May 5-14, 2022
The Strand Theatre, Dorchester
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Bryn Boice
CSC is thrilled to announce the return of our Stage2 Student Matinee Series with A Midsummer Night’s Dream!
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most fanciful and enchanting comedies telling the tale of four bewitched lovers as they reckon with jealousy, desperation, and the complications of true love. This year, Stage2 takes up residence at the Strand Theatre, one of Boston’s hidden jewels, which serves as a cultural and educational resource for all.
The production itself will examine the themes of popularity, gender, authenticity, romance, and ideas about kindness, acceptance, understanding and respect. It sets the Fairy kingdom in the free-wheeling late 60s and the Royals and Mechanicals in the stuffy, uptight, mall-culture of the late 80s. The disconnect between these two periods will be emphasized by both music and costume, while the scenic look envelops the audience in the magic of the forest, a place where anything can happen. With the help of chandeliers in the treetops, we can change from enchanting fairyland to dark, foreboding forest with a snap of Puck’s fingers.
This project is part of Shakespeare in American Communities, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. Major Funding for Stage2 is provided by Paul Kastner. Additional support is provided by the Paul and Edith Babson Foundation.
Student matinee performances will be held the following days/times:
All student matinee performances are 90 minutes without intermission and are followed by an optional talkback with the cast. School groups are asked to arrive between 15min and one half hour before the performance to be seated in the theater.
COST: All student matinee tickets are $12.00 (students and chaperones).
School SAVOR Program is a Commonwealth Shakespeare Company initiative that receives generous funding from sponsors to provide student tickets to schools facing extreme economic hardships .Through the SAVOR program, students attend a matinee at reduced or zero cost to them or their school. The program may even cover the cost of transportation and additional in school workshops. Contact education@commshakes.org to be considered for this program.
SAVOR stands for Subsidized Art is a Value & Our Right. We firmly believe that art, and theatre in particular, should be savored live, early, and often. We hope to break down barriers to theatre, and show students art that is created for them.
Questions? Reach out to us at education@commshakes.org
The National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest presents Shakespeare in American Communities. CSC is one of 40 professional theater companies across the nation selected to perform a Shakespeare play with a professional team of actors for middle- and high-schools and conduct related educational activities for students.
Alongside this production, CSC will also be offering a number of in-school Midsummer enrichment workshops which can be delivered either virtually or in person. A limited number of discounted and free workshops may be available. Click the button below to learn more:
In addition A Midsummer Night’s Dream will perform 3 open/public community performances:
Stage2 productions are presented using Shakespeare’s original text, cut for length to under 2 hours without intermission. Our cuts focus on highlighting the themes, ideas and language that will resonate strongly for a student audience. Our creative team and performers make choices that serve to illuminate the storytelling for this audience without “watering down” the source material. School groups have the option of staying for a short post-show talk-back with the actors.
This year’s Stage2 production is created with a 6th through 12th grade curriculum/audience in mind. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most accessible comedies, touching on themes of jealousy, unrequited (or mistaken!) love, grand interference by the fairy kingdom, and finding confidence, maturity and personal agency. We do encourage educators and/or parents to read the play being presented and make the best choice for their students of any age. We recommend discussing the play with your students before and after you view our production. Please use the information and graphic below to gain a better idea of what to expect from this year’s play and let us know if you have specific questions about content.
Open Captioning will be provided at every student matinee performance. In addition, ASL interpretation or Audio Description for student matinees may be available upon request. We are also equipped to respond to other disability-related requests. For questions or more information, please email Alicia at education@commshakes.org.
CSC, in coordination with the Strand Theatre and the City of Boston, continues to diligently monitor the public health situation relative to Covid-19. Decisions are made with the safety of our audiences, artists and staff as our top priority. As a building run by the City of Boston itself, the Strand and CSC will follow city-mandated Covid-guidelines, including any vaccination, distancing or masking rules, CSC also reserves the right to add additional protective guidelines where deemed necessary for the safety of all. As of today, we will require all audience members to be masked regardless of individual school/district guidelines, and a minimum seating distance of 3ft between audience members. As of this time, Boston’s B-Together policy requiring proof of vaccination will NOT apply to school groups attending our student matinees: “Students participating in school trips to covered establishments, such as museums, or school-sponsored athletic events are not required to show their vaccination status.” Should you have an individual concern or questions about our safety protocols, please reach out to us at education@commshakes.org.
