Missouri State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance will present the William Shakespeare classic, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” 7:30 p.m. Oct. 2-5, 2025, in the John Goodman Amphitheatre.

Theatre and Dance Professor Sarah Wiggin directs the play.

Tickets are $16 for adults, $13 for students and seniors. MSU students can receive special advance purchase discounts with an MSU ID.

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Play’s characters embody “Awakening” theme

Wiggin said “Midsummer” fits well with this year’s “Awakening” theme because it contrasts reality and enchanted worlds.

The play’s characters “undergo profound internal and external transformations, only to awaken from their chaotic, magical experience in the forest and question the nature of their own reality,” she explained.

Classic tale with a modern twist

Because “Midsummer” is one of Shakespeare’s most produced plays, Wiggin said she wanted to reimagine the production differently this season. She also had to consider the current reconstruction around Craig Hall, which has forced the theatre and dance department to adapt.

“I knew we wouldn’t have much more than platforms, the LED wall and costumes to create the environment,” Wiggin said. “As such, I decided to explore ‘Midsummer’ during the Summer of Love — 1967. The primary themes in the play work well in that time period, and it’s a fun period for designers and actors.”

Costume design provides texture and realism

Even though “Midsummer” has an enchanted theme, artist-in-residence and faculty costume designer Eryn Brooks Brewer described how the costumes’ small details add texture and realism to the production.

“In the show there are three distinct groups of people: the Royals, the Fairies and the Mechanicals,” she said. “In our production the Royals will be costumed like American royalty at the time, the Kennedys. The Fairies are costumed like hippies and the Mechanicals are all working class people of the era. You can immediately tell who is in what group just by looking at them.”

The joy of telling a story

Although directing Shakespeare presents certain challenges for college actors, such as the language, Wiggin said her directing approach doesn’t change.

“There is a story to tell, and so we work together to tell it,” she said.

Another thing that never changes for Wiggin is her excitement at seeing all the elements come together in front of an audience.

“I’m hopeful it will be a joyful experience for those that see it and have had a part in making it come alive,” she said.

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