GUTHRIE THEATER PRESENTS WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, DIRECTED BY JOSEPH HAJ

Filled with music and mischief, the Guthrie’s production of Shakespeare’s popular play celebrates the joys and complexities of love

Previews begin Saturday, February 1; Opening on Thursday, February 6
Playing through Sunday, March 23 on the Wurtele Thrust Stage

(Minneapolis/St. Paul) — The Guthrie Theater (Joseph Haj, Artistic Director) today announced the cast and creative team for A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, directed by Joseph Haj. One of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, A Midsummer Night’s Dream explores love and all its complexities throughout one comedy-filled night. The show begins previews on Saturday, February 1 and will play through Sunday, March 23. Single and group tickets are now on sale through the Box Office or online at guthrietheater.org. Accessibility services (ASL-interpreted, audio-described, open-captioned and relaxed performances) are also available on select dates. 

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s greatest and most beloved works,” said Artistic Director Joseph Haj. “Many scholars agree that Shakespeare wrote the play for a wedding, and when you look at the story through that lens, you see the playwright showing the couple various chapters of love across a lifetime.” Haj continued, “Our production will carry that thread of love within the frame of Shakespeare’s funny and entertaining play. I’m excited to direct this production at the Guthrie and share it with our community.”

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is set on the shortest night of the year as the magical and mortal worlds collide. What could possibly go wrong? Shakespeare gives us a clue: “The course of true love never did run smooth.” In this beloved tale of mischief and merriment, four stories are cleverly woven together: the marriage of the Athenian duke to the Amazon queen; a spat between the fairy king and queen; the follies of four lovers; and the hilarious antics of amateur actors staging a play. When the exhilarating night in the forest finally resolves to (almost) everyone’s satisfaction, a new day of love, joy and reconciliation dawns. 

The cast of A Midsummer Night’s Dream includes Remy Auberjonois (Guthrie: The Glass Menagerie, Cyrano de Bergerac, Noises Off) as Nick Bottom, Royer Bockus (Guthrie: debut) as Helena, Dustin Bronson (Guthrie: The History Plays, Hamlet, To Kill a Mockingbird) as Snug/Fairy, Aimee K. Bryant (Guthrie: A Christmas Carol, My Fair Lady, Caroline, or Change) as Tom Snout/Fairy, John Catron (Guthrie: A Christmas Carol, The History Plays, Hamlet) as Theseus/Oberon, Ari Derambakhsh (Guthrie: debut) as Hermia, Jimmy Kieffer (Guthrie: The History Plays, South Pacific) as Philostrate/Puck, Kimberly Richardson (Guthrie: The Little Prince) as Robin Starveling/Fairy, Jonathan Luke Stevens (Guthrie: debut) as Lysander, William Sturdivant (Guthrie: The Lehman Trilogy, The History Plays, Hamlet) as Egeus/Peter Quince, Regina Marie Williams (Guthrie: A Christmas Carol, Into the Woods, Hamlet) as Hippolyta/Titania, Justin Withers (Guthrie: debut) as Demetrius and Max Wojtanowicz (Guthrie: A Christmas Carol, Into the Woods, Hamlet) as Franics Flute/Fairy.

The creative team includes Joseph Haj (Director), Lex Liang (Scenic and Costume Designer), Isabella Byrd (Lighting Designer), Darron L West (Sound Designer), Jack Herrick (Composer/Musician), Carla Steen (Resident Dramaturg), Keely Wolter (Vocal Coach), Emily Michaels King (Movement Director), Annie Enneking (Fight Director/Intimacy), Jennifer Liestman (Resident Casting Director), Karl Alphonso (Stage Manager), Lyndsey R. Harter (Assistant Stage Manager), Jaya Robillard (Assistant Stage Manager), Brandon Raghu (Assistant Director) and McCorkle Casting, Ltd. (NYC Casting Consultant). 

