Valley Performing Arts preparing Shakespearean play

Valley Performing Arts' production of William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" teems with a gossamer glow that is sure to titillate the senses, according to VPA. And it's right around the corner.

Set in Italy in 1925, in an age of exuberant innocence, Valley Performing Arts' "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is a perfect antidote for the winter blahs.

Produced in association with Lucas Chiropractic, Professional Colorgraphics and KMBQ, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" runs from Jan. 18 through Feb. 3 at Fred and Sara Machetanz Theatre in Wasilla.

Director Grant Olson has assembled a first-rate creative team to weave a magical spell on the dream-like proceedings. Shakespeare incorporated several sets of lyrics into his script, to add to the dreaminess of the story, sung by the fairies, so Olson asked local composer Philip Munger to score the show for the songs and incidental music. Setting his music to movement is choreographer Sharon Peek.

The moonlit skies and shadowy woods, so tricky in a production of this kind, will be lit by veteran lighting designer Damien Salvo. The 20-plus characters have been stylishly adorned in a variety of costumes, from beautiful Italian high fashion and work clothes to the glittery costumes of the spirit world, by costume designer Mary Putnam.

Brian Mead has put together a free-flowing set that includes an Italian palazzo and a sylvan countryside. Shaping it all into a spell-binding and airy melange is resident technical director Rod Mehrtens.

An Italian duke, Theseus (Andrew Goodwin), has overtaken the fair and embattled Hippolyta (Yvonne Oliver) during a skirmish in the Italian Alps at the end of World War I. Seven years later, he has finally set a date, four days hence, when they will be married. In this version, Hippolyta is still resistant. She is made more so by the way this barbaric duke and his courtiers administer justice to the lovely daughter of a local aristocrat.

Theseus is approached by Egeus (Jack Foster), who asks for the judgment on his daughter, Hermia (Kelsey Myrvold). She has resisted her father's wishes and prefers to marry Lysander (Jake Peterson) rather than her father's choice, Demetrius (Gunnar Babcock). To a nunnery or to her death are the choices offered her by the duke.

When the courtyard has been emptied, Lysander suggests to Hermia that they elope to another city where they will go unnoticed. When they unveil the news to Hermia's close school friend, Helena (Aurora Pease), whose unrequited love for Demetrius has made her rash and desperately wanton, the plot thickens. In order to win his favor, Helena will reveal the news to Demetrius.

Into the woods the lovers go. Their folly is made more so by the embattled estrangement of the fairy king and queen, Oberon (John Simon) and Titania (Jennifer Harris), whose attendees of pixy sprites and elves can only watch with bewilderment.

Heading the pack of elves is Puck (Hillarie Putnam), a fun-loving trickster. Her counterpart, as head of Titania's fairies, is played by Sarah Hendricks.

The elfin court includes Laura Anderson, Eric Hendricks, Liza Krauszer, Christina Perkins, Madelin Siedler, Jacob Simon and Kate Williams.

In the meantime a crew of workingmen, referred to as rude mechanicals, venture out into the woods to rehearse a play in preparation for a performance at the duke's wedding festivities. Led by Peter Quince (Steve Cuthbert), the cast includes the boisterous Bottom (Tom Jacobs), who takes on the role of Pyramis and inadvertently entwines himself in the imbroglio between Oberon and Titania, Sung (Craig Sorrie), Snout (Adam Thomas), Starveling (Bill Campbell) and Flute (Curtis Shirley), who undertakes the role of Thisbe, Pyramis' lover.

Somehow magically, and as in all good comedies, the mechanicals win the chance to perform their play before the duke and are introduced to the court by the master of revelry, Philostrate (Warren Foster).

Tickets for a "A Midsummer Night's Dream" are $15.50 for adults and $13.50 for youth and seniors. They are on sale at all CARRS TIX locations, or by calling (800) 478-7328.

For updates and more photographs, interested people can visit the VPA Web site at www.valleyperformingarts.org.