As of today, all CSC staff and performers on site will be fully vaccinated and required to undergo a health screening each day before arriving in the building. Performers will not be masked while onstage during the performance but will maintain a safe distance from the audience. Otherwise, masks are required of all CSC staff while on site
Safety policies will continue to be updated throughout the year as needed. Any changes to the above policies will be communicated here and sent to all attendees directly.
Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s Stage2 Performance Series provides the opportunity for students and their teachers to attend high-quality live theater created with them in mind. These abridged productions use Shakespeare’s original text, and focus on the themes and stories that will resonate most with young audiences. Performed by our young professional CSC2 Acting Company, these performances bring together the next generation of actors with the next generation theater goers.
CSC2 is a company of early-career professional actors that works with Commonwealth Shakespeare Company to further develop skills in classical acting through performance (including in CSC’s flagship Shakespeare on the Common production), artistic and professional development, and through different educational and coaching settings.
Zoe Abuyuan (she/her) is so grateful to be here in Boston doing live theatre with Commonwealth! Most recently seen as Rosalind in Shakespeare’s As You Like It with PICT Classic Theatre. Select Credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Helena/Snout, PICT Classic Theatre), and Romeo & Juliet (Juliet), Much Ado About Nothing (Conrade/Ursula) and Taming of the Shrew (Widow) with Shakespeare in the Woods. Graduate of The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre.
Siobhán Carroll (she/her/hers) is delighted to be returning to Commonwealth Shakespeare Company after being a part of their production of Universe Rushing Apart: Blue Kettle & Here We Go. Other Boston credits include Red Velvet (O.W.I.); My Fascination With Creepy Ladies and I, Snowflake (Anthem Theatre Company); The Three Sisters (Apollinaire Theatre Company); and Next To Normal (Arts After Hours). Catch her as Petra in the series Ms/Manage now out on Black Oak TV.
Nettie Chickering* – Commonwealth Shakespeare Company: Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Stage2), CSC Apprentice 2020. Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival: Romeo & Juliet. 60 Hour Shakespeare: Othello, As You Like It, Twelfth Night. Hub Theatre Boston: Love, Loss, & What I Wore, Into the Breeches! Nettie has also been seen at La Mama ETC and The Rubin Museum of Art. Nettie is a vocalist for the free jazz/poetry ensemble Heroes Are Gang Leaders. @nettiechickering
Ekemini Ekpo (she/her) is happy to be back with CommShakes! Around town, she has performed with the Artists’ Theater of Boston, Apollinaire Theatre Company, and Praxis Stage. She is also a member of the 24 Hour Plays: Nationals 2020 Company and the inaugural IGNITE Mentorship cohort for emerging women and non-binary artists of color, through which she is mentored by Jocelyn Bioh. Education: Harvard College, Atlantic Acting School IG: @e.u.ekpo, ekeminiekpo.com
Duncan Gallagher (he/him) is delighted to return to Boston with this extraordinary company. Previous work in the area includes The Tempest (CSC) and Love’s Labour’s Lost (Hub Theatre Co.) Elsewhere: Echo, in a Diner (world premiere, Columbia University) and The Country Wife (Sweet Tea Shakespeare.) Upcoming: Much Ado About Nothing (CSC.) Credits while training include Brutus in Julius Caesar, Antonio in The Changeling and the title role in Richard III. MA: LAMDA, BA: Brown University. duncan-gallagher.com
