A banner for A Midsummer Night's Dream. The lovers Lysandra and Hermia are depicted as silhouettes on the moon, while below them the remainder of the play's characters dance in the moonlight. Words read: A Midsummer Night's Dream, by William Shakespeare. Directed by Tim Welham.

A Midsummer Night's Dream 2025

Our re-imagining of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream begins in Athens, where a young, queer couple openly defies a homophobic, patriarchal law. Desperate to break free and forge their own identity, the young lovers flee into the forest, where, with the help of magical fairies, their lives are transformed. The play ends in a triple wedding, full of joy, laughter, forgiveness and revelry. In an increasingly polarized world, a fever dream of magic fairies, young lovers, and warrior queens feels like much-needed medicine in our troubled times.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a comic masterpiece and the perfect play for all ages: it explores themes of love, identity and acceptance, and promotes progressive empathetic values. Audience members will see their lived experiences reflected in the onstage characters, who are themselves young people growing up, falling in (and out of) love, dealing with overbearing parents, and figuring out the meaning of true friendship. This diverse cast of strong female characters, queer relationships, and magical fairies is a fast-paced adventure that promises to entertain, inspire, and tickle the imagination: for only in our imagination can bushes become bears, friends become enemies, and empty theatres become endless possibilities.

The cast, running crew, and members of the creative team.

The cast, running crew, and members of the creative team.

Oberon (Linus Ma, top) holds a flower over a sleeping Titania (Morgaine McEvoy, middle) to undo her spellbound love to the donkey-headed Nick Bottom (Theo Patterson, below). The scene is bathed in golden light with a large orange moon in the background.

Oberon curing Titania of her magic-induced love to Nick Bottom.

Egeia (Isabella Renzella) berates her daughter Hermia (Rivanna Laslavic) for the latter's failure to obey her mother's wishes, while the Athenian Nobles (Lysandra and Demetrius, not pictured: Theseus and Hippolyta) look on.

Egeia yells at Hermia while the Athenian Nobles look on.

The four lovers, now joyfully wedded, walk hand in hand through a shower of flower petals and are greeted triumphantly by Theseus (Leo Ridpath) and Hippolyta (Sylvie Potje).

The four lovers are welcomed by Theseus and Hippolyta.

Lysandra (Sarah Kelly) twists the arm of Demetrius (Ethan Warren) in a crime of passion.

A rivalry for love: Lysandra twists Demetrius' arm.

The Mechanicals anxiously cluster around Nick Bottom (Theo Patterson) to persuade him to play the part of Pyramus.

The Mechanicals anxiously cluster around Nick Bottom to persuade him to play the part of Pyramus.

Titania (Morgaine McEvoy) passionately confesses her bewitched love to a bewildered Nick Bottom (Theo Patterson).

Titania passionately confesses her bewitched love to a bewildered Nick Bottom.

Puck (Daniela Milicevic) assures the audience that the play's events were but a dream, while a large moon looms in the background.

Puck assures the audience that the play's events were but a dream.

A lighting installation in the Theatre of the Arts.

A lighting installation.

Props Coordinator Shaw Forgeron and Assistant Technical Director / Production Manager Emma Raynard use a long stick to set up the petal drop.

Props Coordinator Shaw Forgeron and Assistant TD / PM Emma Raynard set up the petal drop.

Assistant Stage Manager of Wardrobe Olivia Rossel and Assistant Stage Manager of Props Christopher DeLenardo oversee a rehearsal.

ASM of Wardrobe Olivia Rossel and ASM of Props Christopher DeLenardo oversee a rehearsal.

The cast, running crew, and members of the creative team.
1 / 11
The cast, running crew, and members of the creative team.
Oberon (Linus Ma, top) holds a flower over a sleeping Titania (Morgaine McEvoy, middle) to undo her spellbound love to the donkey-headed Nick Bottom (Theo Patterson, below). The scene is bathed in golden light with a large orange moon in the background.
2 / 11
Oberon curing Titania of her magic-induced love to Nick Bottom.
Egeia (Isabella Renzella) berates her daughter Hermia (Rivanna Laslavic) for the latter's failure to obey her mother's wishes, while the Athenian Nobles (Lysandra and Demetrius, not pictured: Theseus and Hippolyta) look on.
3 / 11
Egeia yells at Hermia while the Athenian Nobles look on.
The four lovers, now joyfully wedded, walk hand in hand through a shower of flower petals and are greeted triumphantly by Theseus (Leo Ridpath) and Hippolyta (Sylvie Potje).
4 / 11
The four lovers are welcomed by Theseus and Hippolyta.
Lysandra (Sarah Kelly) twists the arm of Demetrius (Ethan Warren) in a crime of passion.
5 / 11
A rivalry for love: Lysandra twists Demetrius' arm.
The Mechanicals anxiously cluster around Nick Bottom (Theo Patterson) to persuade him to play the part of Pyramus.
6 / 11
The Mechanicals anxiously cluster around Nick Bottom to persuade him to play the part of Pyramus.
Titania (Morgaine McEvoy) passionately confesses her bewitched love to a bewildered Nick Bottom (Theo Patterson).
7 / 11
Titania passionately confesses her bewitched love to a bewildered Nick Bottom.
Puck (Daniela Milicevic) assures the audience that the play's events were but a dream, while a large moon looms in the background.
8 / 11
Puck assures the audience that the play's events were but a dream.
A lighting installation in the Theatre of the Arts.
9 / 11
A lighting installation.
Props Coordinator Shaw Forgeron and Assistant Technical Director / Production Manager Emma Raynard use a long stick to set up the petal drop.
10 / 11
Props Coordinator Shaw Forgeron and Assistant TD / PM Emma Raynard set up the petal drop.
Assistant Stage Manager of Wardrobe Olivia Rossel and Assistant Stage Manager of Props Christopher DeLenardo oversee a rehearsal.
11 / 11
ASM of Wardrobe Olivia Rossel and ASM of Props Christopher DeLenardo oversee a rehearsal.

