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Contents
2 Biography of William Shakespeare
3
A Timeline of Shakespeare’s Life
3 A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Summary
‘‘
6
Scansion in
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
7
7
Why Do We Still Stage
and Study Shakespeare?
Other Plays by William Shakespeare
4
The Influence of
Greek and Roman Mythology
8
Pre-Show and Post-Show Questions
5
Shakespearean Insults
8
Works Cited
6About Pyramus and Thisbe:
the “Play within a Play”
ded,
ave offen
h
s
w
o
d
a
ded:
If we sh
all is men
d
n
a
,
is
e,
h
t
bered her
Think but
m
lu
s
t
u
b
have
r;
That you
did appea
s
n
io
is
v
se
eme,
While the
nd idle th
a
k
a
e
w
,
And this
t a dream
u
b
g
in
ld
yie
No more
hend.
not repre
o
d
,
s
le
d.
t
Gen
e will men
w
,
n
o
d
r
a
If you p
– Puck
ne 1
Act 5, sce
Biography of William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
‘‘
the portrait of shakespeare that appears
on the cover of the first folio
were tradesmen’s sons or provincial
men.
During his first few years in London,
Shakespeare developed a reputation
for his poetry. His first published poem
“Venus and Adonis” was immensely
popular. In 1594, Shakespeare joined
the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, and
began writing many of the more
famous plays we have today. They
performed for Queen Elizabeth
in many local theaters and toured
the surrounding towns. The Lord
Chamberlain’s Men often performed
at “The Theatre.” However, in 1597 it
was forced to close due to an expired
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Study Guide
lease. This loss prompted Shakespeare
and a few of his peers to construct the
Globe Theatre, a home specifically for
their troupe. It opened in 1599, burned
in 1613 due to sparks from a cannon
fired on stage, and was quickly rebuilt.
When King James VI ascended to the
throne in 1603, The Lord Chamberlain’s
Men became known as The King’s Men.
Shortly thereafter, Shakespeare retired
from acting but continued to write.
During his lifetime, he is thought to
have written thirty-seven plays.
Shakespeare died on his birthday,
April 23 in 1616, but his plays have lived
on and thrived all over the world. He is
easily the most produced playwright of
all time, inspired countless others, and
revolutionized the English language
and literature. His plays are staged
all over the world with unmistakable
relevancy to a wide variety of issues
and human psychology.
‘
William Shakespeare is widely
accepted as one of literature’s most
influential writers. Much of the
biographical knowledge of his life,
however, is taken from records and
speculation. Although no birth records
exist, church records indicate that he
was born around April 23, 1564, in
Stratford-upon-Avon, and was the third
child of heiress Mary Arden and leather
merchant John Shakespeare. He most
likely attended the local elementary
school, the King’s New Grammar
School, but never continued on to a
university.
We know little about his teenage
years until he married Anne Hathaway
at the age of 18. She was 26 at the time,
and pregnant. Their first child, Susanna
Shakespeare, was born seven months
later. Two years later, Anne gave birth
to twins Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet,
sadly, only lived to be eleven years old,
dying of the Black Plague in 1586.
The Shakespeares moved to
London in 1585, the year the twins were
born. Shakespeare began working as
an actor and writer for touring theatre
troupes, including Strange’s Men,
Pembroke’s Men, and Sussex’s Men.
These troupes were in constant need
of new material and often one of their
actors would write their own material.
Shakespeare was not the only writer
of his time to lack of formal training;
several other established playwrights
re
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r Jesus sa
fo
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fr
h
Good
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e dust en
stones
To digg th man y spares hes
y
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bones
Blessed b
moves my
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e
h
e
b
And curst
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– Inscribe
’s tombsto
akespeare
h
S
2
A Timeline of Shakespeare’s Life
1564 Born in Stratford-upon-Avon
1582 Marries Anne Hathaway
1585
Moves to London to pursue theatre career
1589
Writes his first play HENRY VI, PART I
1592 London closes theatres due to plague
1593 Starts to write sonnets
1594 Publishes first works of poetry
1594 Starts managing, as well as writing for, the Lord
Chamberlain’s Men
1600 Writes HAMLET, one of his greatest plays
1603 The Lord Chamberlain’s Men is renamed the King’s Men in
honor of the new King James’ patronage
1604 Retires from acting
1605Writes MACBETH to pay homage to the King’s heritage
1613 The Globe theatre burns down
1614 The Globe is rebuilt
1616 Shakespeare dies and is buried at Holy Trinity Church in
Stratford-Upon-Avon
adapted from http://absoluteshakespeare.com/trivia/timeline.htm
eatre
globe th
e of the
d
si
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f th
sketch o
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Summary
Theseus, duke of Athens, prepares
for his marriage to Hippolyta. He tells
his Master of the Revels, Philostrate, to
find entertainment for the celebration.