Joseph Haj (Director) is the Artistic Director of the Guthrie Theater where he has directed the History Plays (Richard II, Henry IV and Henry V in rotating repertory), Hamlet, A Christmas Carol, Dickens’ Holiday Classic, The Glass Menagerie, Cyrano de Bergerac (his own adaptation), West Side Story, Romeo and Juliet, Sunday in the Park With George, King Lear, South Pacific and Pericles. Prior to joining the Guthrie in 2015, Haj served as Producing Artistic Director at PlayMakers Repertory Company, and he has directed and performed across the U.S. and internationally, including Berlin, Salzburg, Japan, Paris, Edinburgh, the West Bank and Gaza. Haj is the recipient of the 2014 Zelda Fichandler Award for leadership in the American theater and the 2017 Rosetta LeNoire Award from Actors’ Equity Association for commitment to diversity onstage. He currently serves as Second Vice President of the Executive Board of SDC, the union of Stage Directors and Choreographers. Haj holds a B.F.A. in Theatre from Florida International University and an M.F.A. in Acting from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is sponsored by U.S. Bank.

Related Events

Shakespeare Classic – Sunday, February 23 at 1 p.m.
This popular event is designed to introduce theater-loving youth to the enduring works of Shakespeare. All tickets for this performance are $10 (some restrictions apply) and may be purchased by phone or in person at the Box Office.

Post-Play Discussions
Patrons are invited to stay in the theater following select performances for a 20-minute conversation about the production facilitated by Guthrie staff. Cast members may join the discussion as they are able.

Sunday, February 9 at 1 p.m.
Wednesday, February 12 at 1 p.m.
Sunday, February 16 at 1 p.m.
Tuesday, February 18 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 8 at 1 p.m.

Accessible Performances

Relaxed Performance – Sunday, March 9 at 1 p.m.
A relaxed performance is intended to be sensitive to and accepting of any audience member who may benefit from a more relaxed environment. It is intentionally modified to accommodate patrons with sensory and vestibular sensitivities, anxiety, dementia, autism spectrum disorders, learning differences and/or other challenges attending the theater.

ASL-Interpreted Performances 
American Sign Language interpreters sign the performance as it plays out onstage.

Friday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 8 at 1 p.m. 

Audio-Described Performances 
Audio describers provide live verbal descriptions of the action, costumes and scenery for people who are blind or have low vision.

Friday, February 28 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 8 at 1 p.m. 

Open-Captioned Performances 
LED screens display text simultaneously with the performance onstage.

Wednesday, February 19 at 1 p.m.
Saturday, February 22 at 1 p.m.
Friday, February 28 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 2 at 1 p.m.
Sunday, March 9 at 1 p.m.
Wednesday, March 12 at 1 p.m. 

The Guthrie also offers ASL-interpreted, audio-described and open-captioned performances upon request. Requests must be received at least two weeks in advance and can be directed to 612.225.6390 or accessibility@guthrietheater.org.

Ticket Information
Single tickets range from $32 to $92 (including handling fees). Single and group tickets (minimum requirement of 15 per group) may be purchased through the Box Office at 612.377.2224 (single), 1.877.447.8243 (toll-free), 612.225.6244 (group) or online at guthrietheater.org.

Land Acknowledgment
The Guthrie Theater acknowledges that it resides on the traditional land of the Dakota People and honors with gratitude the land itself and the people who have stewarded it throughout the generations, including the Ojibwe and other Indigenous nations.

The GUTHRIE THEATER (Joseph Haj, Artistic Director) is an American center for theater performance in Minneapolis, Minnesota, dedicated to producing a mix of classic and contemporary plays and cultivating the next generation of theater artists. Under Haj’s leadership, the Guthrie is guided by four core values: Artistic Excellence; Community; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility; and Fiscal Responsibility. Since its founding in 1963, the theater has continued to set a national standard for excellence in the field and serve the people of Minnesota as a vital cultural resource. The Guthrie houses three state-of-the-art stages, production facilities, classrooms and dramatic public spaces. guthrietheater.org