Canton Youths to Appear in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' Performance

A musical adaptation of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” will be performed by area youths, including Canton's own Nino Ruggeri and Mattheew Gilmore later this month.

The show will take place Friday, April 26, 7 p.m., Saturday, April 27, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday, April 28, 2 p.m. in the Easton Middle School, located at 98 Columbus Ave.  

The story is a version of the original Shakespeare play, using modernized language and with the addition of song and dance.  “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is frequently the first play by Shakespeare that young students are asked to read.  This version is an introduction to the basic story and is entertaining to all ages.

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, one of Shakespeare's most beloved and hilarious comedies, is about four young people who get caught up in a quarrel between the Fairy Queen and King and spend a chaotic midsummer night in the forest amidst a bungling troupe of actors and a swarm of mischievous fairies and sprites

The show will be performed by area students age 9 to 17. Ruggeri appears as “Nick Bottom”, an actor who Puck, a mischievous woodland creature, turns into a talking donkey that the Fairy Queen falls in love with. Gilmore plays Philostrate, one of Athen’s “Royals,” and Julia Hazel and Hannah McKeen, both of Easton, play Puck and the Fairy Queen. The remainder of the cast consist of colorful fairies, prankish sprites, the clownish would be actors, the nosey palace servants and the toga clad people of Athens.

This version of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” was written and directed by Mary Gray of Easton Children’s Theatre. Her version of this classic has been performed many times in youth theatres across America and is currently in performance in Australia.

Tickets are $10 and will be available at the door. For reserved seating visit www.ECTheatre.org.