Egeus marches into Theseus’s court
with his daughter, Hermia, and two
young men, Demetrius and Lysander.
Egeus wants Hermia to marry
Demetrius (who loves Hermia), but
Hermia is in love with Lysander and
won’t marry Demetrius. Egeus asks
Hermia to be punished because she
won’t do what he says. Theseus gives
Hermia until his wedding to decide
if she will marry Demetrius or not,
warning her that she will be punished
if she does not. Hermia and Lysander
plan to escape the following night
and marry in the house of Lysander’s
aunt. They tell Helena, who used to be
engaged to Demetrius and still loves
him even though he left her for Hermia.
Hoping to regain his love, Helena tells
Demetrius that Hermia and Lysander
are eloping. That night, Demetrius
follows Hermia and Lysander into the
woods; Helena follows too.
In the woods are two other groups
of characters. The first are craftsmen
rehearsing a play that they hope to
perform for the duke and his bride.
The second are fairies. Oberon, the
fairy king, and Titania, the fairy queen,
are arguing over a young Indian prince
given to Titania by the prince’s mother;
Oberon wishes to make him a knight,
but Titania refuses. Seeking revenge,
Oberon sends his servant, Puck, to
acquire a magical flower, the juice of
which can be spread over a sleeping
person’s eyelids to make that person
fall in love with the first thing he or she
sees upon waking. Oberon tells him to
spread its juice on the sleeping Titania’s
eyelids. Having seen Demetrius reject
Helena’s love, Oberon also orders Puck
to spread the juice on the eyelids of
Demetrius. Puck finds Lysander and
Hermia. He thinks that Lysander is
Demetrius and uses the love potion on
him. Lysander happens to see Helena
when he wakes up and falls deeply in
love with her. As the night progresses
and Puck attempts to undo his mistake,
both Lysander and Demetrius end up
in love with Helena. Helena is angry at
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Study Guide
both because she thinks that they are
tricking her. Hermia is so jealous that
she tries to fight Helena. Demetrius
and Lysander almost fight over Helena,
but Puck leads them apart until they
are lost separately in the forest.
When Titania wakes, the first creature
she sees is Bottom, a craftsmen, whose
head Puck transformed into that of an
donkey. Titania falls in love with him.
Meanwhile, Oberon obtains the Indian
boy, Puck spreads the love potion on
Lysander’s eyelids, and by morning all
is well. Theseus and Hippolyta discover
the sleeping lovers in the forest and
take them back to Athens to be
married—Demetrius now loves Helena,
and Lysander now loves Hermia. After
the group wedding, the lovers watch
Bottom and his fellow craftsmen
perform their play, PYRAMUS AND
THISBE. When the play is completed,
Puck asks the audience for its
forgiveness and approval and to urge it
to remember the play as though it had
all been a dream.
3
The Influence of Greek and Roman Mythology
Because A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM takes place in Athens, Greece, Shakespeare
includes many references to Greek and Roman myth. Most of the references actually
correspond to ancient Roman belief. The following is a glossary of some of the main
mythological names and terms that occur in the play, and where they are mentioned.
NEPTUNE: (II.i.131) Roman name for
the Greek god of the sea, Poseidon.
APOLLO: (II.i.239) Pursuer of Daphne in
the Roman myth Apollo and Daphne.
CADMUS: (IV.i.98) Brother of Europa.
He planted dragon seeds from which
the first Thebans came.
HIPPOLYTA: Queen of the Amazons, a
group of female warriors. Shakespeare
also borrowed this character from
Greek mythology.
PYRAMUS AND THISBE: Ancient
Roman myth written by Ovid. (See
section “About Pyramus and Thisbe:
the Play within a Play”)
DIANA: (I.i.94) Roman name of Artemis,
who is the goddess of the moon and
hunt. Also known as Phoebe.