A Midsummer Night's Dream 2025 Official Trailer

View "UW Theatre and Performance - A Midsummer Night's Dream Official Trailer (Fall 2025)" on YouTube

Special Thanks

The Theatre and Performance program wishes to thank the following individuals and organizations who have generously donated their time and/or skills, or who have gone above and beyond for the betterment of our production. 

  • Angela Li
  • Imprint
  • Janine Pearson
  • Janine Taha
  • Ksenia Li
  • kul tekst
  • MathNEWS
  • Michael Keaveney
  • Princess Cinemas
  • WLU Student Publications

Evening performances: November 18th-22nd from 7:30-9:00 PM. 

Matinee performances: November 19th and 21st from 12:00-1:30 PM. 

Venue: Theatre of the Arts, Modern Languages 

Cast

Leo Ridpath - Theseus

Sylvie Potje - Hippolyta / Dewdrops

Isabella Renzella - Egeia

Rivanna Laslavic - Hermia

Sarah Kelly - Lysandra

Ethan Warren - Demetrius

Iman Yousefi - Helena

Linus Ma - Oberon

Morgaine McEvoy - Titania

Daniela Milicevic - Puck

Erin Keaveney - Patty Quince / Peaseblossom

Theo Patterson - Nick Bottom / Pyramus

Sun Micules - Flute / Moth / Thisbe

Malachi Wolters - Snout / Mustardseed / Wall

Brooke Daher - Snug / Cobweb / Lion

Creative Team

Tim Welham - Director

Melanie McNeill - Set & Props Designer

Nadine Grant - Costume Designer

Paul Cegys - Lighting Designer

Adam Campbell - Sound Designer

David Leyshon - Acting Coach

Alix Sideris - Intimacy Director

Daniel Levinson - Fight Director 

Andy Houston - Supervising Dramaturg

Production Team

Janelle Rainville - Production Manager

Christopher Greenhalgh - Technical Director

Shaw Forgeron - Props Coordinator

Matt Foster - Lighting Supervisor

Carlos Fernandez - Sound Supervisor

Emma Raynard - Assistant Production Manager and Technical Director, Dramaturg

Anna Whitehead - Stage Manager and Fight Captain

Olivia Rossel - Assistant Stage Manager of Wardrobe and Dance Captain

Christopher DeLenardo - Assistant Stage Manager of Props

Leo Ridpath - Head of Carpentry and Paint

Jamie Connors - Head of Props

Julia You - Head of Wardrobe

Lex Podrats - Head of Costume Crafts

Quinn Hetherington - Wardrobe Tech and Dramaturg

Soph Fonseca - Makeup and Hair Designer

Adair Train - Hair designer

Yijia Sun - Head of Lighting

Marshall Kocher - Head of Sound

Anson Lu - Publicity and Outreach Associate

Abigail Xie - Publicity and Outreach Assistant

Tenzin Ghaki - Publicity and Outreach Assistant

Melissa Zarnke - Box Office and Front of House Manager

Bella Ortiz - Dramaturg

Renee Walker - Dramaturg

Theo Patterson - Dramaturg

Erin Keaveney - Dramaturg and Vocal Captain

Crew

Carpentry/Paint

Alannah Mayotte

Daniela Milicevic

Ethan Warren

Kate Brown

Renee Walker

Lighting

Cynthia Leclair

Emma Van Dijk

Isabella Renzella

Tristan Kruckeberg

Zach Duncan

Props

Bethel Eshetu

Helayna Panagos

Kelly East

Morgaine McEvoy

Serena Leo

Shirley Ma

Sound

Danielle Berry

Wardrobe

Adair Train

Ellie Bowman

Maya Foxton

Raquel Fiaes

Soph Fonseca

Sophie Koroman