Free Shakespeare in the Park is Back!
- Jun 16, 2021
- 2 min read
Cumberland Theatre collaborates with Maryland Entertainment Group
The Cumberland Theatre is proud to once again be presenting free Shakespeare in the Park to local residents. This year, the theatre has partnered with Maryland Entertainment Group of Hagerstown to embark on three-week tour of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The show opened last weekend with three performances in Hagerstown and will continue its run this weekend in Waynesboro, PA on Saturday, June 19th and at the Grantsville Town Park on Sunday, June 20th at 6:00 pm. The tour will conclude in Cumberland in the garden of the Gilchrist Gallery on Washington Street for two performances on Friday, June 25th and Saturday, June 26th beginning at 7:00 pm. Admission is free and residents are encouraged to bring their own blankets and lawn chairs.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most recognized, celebrated and produced comedies. Theseus and Hippolyta, about to marry, are figures from mythology. In the woods outside Theseus’s Athens, two young men and two young women sort themselves out into couples—but not before they form first one love triangle, and then another.
Also in the woods, the king and queen of fairyland, Oberon and Titania, battle over custody of an orphan boy; Oberon uses magic to make Titania fall in love with a weaver named Bottom, whose head is temporarily transformed into that of a donkey by a hobgoblin or “puck,” Robin Goodfellow. Finally, Bottom and his companions ineptly stage the tragedy of “Pyramus and Thisbe.”
The cast features a diverse group of actors including several veterans from both CT and MEG, as well as some newcomers to the region. The four lovers are played by Western Maryland residents Bailey Hovermale (Helena) and Jacob Reese (Demetrius), and Adam Marino (Lysander) and Alexandra Shephard (Hermia) who currently reside in New York, NY.
Appearing as the residents of the Fairy Realm are Sam Little (Artistic Director of MEG) as Oberon, Kimberli Rowley (Co-Artistic Director of CT) as Titania and Seth Thompson as Puck.
The merry band of mechanicals are lead by Sean Besecker of Chambersburg, PA as Bottom and include Andrew Shifler (Quince), Andrew Payne (Snout), Adam Wennick (Flute), Jacob Waeyaert (Starvling) and Richie Dobson (Snug).
The cast also features Emily Haworth (Hippolyta), McClairen Eisenhour (Cobweb), Madeleine Davis (Peasblossom), Jillian Dugan (Mustardseed) and Maverick McKee (Egeus).
In the true spirit of collaboration, the creative team features key personnel from both companies. The show is under the direction of Little with assistance from Rowley. Bekah Brown serves at the stage manager. The design team consists of Robin Shaner (costume design) and Jennifer Clark (props design and assistant costumer) with set design by Rhett Wolford and David DiFalco.
The show is performed with one short intermission and is appropriate for all ages.
This announcement is wonderfully detailed and really captures the excitement of the event. I especially appreciated how you highlighted accessibility and community engagement. I noticed a post by https://the915lawyer.com/ that touched on community-centered events, and it provided some interesting ideas that align nicely with your approach.
It’s great to see community events, outdoor performances always create such a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere for everyone. Bringing blankets or chairs and watching classic theatre under the open sky sounds like a wonderful experience for families and friends. Events like this are even better when travel is simple and stress-free. For local journeys in the UK, reliable guildford taxi services can make getting to events and nights out much more convenient.
Sounds like such a fun community event! Outdoor performances like Shakespeare in the Park are a great way to bring people together and enjoy classic theatre in a relaxed setting. Events like this become even more enjoyable when getting there is easy and stress-free. For anyone travelling locally with pets, having reliable pet friendly taxi services can make attending outdoor shows and community gatherings much more convenient.
Love seeing Free Shakespeare in the Park return, nothing beats classic theatre under the open sky! It’s events like this that really bring communities together and make summer evenings memorable. If you’re planning to travel to cultural outings like this, friendly transport options such as Gerrards Cross taxi services can make your trip stress‑free and smooth. Kudos to everyone involved, can’t wait for the next performance!
i like it