CUPID: (I.i.175) Roman name for the
Greek god of love, Eros, who shoots
arrows at humans to make them fall in
love. He is also the son of Venus.
VENUS: (I.i.177) Roman name for the
Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite.
DIDO: (I.i.179) Founder and queen of
Carthage, who stabbed herself when
deserted by Aeneas in The Aeneid.
AENEAS: (I.i.180) Trojan son of
Anchises and Aphrodite. After the fall
of Troy, he led his followers to Italy. The
Aeneid tells the tales of his journey.
ADRIADNE: (II.i.84) Daughter of King
Minos who fell in love with Theseus and
helped him kill the minotaur.
HERCULES: (IV.i.98) The Greek hero,
son of Jupiter and Alcmene, a mortal
woman, who was famous for his
strength. He performed twelve labors
to free himself from the bondage
under Eurystheus. Once he died, he
became immortal.
HELEN: (V.i.12) The daughter of Zeus
and Leda and wife of Menelaus. She
was kidnapped and taken to Troy,
which caused the Trojan war.
JOVE: (V.i.181) Roman name for the
Greek god Zeus, the leader of the
gods and god of sky and thunder.
‘‘
theseus
DAPHNE: (II.i.239) While she was being
chased by Apollo, she prayed to the
gods for help and was turned into a
laurel tree.
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Study Guide
‘‘
THESEUS: National hero of Athens. He
was known for many heroic adventures
including slaying the Minotaur, a
creature who is half man, half bull.
Although he is a major character in
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM,
Shakespeare actually borrowed this
character from Greek mythology.
HECATE: (V.i.374) Greek goddess of
sorcery and witchcraft
MUSES: (V.i.55) The goddesses of arts
and sciences.
,
ould read
c
I
r
e
v
e
t
a
r aught th
tory,
Ay me! fo
tale or his
ooth.
y
b
r
a
e
h
r
id run sm
Could eve f true love never d
eo
The cours
r
– Lysande
ne 1
c
Act 1, s e
4
Shakespearean Insults
‘‘
Shakespeare was famous for not only the
invention of new words, but also the invention
of specific, often crude insults, particularly in
his comedies.
Here are some noted examples:
h!
Fine, i’fait
ame,
maiden sh u tear
o
n
,
y
t
s
e
will yo
no mod
s? What,
s
Have you
e
ln
fu
h
ngue?
s
of ba
gentle to
y
m
m
No touch
o
!
fr
answers
ppet, you
t
u
n
p
ie
u
t
o
a
y
p
,
Im
rfeit
ou counte
Fie, fie! y
– Helena
scene 2
Act 3,
“You juggler! You canker-blossom!”
(III.ii.290)
“You hard-hearted
Out, loathed m
edicin
adamant!”
(II.i.180)
“Out, tawny Ta
rtar, out!
e! O hated poti
on, hence!”
(III.ii.269-70)
Column 1
Column 2
Column 3
artless base-courtapple-john
beslubberingbeef-witted barnacle
churlish boil-brainedboar-pig
cockered
clapper-clawedbugbear
dankish
dismal-dreamingcanker-blossom
dissemblingdizzy-eyed coxcomb
fawning earth-vexingdewberry
gleeking flap-mouthedfoot-licker
goatishfly-bittenfustilarian
gorbelliedfolly-fallen giglet
loggerheadedhalf-faced
hedge-pig
mammeringhedge-born hugger-mugger
mewling idle-headedlewdster
pribbling ill-nurturedmaggot-pie
qualling
motley-mindedmeasle
rank
onion-eyedminnow
roguish pottle-deepmoldwarp
ruttish
pox-markedmumble-news
spleeny rough-hewnpigeon-egg
spongy
rude-growingpignut
venomed swag-belliedskainsmate
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Study Guide
Try making your
own Shakespearian
insult by picking
a word from each
column, combining
it in one phrase,
and prefacing with
the word “you!”
5
‘‘
About PYRAMUS AND THISBE: the “Play Within a Play”
The mechanicals, the acting troupe
of Peter Quince, Nick Bottom, Francis
Flute, Robin Starveling, Tom Snout, and
Snug, make up a portion of the plot of
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. The
players gather together in the forest
to produce Pyramus and Thisbe as a
staged play for the Duke and Duchess.
