizens,” Director Jamie Robinson told Now Toronto on Tuesday.
Robinson added that the audience can expect to have a good laugh.
“A lot of people forget that A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a comedy. Although there are some very adult themes in it, let’s say, but I do understand that it’s a family show in terms of the park in High Park. So, you’ll get a nice family treatment of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with a little undercurrent to the message that I won’t say anything other than you have to watch the show to find out,” he said.
The re-imagined play involves a young and diverse cast of 12 actors who deliver a brilliant take of the Shakespearean classic.
Robinson shared that the actors represent the demographics of the city.
“I have always tried in casting to represent Toronto, especially in a play where you’re going to get most of the population of Toronto coming to see the show. So, in terms of diversity, I basically just picked the actors who I thought brought the best of themselves to the room. And you’ll see in the show that you get what you get, it’s going to look like Toronto, it feels like Toronto, we even have a few little Toronto inside jokes in there too,” he said.
The play is only 90 minutes long with no intermission, a much shorter version than the typically three-hour production.
“I will say very early on, months ago, I got it down to about, I don’t know, an hour and 15 (minutes). But then once you add all the action, and all the fun, and the hilarity that comes with it, it got a little long, so we still been cutting things even up till today,” Robinson said.
For those who have never been to Dream in High Park, the 1,000-seat amphitheatre is fully equipped with lights and surround sound. Seating is first come, first served with most seats on the grass. Blankets and pillows are welcome to make the experience a comfy one. And audience members can also bring their own snacks, or purchase concessions on site, to enjoy during the show.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is running at High Park until Sept. 3. General admission tickets are available online or at the box office for $29 plus tax. There are also Rush Pay What You Wish tickets available online at noon the day of the performance, or two hours prior to the show, with a minimum donation of $5.
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