'Midsummer' in March

students and Barnegat residents were treated to a bit of the Bard Monday as members of the Shakespeare LIVE! touring group, an arm of the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, brought a performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream to the school’s auditorium. 

The two shows – morning and midday – were planned by the Barnegat Library as part of the township’s participation in the Stages Festival, an annual statewide, month-long celebration of live theater organized each March by the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.

For several years, the library has played host to shows during the festival, which aims to give residents everywhere a taste of a live stage show for little or no cost. This year, there was a hiccup when the library’s ceilings proved too low to accommodate Shakespeare LIVE!’s traveling set, said branch manager Givane Hayes.

But the library found a willing partner in the school district, which offered the middle school’s stage. The result was that both community members and students had a chance to see one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies come to life on stage.

“It’s really the perfect example of shared services,” Hayes said.

She said the library had just happened to choose Shakespeare LIVE!’s Midsummer show as its festival show this year, but it turned out to be a perfect pick for the young audience – some of whom have studied the play in class, said district supervisor of curriculum and instruction Karen McKeon. 

The Shakespeare LIVE! troupe – eight young actors who specialize in theater geared toward students – brought plenty of energy to the play, which follows ancient Athenians and mischievous fairies through a plot full of misdirected love and mistaken identity.

The actors juggled multiple parts, and their quirky costumes – stilts, for some – rapid-fire delivery and slapstick humor kept the students laughing throughout.

That’s not always an easy task, said Brackman Principal Stephen Nichol.

Nichol said he was grateful the troupe could put on two shows for the school, which allowed sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders the chance to see it. The actors’ ability to keep all grades captivated was impressive, he said.

“There are only eight people onstage, and they really kept it going,” said Nichol.

The show's director, Brian B. Crowe, said members of the Shakespeare LIVE! program have learned how to give people – especially kids – a great Shakespeare experience in the 15 years they've been touring to schools and other institutions.

Crowe, who serves as educational director for the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, said the key is a fast-paced, sometimes abbreviated play in an engaging visual environment, like the "Tim Burton-esque" set used for their current Midsummer show.

"It really keeps the show exciting and dynameic, as Shakespeare wrote it, moment to moment," said Crowe.

 More chances for live theater with the Stages Festival:

The New Jersey Theatre Alliance's Stages Festival lasts the whole month of March, and libraries and other venues in Ocean County are offering lots of family-appropriate shows. 

Check out the full schedule of Ocean County plays on the festival website.

Want to see Shakespeare LIVE!'s Midsummer production?

The troupe will offer several more perfomances of the show on its home stage at Drew University, the F. M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Ave., Madison. Tickets are $15; students get in free. Check out the schedule on the theatre's website here.