PORT TOWNSEND — A version of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” set on the remote west coast of Ireland has been the focus of 26 Port Townsend School District students’ lives since early January as they prepared for the five performances scheduled this month.
Five performances by OCEAN (Opportunity, Community, Experience, Academics, Navigation) K-12’s students are set beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Other shows will be at 2 p.m. March 17, 7 p.m. March 22, 4 p.m. March 23 and 2 p.m. March 24 at the Erikson building of the Jefferson County Fairgrounds at 4907 Landes St. in Port Townsend.
Tickets will be by donation at the door.
The production features a live Irish Session band consisting of students and adults under the direction of Kristin Smith and Irish Fae puppets designed by Thaddeus Jurczynski and Celia Fulton-Walden as well as costumes by Libby Wennstrom.
“Audience members may also be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a Leprechaun,” according to a press release.
Caleb Sigmund and Isla Siamas rehearse as the lovers for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
“It will be an indoor ‘Shakespeare-in-the-Park’ experience,” the release said.
The recommended seating will be on the floor, close to the action, with blankets provided.
Audience members can bring their own cushions or low beach chairs if they want.
There will be standard chair seating for those who need it.
Director Marc Weinblatt was tapped to coordinate this special three-month-long intensive theater experience, leading a group of volunteers, theater professionals and OCEAN staff.
OCEAN K-12 Family Partnership Program is an independent study alternative learning program.
OCEAN K-12 was able to provide seed money, but community members and organizations were relied upon to bring this production to fruition. They included Kristin Manwaring Insurance, Port Townsend Arts Council, Jefferson County Fair Association, David Shroeder & Margaret McGee, The McEnerney Family among others.
For more information, see https://ocean.ptschools.org.
Students portraying the rustics, a band of country citizens, rehearse a scene for the Port Townsend School District OCEAN production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
