Tri-State Actors Theater presents "A Midsummer Night's Dream

SUSSEX-Tri-State Actors Theater presents "A Midsummer Night's Dream," by William Shakespeare, March 30 through April 17, at the historic Crescent Theater, in Sussex. Tri-State artistic director Paul Meacham takes the romantic comedy from Medieval Athens to modern times with a view as light-hearted as Shakespeare's comedy. Set and lighting designer Amanda Johnson, technical director Peter Galipeau, senior intern Alex Smith, and senior costume intern Tristan Tom have created a magical space where fairies and mortals jostle with each other as in a dream. The characters in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" are drawn from three different worlds. The Athenian gentry are played by Mark Light-Orr, as Theseus; Suzanne Hays, as Hippolyta; Jennifer Klein, as Hermia; David B. Sochet, as Lysander; Wayne Hu, as Demetrius; Felicia Bertch, as Helena; James Opfer, as Egeus; and Michael Nathanson, as Philostrate. The craftsmen of Athens are played by David Volin, as Bottom; and Brian Maslow, as Peter Quince. Joe LiTrenta, Daniel Mintz, Kevin Snyder, and Eric Emmanuel Wilson play both craftsmen and fairies. In the fairy world, Mark Light-Orr and Suzanne Hays also play Oberon and Titania, the king and queen of the fairies, and Michael Nathanson is the mischievous Puck. Stage manager Torger Baland keeps everyone on the right page. "Midsummer" begins with a preview performance, 8 p.m., Wednesday, March 30. All tickets are $17. Opening night is Friday, April 1; performance and reception tickets are $30. There are five 11 a.m. student matinees this season; March 31 and April 14 are sold out. Matinee tickets are still available to schools and other groups, as well as individual ticket buyers, on Wednesday and Thursday, April 6 and 7, and Wednesday, April 13. Regular Friday and Saturday night performances are at 8 p.m., April 2, 8, 9, 15, and 16; tickets are $27.50 regular admission and $25 for seniors and students. Sunday matinee performances at 3 p.m., April 10, and 17; tickets are $25 and $23 for seniors and students. Tri-State Actors Theater is funded in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts and by a generous donation from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation. For information, call 875-2950; or visit tristateactorstheater.org.