Jessica Golden is delighted to be back on the Common! Her previous credits with CSC include: Much Ado About Nothing (Military Messenger/Nikkole), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Oberon and Theseus), and The Tempest (Iris). She was a 2019 CSC Apprentice, and played Oberon in Midsummer, also directed by Bryn Boice. Other local credits include: Into the Breeches!, Love’s Labour’s Lost, and Much Ado About Nothing (Hub). Jessica is a proud graduate of NYU/Tisch. @_jessicagolden
Alicia Hartz (she/her) has acted as a CSC Apprentice, performed virtually with CSC2, and is excited to be making her CSC Stage2 debut! Other credits include Viola in Twelfth Night (RADA, London, UK), My Daughter Keeps Our Hammer (Playwrights Horizons, NY), Hero Worship (Signature Theater, D.C.), Medea (Queen’s Theater, NY), The Circle Rules (Player’s Theatre, NY), and a Summer Cabaret Artist (Carousel Music Theater, ME). Much love to Bryn and Victoria for their continued support! alicia.v.hartz@gmail.com
Jaime José Hernández (he/him) is thrilled to be a part of CSC2! He was most recently seen in Romeo & Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Apollinaire Theatre Company). Other credits include: The Arboretum Experience (American Repertory Theatre); Much Ado About Nothing, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Hub Theatre Company of Boston); Vicuña (Zeitgeist Stage Company); SLAM BOSTON (Open Theatre Project). Jaime is a company member of Teatro Chelsea. jaimejosehernandez.com
Jon Vellante (he/him) is a Boston-based Theatre, Film and TV Actor. Recent credits include Julia (HBO Max); The Women and Science Festival (Central Square Theater); The Taming of the Shrew (Sh*t-Faced Shakespeare); The Sound Inside (u/s, Speakeasy Stage Company); and the short Automate (winner, best actor at London Shorts). Jon also works as an actor for IBIS Consulting in partnership with Google as part of DEI training. For upcoming projects, visit www.jonvellante.com.
Xander Viera is extremely grateful to be back with CSC this summer, having performed in Much Ado About Nothing directed by Megan Sandberg-Zakian last year and CSC’s Stage2 productions of Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer’s Night Dream both directed by Bryn Boice. Regional: As You Like It (Touchstone). Salem State University: The Laramie Project (Hing/ Minister), Gunplay, Harvey (Chumley), A Free Man of Color, among others. A special thank you to my loved ones for your support and guidance. @thexanderv
Regine Vital (she/her/hers) is a theatre artist, administrator, educator, scholar, and storyteller from Somerville, MA. As an actor, director, dramaturge, and coach, she has worked with several Boston area theatre companies, including Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, ArtsEmerson, Company One, Central Square Theatre, HUB Theatre Company, Fresh Ink Theatre, and Flat Earth Theatre. She has taught composition, introductory literature, and public speaking at the college level; text and performance to high schoolers; and continuing adult education classes in literature. Regine holds degrees from Boston University, UMass Boston, and studied Shakespeare at King’s College, London and Shakespeare’s Globe. Currently, she is the Manager of Curriculum and Instruction at The Huntington.
