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Nov 02, 2023

'A Midsummer Night's Dream' unfolds at Shakespeare on the Lawn at Kenmore

Tripp Lloyd as Nick Bottom, Justin Yates as Flute/Peasblossom and Genevieve

Tripp Lloyd as Nick Bottom, Justin Yates as Flute/Peasblossom and Genevieve Timpone as Snout/Cobweb star in ‘A Midsummer Night's Dream.’

The comedy follows two young couples from Athens who find themselves in a romantic mess. Above: Susan Rhea as Hermia and Tim Leece as Lysander.

Evan Keene plays the beloved mischievous sprite Puck.

Allison Ellis of the George Washington Foundation said the lawn at Kenmore is a place to bring history, people and theater together.

Puck, Shakespeare's mischievous magical fairy, is set once again to narrate the story of the misadventures of two young Athenian couples who went into the woods to escape life's circumstances, mixed-up love potions, a prank involving a fairy queen and donkey's head, and other shenanigans.

Fredericksburg Theatre Ensemble's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" will open Saturday, kicking off the 20th season of Shakespeare on the Lawn at Kenmore.

Adrienne Daly, now a three-time veteran director of Shakespeare on the Lawn, said the comedy stands on its own, and does not require the same breadth of knowledge as some other works by the Bard.

"It's a pretty simple story," said Daly, an actor and former artistic director with the Fredericksburg Theater Ensemble. "You don't have to know about the War of the Roses to keep up. I believe it is Shakespeare's most beloved comedy. People love a fairy. It's one of his most performed works, because again, people love a fairy."

Daly, who set the show in the 1920s because of the interesting visuals, said her aim is to lead people successfully through the play.

"I try to make it as accessible as possible by making the jokes big," Daly said. "People can be intimidated, but it's just the language really. When there's a joke, I try to make it as simple as humanly possible for people to be able to figure out what's going on."

Heather McIntosh, who plays the fairy queen Titania, said Daly indeed has a knack for what she does.

"Shakespearian language is a little bit hard for the common ear to understand. She's exceptionally talented in making it clear and accessible to the audience," said McIntosh, a veteran actor at Shakespeare on the Lawn. "She also really gets comedy. Every time I’ve seen her direct shows in the past, they’ve been quite wonderful. I really do think that this might be one of the best we’ve done this far."

The play's talent, McIntosh said, does not end with Daly. Some in the cast are returning to Shakespeare on the Lawn.

"This cast is a mixture of veterans of the Kenmore Shakespeare productions and some new faces, too," McIntosh said. "Everybody is just really killing it and having a great time. It's really a lot of very talented individuals. I’m really overjoyed to be with the company this year. I’m stoked."

Daly said promised the show would be a hoot.

"I think it's a fun time and people always enjoy ‘A Midsummer Nights’ Dream.’ If you’ve got nothing better to do or you like Shakespeare, come on out," Daly said.

Visitors to Shakespeare on the Lawn are welcome to come early, when the gates open at 5:30 p.m., with blankets and chairs and perhaps a picnic basket — sights Daly enjoys.

"People come out and they set up picnics and enjoy themselves and we do a show," Daly said. "It's also a good venue for kids. Peopled bring their families and everything. It can be a child's first Shakespeare experience, which makes me happy."

McIntosh has been bringing her now 10- and 15-year-old daughters to Shakespeare on the Lawn for the past few years and they enjoy the shows.

"Despite their years, they absolutely love it," McIntosh said. "So, I think audiences, no matter what age they are, will have a fun time and will laugh. This show is really fun. It's so whimsical, and there's great relationships both within the fairy community and then the regular humans."

Allison Ellis, manager of public programs with George Washington Foundation, said the Kenmore House would also open to visitors. The nonprofit owns and operates Kenmore and Ferry Farm, George Washington's boyhood home.

This Kenmore House, which George Washington's sister Betty Washington Lewis and her husband Fielding Lewis built before the Revolutionary War, contains furnishings and accessories depicting the Lewis’ wealth.

Some of the interest lies in features of the 18th-century house itself.

"One of the biggest highlights is the plaster work ceiling. Kenmore has three beautiful, ornate, stucco plaster ceilings that were created by ‘The Stucco Man’, an indentured servant, when the house was created," Ellis said.

Ellis said the lawn at Kenmore is a place to bring history, people and theater together.

"It's a really great place for the community to gather and to have special programs like Shakespeare on the Lawn. It brings people together and it brings art to the community. We like to celebrate the arts at Kenmore and have It be something special," Ellis said.

McIntosh said performing Shakespeare outside is perfectly special and Kenmore fits the bill as a venue.

"It's been great that we’ve had this relationship with Kenmore. It's just such a great way to be outside, especially for this show which takes place in the wilderness. I think it's going to be a beautiful setting for this show," McIntosh said.

Shakespeare on the Lawn at Kenmore: "A Midsummer Night's Dream," Historic Kenmore, 1201 Washington Ave., Fredericksburg. June 10-11 and June 17-18, from 7-8:30 p.m. Grounds open at 5:30 p.m. Bring lawn chairs or blankets. $15 adults, $7 students ages 6-17, free for children under 6. Purchase tickets onsite or online at kenmore.org/events.

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