Area high school and middle school students will have the opportunity to see Missouri State’s production of William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” for free during the Nov. 12-15 performances.

Performances with talk-back sessions

The theatre and dance department will host a high school theatre workshop on the afternoon of Nov. 12, with two breakout session scheduled with the cast and Director Sarah Wiggin.

And then on Nov. 13, eighth graders from Springfield Public Schools will watch the play as part of the local Any Given Child program. There will be two performances that day, with discussions with the cast and Wiggin to follow.

More about Any Given Child

Any Given Child is sponsored by The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In 2010, Springfield was the second city in the U.S., after Sacramento, Calif., be selected for the program. Any Given Child is also part of Arts in Action, an effort funded by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks and the Springfield Regional Arts Council.

More about the play

In one of his most whimsical and lighthearted comedies, Shakespeare celebrates the confusing, chaotic, magical, irrational and irresistible nature of romantic love! In a moonlit forest on the eve of a royal wedding, several sets of characters converge: a group of young lovers, a troupe of amateur actors and a band of fairies.

Through cleverly interconnected plotlines — including a play within the play — “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” encompasses forbidden love, unrequited love, a lover’s quarrel, enchanted love, tragic love (though comically portrayed) and, finally, true love that restores balance and harmony.

Directed by Sarah J. Wiggin. Written by William Shakespeare.

Tickets can be purchased online or at any MSU box office.

Schedule

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12-14; 2:30 p.m. Nov. 15
Location: Craig Hall Coger Theatre
Tickets: $14 Adults; $12 Students/Seniors; $8 in advance with MSU ID