Friday evening, I attended the opening night production of Mile Square Theatre’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Sinatra Park Amphitheater in Hoboken.

The big rounded steps leading down to the stage made perfect benches for the audience to sit and watch the show. There were people of all ages, and it seemed like a good family event for parents with small children, or a pre-bar activity for the 20-something crowd. Though I was an English major in college, Shakespeare was not a preferred part of my studies and I wasn’t sure what to expect from a small local theatre.

The set was simple and had the look of the Hoboken working waterfront in the 1950’s. This of course fit perfectly because we happened to be on the Hoboken waterfront. It was a beautiful clear evening and the Manhattan skyline created a backdrop to the open stage. While we waited for the show to open, lounge music like “Mr. Sandman,” “Spell on Me” and “Dream a Little Dream” played through the speakers. I began to sense a theme.

I knew it would be a new spin on an ageless classic when Hermia, played by Blair Brooks, entered the stage wearing a pink poodle skirt and began speaking the traditional lines with a perfect Jersey accent that could rival Edie Falco’s. Clark Gookin, who played Lysander, could have just as easily been George McFly (Back to the Future), with his flowered bowling shirt, slicked-back hair and glasses, which he kept pushing up with both hands. All of the Athenian characters were straight out of 1950’s Hoboken and the craftsmen were modeled after dockworkers. The Sinatra music that was piped out during set changes added the perfect touch.

The concept was clever and the cast did an amazing job. Because it was opening night (Wednesday’s performance was rained out), there were still some technical issues to work out, particularly with the sound. The space was intimate enough however that, when the mics drifted out, the cast continued without interrupting their flow and the audience could still hear the lines.

The entire cast was excellent, but the three strongest performances, in my opinion, were Dana Jacks who played the needy Helena (who at one point gets on the ground like a dog waving its tail as she expresses her love to Demetrius); Jeffrey de Picciotta, the mischievous yet delightful, Puck; and Raymond McAnally who stole the show with his lovable and hysterically funny performance as Bottom.

Director Chris O’Connor, updated a classic comedy and made it classically Jersey. If you are a Shakespearian purist, this show may not be for you (at under 2 hours, it was abridged and some of the songs were also “updated”). If you are looking for a fun, free evening, with the bonus of a great view, I encourage you to check it out.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream
July 18, 20, 21, 22, 25, 27, 28, 29 @ 8pm
Frank Sinatra Park Amphitheatre
Sinatra Drive between Fourth and Fifth Streets
Hoboken
www.milesquaretheatre.org

— by Melissa H.
Melissa has lived in Hudson County for 16 years. She is passionate about issues of faith and social justice, politics, and creative wholesome vegetarian cooking.

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