Richmond is so fortunate, not only to have summer Shakespeare in the Park performances, but to have them in the courtyard of the regal Agecroft Hall. The 16th season of Richmond’s Shakespeare Festival, presented by the recently combined Henley Street Theatre and Richmond Shakespeare kicks off with A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Director Jan Powell has assembled an A-list of Richmond comedic actors who bring life and laughs to this classic complicated comedy. Mischievous Fairies cast love spells that wreak havoc among characters in multiple story lines surrounding the impending marriage of the Duke of Athens.

First there is Hermia (Audra Honaker) who loves Lysander (Charley Raintree) but her mother Egeus (Anne Carr Regan) wants her to marry Demetrius (Dixon Cashwell) who is loved by Hermia’s friend Helena (Maggie Roop).

Then there are the mechanicals – a rag-tag group of amateur actors rehearsing a play written by Quince (Elisabeth Ashby). Among them are Bottom (David White), Flute (John Mincks), Snug (Lucas Hall), Starveling (Eddie Webster) and Snout (LaSean Greene).

In the final story line Oberon, King of the Fairies (John Moon) with the assistance of his mischievous assistant Puck (Raven Lorraine Wilkes) is responsible for casting the love spells on various characters including his wife Titania (Melissa Johnston Price), who is quarreling with him over an Indian changeling boy that she has taken custody of, but he wants as his aide.

Stand out performances include White as Bottom (a pompous actor who gets turned into an ass) and Mincks as Flute (who, as was common in Shakespeare’s time, is cast in the play within a play as a woman). But it is Wilkes’ Puck that truly is the highlight of the show. Her personable Puck commands the stage with an impish smile and an infectious laugh. The elements of slapstick comedy liberally sprinkled throughout the production work well – especially with the Mechanicals and Audra Honaker and her suitors.

Richard Moxley’s set is basic, with interwoven sticks used as the fairy forest where most of the action takes place. BJ Wilkinson has the difficult task of lighting the stage, while competing in Act 1 with natural sunlight. In Act 2, dim blue lights in night scenes contrast with oranges at dawn and pinks in the “magical” scenes to enhance the mood. Virginia McConnell’s costumes are novel; with an early 1900’s type theme that is never quite explained with Shakespeare’s storyline.

Aptly timed, with ambient fireflies (or fairies?) to light up the sky; A Midsummer Night’s Dream makes for a magical early summer evening of entertainment.

Photo Gallery

The Mechanicals	John Moon as Oberon, Melissa Johnston Price as Titania and Paxton Martinez as the boy
The fairies	Raven Wilkes as Puck
Allison Blanton as Mustardseed and Raven Wilkes as Puck	Raven Wilkes as Puck and John Moon as Oberon
Melissa Johnston Price as Titania, David White as Bottom

Photos by Eric Dobbs

The Cast

The Nobles

• Theseus: John Moon
• Hippolyta: Melissa Johnston Price
• Hermia: Audra Honaker
• Lysander: Charley Raintree
• Helena: Maggie Roop
• Demetrius: Dixon Cashwell
• Egeus/Philostrate: Anne Carr Regan

The Fairy Kingdom

• Titania: Melissa Johnston Price
• Oberon: John Moon
• Puck: Raven Lorraine Wilkes
• Peaseblossom: Patrick Bello
• Cobweb: Catherine Smith
• Moth: Johanna Rozycki
• Mustardseed: Allison Blanton
• Indian Boy: Paxton Martinez

The Mechanicals

• Quince: Elisabeth Ashby
• Bottom: David White
• Flute: John Mincks
• Snug: Lucas Hall
• Snout: LaSean Greene
• Starveling: Eddie Webster

The Crew

• Director: Jan Powell
• Assistant Director: Melissa Rayford
• Production Manager: Austin R. Cooper
• Stage Manager: Hannah Adaway
• Costume Design: Virginia McConnell
• Lighting Design: BJ Wilkinson
• Set Design & Construction: Richard Moxley
• Sound Design: Andrew Craig
• Properties Management: David Plotnick
• Movement Specialist: Kaye Weinstein Gary
• Text Coach: Shirley Kagan

Disclaimer: Richmond Shakespeare provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

I have to be honest. After a year and a half of reviewing theater in Richmond, there are some actors I look forward to seeing perform. One such performer is Katrinah Carol Lewis. For me, it is almost a guarantee that it will be an emotional, intense and mufti-dimensional performance.

Death and the Maiden, which is being produced by the newly combined Henley Street Theatre and Richmond Shakespeare does not disappoint.

Lewis is powerful as Paulina, a woman in an undisclosed Latin American country who was the victim 15 years ago of state sponsored torture and rape. Her husband Gerardo (David Clark) has recently been appointed by the newly elected president to serve on a commission investigating all abuses by the former government that ended in death. In a twist of fate, Gerardo gets a flat tire and accepts a ride home from a man named Dr. Roberto Miranda (Christopher Dunn), who Paulina believes is the doctor who tortured and raped her in her captivity. Paulina takes the man captive and forces him to stand “trial” in their living room for his crimes.

The first five minutes of the play contain no dialogue, yet Lewis commands the stage.

Clark and Dunn stand their own with Lewis in creating a poignant tale which leaves the audience wondering whether Miranda is guilty or Paulina is simply paranoid and crazy. Is Miranda really the man who played Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden” while committing his crimes?

In introducing the show, Artistic Director Jan Powell pointed out that the theatre company not only produces classics, but works that are critical to be discussed. Death and the Maiden is truly one such work. Who is the voice of civilization? When “crazy people” are in power, do we have to indulge them?

There are many intense moments in this play, including a slide show at the end, and some “interesting” action during intermission (that I won’t spoil for future audiences).

While director Gary Hopper did an overall outstanding job in his casting and presentation, there were a few choices I questioned. For instance, Paulina puts her gun away at a strange moment, only to bring it back out later on. A fight scene is a bit unrealistic with some clearly missed blows and others that seemed quite realistic.

Also, BJ Wilkinson’s lights and Andrew Craig’s sound were mostly perfect and added a great deal to the intensity and mood of the play; but it became a bit odd that thunder and lightning only took place between scenes.

Tennessee Dixon’s set worked well for the Latin American home, but I am on the fence about an odd backdrop of stiffly starched clothing from floor to ceiling. While it worked well in the final moments, it might have worked better if it could have been dropped in for the ending, rather than serving as a distraction throughout the play.

Except for these minor flaws, Death and the Maiden is one of the most intense, effective and thought-provoking dramas of the year. The performances and story make this a drama not to be missed.

Photo Gallery

Christopher Dunn as Roberto Miranda and Katrinah Lewis and Paulina Salas	David Clark as Gerardo Escobar and Katrinah Lewis as Paulina Salas

Photos by Chris Smith

The Cast

• Paulina Salas: Katrinah Carol Lewis
• Gerardo Escobar: David Clark
• Roberto Miranda: Christopher Dunn

The Crew

• Director: Gary Hopper
• Production Stage Manager: Austin Cooper
• Set Design: Tennessee Dixon
• Costume Design: Elizabeth Hopper
• Lighting Design: BJ Wilkinson
• Sound Design: Andrew Craig
• Technical Director: Kevin Johnson
• Fight Choreographer: Aaron D. Anderson
• Dramaturg: Mac MacDaniel
• Wardrobe: Jackie Cook

Disclaimer: Henley Street Theatre/Richmond Shakespeare provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review of the preview performance.