Dylan C. Wack (Friar Laurence) is thrilled to be returning to Commonwealth Shakespeare Company after performing in Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest, and the CSC2 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He has performed with the Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre, the Front Porch Arts Collective, Theater in the Open, New Repertory Theatre, Fresh Ink Theatre, Sparkhaven Theatre, and AATAB, among others. He holds a BFA from Boston University and a Certificate in Classical Acting from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Originally from Newburyport, Massachusetts, Dylan now resides in Brooklyn. dylancwack.com | @dylanwack
Bryn Boice is an award-winning director, educator, actor, and producer, as well as CSC’s Associate Artistic Director and Director of Education & Training. Also for CSC, Bryn helmed Universe Rushing Apart: Blue Kettle & Here We Go – two Caryl Churchill one-acts – which garnered her the Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Director, Large Theatre. Other recent Boston-area credits include: The Sound Inside and The Children (both Elliot Norton nominated for Outstanding Production, Speakeasy Stage); The Book of Will, Into the Breeches! (Elliot Norton nom. for Direction and Production, Hub Theatre Company); Tall Tales from Blackburn Tavern, Gloria (Gloucester Stage); The Half-Life of Marie Curie (The Nora Company); Admissions (The Gamm Theatre); Last Night at Bowl-Mor Lanes (Greater Boston Stage Company); an all-female production of Julius Caesar for Actors’ Shakespeare Project; and a number of Apprentice Repertory Company and Stage2 productions for CSC. New York, regional and other Boston credits as an actor and/or director include work with Asolo Repertory Company, Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, Anthem Theatre Company, Okoboji Theatre, InProximity Theatre, Theatre Row, Martha’s Vineyard PAC, Monomoy Theatre, Caroline’s on Broadway, and Manhattan Theatre Club. Before turning full-time to CSC, she taught at Salem State University, where her wide-ranging experience allowed her to teach Voice for Performance, Applied Stage Movement, Public Speaking, Directing, Acting III (Early Realism), Dramatic Theory & Criticism, and Dialects, among others. MFA in Directing, Boston University. MFA in Acting, Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training (FSU). Member AEA. For more information visit www.brynboice.com
Kelsey Whipple – PM roles: CSC Apprentice Program 2022 PSM roles: Wheelock Family Theater: Bud, Not Buddy; Commonwealth Shakespeare Company: A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Hub Theatre Company: The Book of Will, Into the Breeches!, and Love’s Labour’s Lost; Boston Opera Collaborative: Marriage of Figaro. ASM roles: Actors’ Shakespeare Project: Seven Guitars, Merchant of Venice, Complete Works… (Abridged), Pride and Prejudice, Much Ado About Nothing; Hub Theatre Company: Peter and the Starcatcher, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot. Other work: Production business administrator at Emerson College, Choreographer for Suffolk University’s Show Choir, Rampage.
Lisette Van Den Boogaard is a freelance Stage Manager around the Boston area and is very excited about returning to Stage2 at CSC for A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Recent credits include: Machine Learning (ASM, Central Square Theatre), How I Learned to Drive (ASM, Actor Shakespeare Project), Taming of the Shrew (SM, Actors’ Shakespeare Project), Romeo and Juliet (SM, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company) Metamorphoses (PSM, Suffolk University), Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus and Marry Me A Little (ASM PA, Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre).
Amanda Fallon (they/she) is a theatre artist and educator with a deep love for new work and devising. She and her characteristically loud bouts of laughter have called parts of Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts home, but after the recent completion of an MFA in Lighting Design at Boston University, they’ve continued to enjoy designing, teaching, and eating miscellaneous baked goods along the East Coast. www.amandafallondesign.com
Lindsay Genevieve Fuori (she/her) is a scenic designer for theatre, opera, and events. Recent regional credits include Becoming Dr. Ruth (Music Theatre Connecticut), Parade (Moonbox Productions), Native Gardens (Gloucester Stage), and The Crucible (The Nora Theatre/Bedlam). Lindsay is a Teaching Artist at Thomas A. Edison K8 School through the Boston Arts Expansion Fund. She also serves as an Industry Panelist for MassOpera’s New Opera Workshop. Lindsay holds a B.F.A. in Scenic Design from Boston University. lindsayfuori.com.
Brooke Stanton (she/her) is a costumer who has worked in theatre, film, and television. During her five years with George Lucas’ ILM, she built creatures for the Star Wars Special Edition Trilogy and The Phantom Menace. She has toured internationally and nationally designing for Peter Sellars. Other clients include Disney, Columbia Pictures, CBS, American Repertory Theatre, American Conservatory Theatre, Aspen Music Festival, Boston Symphony Youth Orchestra, Commonwealth Shakespeare, New England Conservatory, and Odyssey Opera. She studied Costume Design at NYU and Textiles at California College of the Arts. www.brookestanton.com
The Strand Theatre,
owned by the City of Boston and managed by the Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture
543 Columbia Road
Boston, MA 02125
From South: Take I-93 North to exit 15, Columbia Road. Left at the bottom of ramp to third set of lights.There is a Kentucky Fried Chicken / Tedeschi’s on the corner. Turn left onto Columbia Road. Go through two sets of lights, the Strand is on the left, just past Bank of America.