The story of Pyramus and Thisbe is
a Roman myth originally written in Latin
by Ovid in his collection of stories, The
Metamorphoses. The story surrounds
two young lovers living in Babylon
forbidden to marry each other due
to their families’ rivalry. Pyramus and
Thisbe live in their separate houses
connected by a wall and converse
through a tiny crack. The two decide
to bring their love beyond the wall and
arrange to meet in person near Ninus’
tomb under a mulberry tree to confess
their love face to face.
At the time of the meeting, Thisbe
arrives first and is greeted by a bloodthirsty lion whose mouth is bloody from
a recent kill. Afraid for her life, she runs
away, leaving her veil behind. The lion
destroys her veil, leaving it torn up and
bloody. When Pyramus arrives, he sees
the destroyed veil and assumes the
lion killed Thisbe, and overcome with
emotion he stabs himself to death.
His blood erupts all over the white
mulberry leaves and fruit, turning them
dark. Thisbe returns to find Pyramus
dead and after mourning, she stabs
herself with the same sword. From then
on, the mulberry fruits were stained
forever in honor of the forbidden love.
Shakespeare reproduces the plot of
Pyramus and Thisbe twice in his works.
The most obvious is the plot of ROMEO
AND JULIET, which is very much based
on Ovid’s story. The second appears
here in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S
DREAM, where, as you may see from
this production, the mechanicals
produce a rather crude and funny
portrayal of Pyramus and Thisbe. The
cast list is as follows:
rtals be!
these mo
– Puck
e2
Act 3, scen
t fools
Lord, wha
While Shakespeare mainly spoofs
the story in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S
DREAM, the works are highly
connected through the themes of
dreams, fantasies, and forbidden love.
Directed by Peter Quince
Pyramus........................... Nick Bottom
Thisbe.............................. Francis Flute
Lion...............................................Snug
The Wall............................. Tom Snout
Moonshine................Robin Starveling
Scansion in
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
Shakespeare used a type of meter called iambic
pentameter when writing his plays in verse. Each line has five
pairs of alternating stressed and unstressed syllables. These
pairs of syllables are often called “feet.” The rhythm in each
line would sound like galloping:
da-DUM / da-DUM / da-DUM / da-DUM / da-DUM
Shakespeare wrote in this way to make sure the
actors stressed certain syllables. For instance, a line in A
MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM might sound like this:
to-MO | rrow TRU | ly WILL | i MEET | with THEE. (I.1.184)
Often when studying Shakespeare, actors and scholars
may decide to scan Shakespeare lines to help decide what
words and phrases should be stressed. This method, called
scansion, is a way to mark the metrical patterns in poetry. This
especially helps when actors are performing a Shakespeare
piece. We usually mark the stressed, or long, syllable with a
( __ ) and the unstressed, or short, syllable with a ( / ) to make
it easier to read. We then divide each pair of syllables, or feet,
by a ( | ).
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Study Guide
john william waterhouse portrait of
thisbe at the wall in pyramus and thisbe
For instance, here is how we would scan a line in
MIDSUMMER:
/ __
/
__
/ __
/
__
/ __
How ha | ppy some | o’er o | ther some | can be! (I.i.231)
Now, you try! Grab a pencil and scan the lines below:
Four days will quickly steep themselves in night;
Four nights will quickly dream away the time;
And then the moon, like to a silver bow
New-bent in heaven, shall behold the night (I.i.7-10)
6
Why Do We Still Stage and Study Shakespeare?
OTHER PLAYS BY
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
The Histories
King John
Richard II
Henry IV, part I
Henry IV, part II
Henry V
Henry VI, part I
Henry VI, part II
Henry VI, part III
Richard III
Henry VIII
The Tragedies
Romeo and Juliet
Coriolanus
Titus Andronicus
Timon of Athens
Julius Caesar
Macbeth
Hamlet
Troilus and Cressida
King Lear
Othello, The Moor of Venice
Antony and Cleopatra
Cymbeline
The Comedies
All’s Well That Ends Well
As You Like It
The Comedy of Errors
Love’s Labour’s Lost
Measure for Measure
The Merchant of Venice
The Merry Wives of Windsor
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Much Ado About Nothing
Pericles, Prince of Tyre
The Taming of the Shrew
The Tempest
Twelfth Night, or What You Will
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
The Two Noble Kinsmen
Shakespeare’s works are over 400
years old. Since then, so many other
books and plays have been written.