From North: Take I-93 South to exit 15, Columbia Road. Right at the bottom of ramp to third set of lights. There is a Kentucky Fried Chicken / Tedeschi’s on the corner. Turn left onto Columbia Road. Go through two sets of lights, the Strand is on the left, just past Bank of America.
From West: Mass Pike (I-90) east into Boston, to I-93 south. Follow “From the NORTH” directions.
From Jamaica Plain/ Brookline: Take the JamaicaWay south to the Arborway. Keep straight to the rotary. Go 3/4 around the rotary and turn into Franklin Park. Go through the park, and turn left onto Blue Hill Avenue. Go about 50 yards, then make a right onto Columbia Road. The Strand is about 1 1/3 miles down on the right, just past the Strand/ Walgreen’s Pharmacy.
On street parking is available on Columbia Road.
Free off-street parking is available in the Ramsey Street Municipal lot. Ramsey Street is located at the intersection of Dudley Street and Columbia Road behind CVS Pharmacy and Payless Shoes.
For evening and Sunday shows, free parking is also available in the Citizen’s Bank and Santander Bank parking lots. The Citizen’s Bank lot is located at the corner of Columbia Road and Cushing Avenue. The Santander Bank lot is located in the rear of the bank at 585 Columbia Rd.
Red Line: Get off at Andrew station. Take the #16 (Forest Hills) or #17 (Field’s Corner) bus to Upham’s Corner/Dudley Street. Get off in front of Payless Shoe Store. The Strand is up one block on the left, just past Bank of America.
Orange Line: Get off at Ruggles station. Take the #15 (Upham’s Corner) bus via Dudley Station. Get off in front of Get off in front of Payless Shoe Store. The Strand is up one block on the left, just past Bank of America.
Orange Line: Get off at Forest Hills station. Take the #16 (Forest Hills) or #17 (Field’s Corner) bus to Upham’s Corner/Dudley Street. Get off in front of Payless Shoe Store. The Strand is up one block on the left, just past Bank of America.
What is the running time of the production?
The performance runs approximately 90 minutes without intermission.
For student matinees, each performance is followed by a talk back with the cast which will last no more than an additional half hour. Schools may choose to be dismissed before or after the talk back and can indicate this preference when booking.
What ages is the production appropriate for?
Stage2 productions are presented using Shakespeare’s original text, cut for length to approximately 1.5 hours without intermission. Our cuts focus on highlighting the themes, ideas and language that will resonate strongly for a student audience. Our creative team and performers make choices that serve to illuminate the storytelling for this audience without “watering down” the source material.
This year’s Stage2 production is created with a 6th through 12th grade curriculum/audience in mind. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most accessible comedies, touching on themes of jealousy, unrequited (or mistaken!) love, grand interference by the fairy kingdom, and finding confidence, maturity and personal agency. We do encourage educators and/or parents to read the play being presented and make the best choice for their students of any age. We recommend discussing the play with your students before and after you view our production. Please use the information and graphic below to gain a better idea of what to expect from this year’s play and let us know if you have specific questions about content.
What safety protocols do you have in place relative to covid-19?
CSC, in coordination with the Strand Theatre and the City of Boston, continues to diligently monitor the public health situation relative to Covid-19. Decisions are made with the safety of our audiences, artists and staff as our top priority. As a building run by the City of Boston itself, the Strand and CSC will follow city-mandated Covid-guidelines, including any vaccination, distancing or masking rules, CSC also reserves the right to add additional protective guidelines where deemed necessary for the safety of all. As of today, we will require all audience members to be masked regardless of individual school/district guidelines, and a minimum seating distance of 3ft between audience members. As of this time, Boston’s B-Together policy requiring proof of vaccination will NOT apply to school groups attending our student matinees: “Students participating in school trips to covered establishments, such as museums, or school-sponsored athletic events are not required to show their vaccination status.” Should you have an individual concern or questions about our safety protocols, please reach out to us at education@commshakes.org.