So why do we still care to read and
perform his works?
There are many ways we can
answer this question, depending on
what we look at. First, let’s consider
what they’re about. People often refer
to Shakespeare’s work as “timeless”
and “universal” because the deep
issues and themes prevalent in his
works apply to humans of all ages
and backgrounds; the themes of
love, self-discovery, relationships,
and political strife are relevant in any
society, whether in 1600, 1850, or
2013. Through watching or reading
Shakespeare, we can easily draw
parallels to contemporary and other
historical issues.
His plays are also very much driven
by human psychology. His characters
are so well developed that we cannot
only view the wide range of human
emotions and the changes that each
character experiences, but we also
identify with these characters and their
personal struggles throughout each
play.
Aside from the deep meanings
present in his works, Shakespeare
also made many contributions to
the English language. He invented
thousands of new words and phrases
that we still use today. For instance, the
common phrase “all’s well that ends
well” actually comes from the title of
one of Shakespeare’s comedies! One
might even say that Shakespeare’s
plays were part of the birth of modern
English due to his creative words,
clever imagery, and fascinating yet
sometimes crude analogies.
So, why do we still want to read and
watch Shakespeare today? Because
we can solve the riddles of our lives
and societies just by reading his plays.
We learn so much about society at
that time and issues that are still
around today, and we can enhance
our vocabulary greatly through his use
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Study Guide
of and contributions to the English
language.
In watching or reading his plays,
challenge yourself and try to find
something that applies to you and
your life. It could be a character, it
could be a specific line, it could be one
of the main themes, or it could even
be a relationship that reminds you of
your own life. Anyone can connect to
and identify with these plays in some
capacity, so find the reason or multiple
reasons his plays apply to you.
7
s
Question
Pre-Show Questions
Post-Show Questions
1) What is the significance of the “play within a
play” that we see in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S
DREAM? Think about why Shakespeare chose this
particular play for the Mechanicals to produce.
How does it tie in with the rest of the play?
6) After watching the play, think about scansion
and iambic pentameter. Did you notice any
instances where the actor used the scansion of
iambic pentameter to deliver a line? How did it
help the character and the context of the scene?
2) Put yourself in the position of the scenic designer in the
play. Often times, designers choose to set the play in
different locations. How would you design the woods?
How would that setting differ from the Athens setting?
7) Although Shakespeare did include some literal
examples of Greek and Roman mythology in A
MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, can you make any
other connections between the play and Greek and
Roman myth? Think about the characters. Are there any
characters that resemble those in Greek mythology?
3) Think about the many contrasts we see in the
play. What are some of them that you noticed?
Where can you find opposites, and why do you
think Shakespeare presented these opposites?
4) Think about the imagery in A MIDSUMMER
NIGHT’S DREAM. What kind of specific dreamlike images did Shakespeare include? What
kind of mood does this set for the audience?
5) A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM is written almost
completely in couplets, where the ends of every two
lines rhyme. Why do you think Shakespeare writes in
this way? What does this say about the play as a whole,
and how does it contribute to the mood of the play?
ed
Works Cit
8) Shakespeare’s language is specific, complex, and often
difficult to understand. Did you struggle to understand
the text when you read the play? Was it any easier to
comprehend when you heard it spoken by the actors?
Why do you think one way made more sense to you than
the other? Do you think your experience of seeing the
play would have been different if you hadn’t read it first?
9) A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM is one of
Shakespeare’s
most
famous
comedies.
In
seeing the play, what made you laugh? Did
you feel the same way in reading the play?
10) Look through your local newspapers or online for
theatre reviews. Read a few, then write your own review
of Classic Repertory Company’s A MIDSUMMER
NIGHT’S DREAM, based on the form and content of
those reviews. Think about what parts of the show you
enjoyed, what parts you didn’t understand, how the
performers embodied the characters, and whether
any production elements hindered or enhanced the
telling of the story. Feel free to send the review over to
us when you’re done!
Bellinger, Martha Fletcher. “William Shakespeare: 1564-1616.” A Short History of the Drama. New York: Henry Holt & Company,
1927. 224-6, 234.
“Greek and Roman Mythology.” Information Please. Pearson Education, 2012. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
<http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0197622.html>.
Greenblatt, Stephen. Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare. W.W. Norton & Company: New York. 2004. Print.
Mabillard, Amanda. “Shakespeare’s Language.” Shakespeare Online. 20 Aug. 2000.
<http://www.shakespeare-online.com/biography/shakespearelanguage.html>
Mabillard, Amanda. “William Shakespeare of Stratford.” Shakespeare Online. 20 Aug. 2000. 15 Mar. 2013.
<http://www.shakespeare-online.com/biography>.
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Wikipedia. Web. 15 Mar. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Midsummer_Night’s_Dream>.
Muir, Kenneth. “Pyramus and Thisbe: A Study in Shakespeare’s Method.” Shakespeare Quarterly. Vol. 5.: Folger Shakespeare
Library, 1954. 141-53. Print.
Ovid, Metamorphoses, iv.55-166
Seidel, Chris. “Shakespeare Insult Kit.” Pangloss. Web. 15 Mar. 2013. <http://www.pangloss.com/seidel/shake_rule.html>.
“William Shakespeare Biography.” Bio. A+E Television Networks, 1996-2013. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
<http://www.biography.com/people/william-shakespeare-9480323>.
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Study Guide
8
classic repertory company’s
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
by
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
directed by CLAY HOPPER
production designer
assistant designer
KELLY JADE ROTHER
CAITLIN O’HARA
assistant director
CHARLOTTE THOMAS
cast
( in alphabetical order )
LORNE BATMAN Helena, Snarvling
DAVID KEOHANE Bottom, Egeus
CELIA PAIN Puck, Philostrate
MARC PIERRE Demetrius, Flute
SIMON PRINGLE-WALLACE Oberon, Theseus
REBECCA SANDS Titania, Hippolyta
JULIA SCHONBERG Hermia, Snug
LORNE BATMAN
(Helena, Snarvling) joins
CLASSIC REPERTORY
COMPANY after teaching
acting, movement
and Shakespeare for
New Rep’s summerSTAGE2 in July.
Recent credits include Much Ado
About Nothing (Arts After Hours);
Skin of Our Teeth and The Maids
(Boston University); and The Effect
of Gamma Rays on Man-in-theMoon Marigolds (Boston Center for
American Performance). She appeared
in the student film This Subtle
Machine. Ms. Batman earned her
BFA in Acting from Boston University
and earned a Certificate in Classical
Acting from the London Academy of
Music and Dramatic Art. Originally
from Indianapolis, IN, she resides in
Jamaica Plain.
SAM TILLES Lysander, Quince
DAVID KEOHANE
(Bottom, Egeus) joins
CLASSIC REPERTORY
COMPANY this season.
Recent credits include
Exit the King, Great
Expectations, Anne Boleyn, and The
Vanek Plays (Boston University). Mr.
Keohane earned his BFA in Theatre
Arts from Boston University and
studied abroad with the London
Academy of Music and Dramatic
Arts. Originally from Andover, MA, he
resides in Cambridge.
CELIA PAIN (Puck,
Philostrate) joins
CLASSIC REPERTORY
COMPANY after teaching
ensemble playwriting
and acting at New Rep’s
summerSTAGE2 in July. Recent credits
include The Effect of Gamma Rays on
Man-in-the-Moon-Marigolds (Boston
Center for American Performance);
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Study Guide
Christmas Present (Boston University);
and the staging of her playwriting
thesis Stella Maris. Ms. Pain earned
her BFA in Theatre Arts from Boston
University and studied abroad at the
Arezzo Physical Theatre Program in
Italy. Originally from New York, she
resides in Jamaica Plain.
MARC PIERRE
(Demetrius, Flute) joins
CLASSIC REPERTORY
COMPANY this season.
Recent area credits
include 10 Reasons
Why Hamlet is Totally Gay (Roxbury
Repertory); What to Listen For
(ArtsEmerson); Now The Jerk Is
Somewhere Else Again (GoetheInstitut Boston); A Raisin in the
Sun (ENC Theater); Complete
Works (abridged), Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern Are Dead, and The
Hallway Plays: Paraffin and Nursing
(Emerson College). New York credits
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include Flirt, Sister Gladys Needs
Help (Love Creek Productions) and
The Imaginary Life of Millo St. Jean
(Snapdragon Theatre Works). Film
and television credits include Twelve
(Radar Pictures). Mr. Pierre earned his
BFA in Acting at Emerson College and
is a member Love Creek Productions
and Play Club of the Unknown Artists
in New York. Originally from Brooklyn,
NY, he resides in Brighton.