As of today, all CSC staff and performers on site will be fully vaccinated and required to undergo a health screening each day before arriving in the building. Performers will not be masked while onstage during the performance but will maintain a safe distance from the audience. Otherwise, masks are required of all CSC staff while on site.
Safety policies will continue to be updated throughout the year as needed. Any changes to the above policies will be communicated here and sent to all attendees directly.
Is there handicap seating available?
Yes, there are several locations in the theater to accommodate wheelchairs. For student matinees, please indicate any seating needs during booking.
Are assisted listening devices available?
Yes, visit the box office for assisted listening devices.
What other accessibility services are available?
Open Captioning will be provided at every student matinee performance. In addition, ASL interpretation or Audio Description for student matinees may be available upon request. We are also equipped to respond to other disability-related requests. For questions or more information, please email Alicia at education@commshakes.org.
Schools are asked to arrive between 15-30 minutes before curtain to be seated in the theater. We advise you give yourself plenty of time for parking and walking to the theater.
What are instructions for parking and transportation?
The Strand Theatre staff will meet all buses at the curb in front of the theater for drop-off of students,
On-street parking is available on Columbia Road.
Free off-street parking is available in the Ramsey Street Municipal lot. Ramsey Street is located at the intersection of Dudley Street and Columbia Road behind CVS Pharmacy and Payless Shoes.
For evening and Sunday shows, free parking is also available in the Citizen’s Bank and Santander Bank parking lots. The Citizen’s Bank lot is located at the corner of Columbia Road and Cushing Avenue. The Santander Bank lot is located in the rear of the bank at 585 Columbia Rd.
MBTA
Red Line: Get off at Andrew station. Take the #16 (Forest Hills) or #17 (Field’s Corner) bus to Upham’s Corner/Dudley Street. Get off in front of Payless Shoe Store. The Strand is up one block on the left, just past Bank of America.
Orange Line: Get off at Ruggles station. Take the #15 (Upham’s Corner) bus via Dudley Station. Get off in front of Get off in front of the Payless Shoe Store. The Strand is up one block on the left, just past Bank of America.
Orange Line: Get off at Forest Hills station. Take the #16 (Forest Hills) or #17 (Field’s Corner) bus to Upham’s Corner/Dudley Street. Get off in front of Payless Shoe Store. The Strand is up one block on the left, just past Bank of America.
There is no food or drink permitted in the theater.
Please note for student matinees, due to safety considerations we will not be permitting any schools to bring bagged lunches to eat on site this year.
Are shows delayed or canceled for weather?
Audience and actor safety is our main concern. In cases of heavy snow or extreme weather, we will cancel and try to re-seat patrons into an alternative performance date. Weather updates can be found on the homepage of our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
For student matinees, a member of our Audience Services team will be in touch with the school group’s lead chaperone should there be any changes or cancellations to the performance.
The taking of photos or video is strictly prohibited.
How can I support Commonwealth Shakespeare Company?
To make a donation or call 617-426-0863. Click on the Ways To Give tab on our website to learn more about upcoming fundraising events and ways to get involved.
Grant Opportunities
School SAVOR Program is a Commonwealth Shakespeare Company initiative that receives generous funding from sponsors to provide student tickets to schools facing extreme economic hardships .Through the SAVOR program, students attend a matinee at reduced or zero cost to them or their school. The program may even cover the cost of transportation and additional in school workshops. Interested schools should fill out the application at the button below. Please make sure you have ALSO filled out your Student Matinee Booking Request Form (and Workshop Quote Form if applying for workshop funding) so that we have full information about your school’s needs.
SAVOR stands for Subsidized Art is a Value & Our Right. We firmly believe that art, and theatre in particular, should be savored live, early, and often. We hope to break down barriers to theatre, and show students art that is created for them.
The National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest presents Shakespeare in American Communities. CSC is one of 40 professional theater companies selected to participate in bringing the finest productions of Shakespeare to middle- and high-school students in communities across the United States and to conduct related educational activities for students.