SIMON
PRINGLE-WALLACE
(Oberon, Theseus) joins
CLASSIC REPERTORY
COMPANY this season.
Recent area credits
include Trestle at Pope Lick Creek,
Lord of the Flies, and The Last Days
of Judas Iscariot (Boston University);
A native of Lenox, MA, he resides in
Watertown.
REBECCA SANDS
(Titania, Hippolyta) joins
CLASSIC REPERTORY
COMPANY this season.
Recent area credits
include Exit The King,
The Penelopiad, and Brecht on Brecht
(Boston University). Ms. Sands earned
her BFA in Theatre Arts from Boston
University. Originally from Park City,
UT, she resides in Boston.
JULIA SCHONBERG
(Hermia, Snug) joins
CLASSIC REPERTORY
COMPANY this season.
Recent area credits
include Camille (Fringe
Festival - Boston University); Vinegar
Tom (Boston University); King Lear
(London Academy of Music and
Dramatic Arts); and Stella Maris
(Boston University). Ms. Schonberg
earned her BFA in Theatre Arts
from Boston University and studied
both at the London Academy of
Music & Dramatic Arts in London
and with Double Edge Theatre
Company in Ashfield, MA. Originally
from Cleveland, OH, she resides in
Somerville.
SAM TILLES (Lysander,
Quince) is a theatre artist
from Seattle, WA. He
graduated from BU in
2013, earning his BFA
in Acting. In addition
to performance, Sam cultivates
passions in Playwriting, Philosophy,
Sound Design, and Muay Thai. He
is humbled and thankful for the
opportunity to join CRC for the
Spring tour. Recent credits include
Zygmunt in Our Class (Boston Center
for American Performance), Young
Scrooge in A Christmas Carol (Anthem
Theatre Company), and Claudio in
Much Ado About Nothing (Arts After
Hours).
CLAY HOPPER (Director) returns to
CLASSIC REPERTORY COMPANY
after directing last season’s Romeo
and Juliet and To Kill A Mockingbird.
In Washington D.C., he served as the
Associate Artistic Director of Olney
Theatre Center and Director of both
the National Players and the Summer
Shakespeare Festival. He now serves
as lecturer in Directing and Theatre
Arts at Boston University’s School of
Theatre. Directing credits include Two
Gentlemen of Verona, Twelfth Night,
The Tempest, Othello, The Taming of
the Shrew, Much Ado About Nothing,
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo
and Juliet, Amadeus, Farragut North,
Triumph of Love, and Call of the
Wild (Olney Theatre). Other recent
credits include On the Verge or The
Geography of Yearning (Contemporary
America Theatre Festival Actor’s Lab).
Off-off-Broadway credits include A
Home Without and Different Zen
(Third Eye Rep); Earthworms (The
Working Group); and Triage and The
Interrogation (The Miranda Theatre).
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Study Guide
He founded and produced a new play
series called New Works/After Hours
at Lincoln Center Institute’s Clarke
Studio Theatre. Hopper has taught at
Woolly Mammoth’s Theatre School
and College of Wooster, where he
directed King Lear and was visiting
assistant professor in 2006, and served
as Assistant Director at The Old
Globe Theatre, Manhattan Theatre
Club, Roundabout Theatre Company,
Williamstown Theatre Festival, Woolly
Mammoth Theater Company. Mr.
Hopper earned his BFA from North
Carolina School of the Arts and his
MFA from Boston University’s College
of Fine Arts.
KELLY JADE ROTHER (Production
Designer) joins CLASSIC REPERTORY
COMPANY this season. Recent area
costume design credits include
Hair and Alexander and the Terrible
Horrible No Good Very Bad Day
(Boston Children’s Theatre); L’Egisto
(New England Conservatory); and The
Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-theMoon Marigolds (Boston Center for
American Performance). Ms. Rother
earned her BFA in Costume Design
from Boston University. Originally
from Port Elizabeth, South Africa, she
resides in Boston but will return home
to work in theatre/film.
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