Fri 5/-Sat 5/7
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of William Shakespeare more light-hearted productions, presenting the story of young lovers in the wrong place at the wrong time, after a mischievous fairy charms the guys with a love spell that confuses their intentions. Our main characters, four runaways from Athens, enter the woods as a set of couples madly in love, but things take a turn when the men find themselves awakening with spell-charmed eyes for the same girl. Needless to say this creates a cluster of confusion for the foursome. Meanwhile, a king has an ego trip and curses his queen to fall in love with a donkey, a duke’s wedding is in shambles, and a group of actors is caught unknowingly in the balance.
CoolCleveland attended Cleveland Ballet’s preview of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at their rehearsal studios. View the PHOTOSTREAM here.
Once the plot is made clear, it is rather entertaining. The theme is love, and the story is filled with twists and turns, but rest assured the story circles back to harmony in the end. If you, like myself, are not a Shakespeare aficionado, A Midsummer Night’s Dream may be abstract to listen through. But what I had never considered is seeing this work as a ballet, with no words, just pointed toes and pirouettes. Well, the Cleveland Ballet company wowed me with their rendition of this classic: an easy to follow, immersive and elegant composition.
It is clear that those working tirelessly to see this marvelous company return to the main stage in Cleveland had the right idea about what people want to see post-COVID. The hand-designed costumes are exciting and authentic, while the set intends to transport you into a magical forest where mischief awaits. The music by Felix Mendelssohn is bold and full-bodied, and the dancers, ranging in age from 4 to 40, have a very apparent chemistry and energy to them. The youngest among these ballerinas was my favorite, so poised and focused, putting a spotlight on the caliber of this triumphant company. During the dress rehearsal it was refreshing to see the passion and perfectionism. The company’s directors, alongside the esteemed board, beamed with pride as their young dancers took the floor, self-correcting and collectively affirming one another.
The show is approximately 90 minutes curtain to curtain including the intermission, and the story was surprisingly simple to follow, despite the plot twists and turns earlier described. Each scene was well-timed and held an element of excitement. The choreography was stunning, and the company makes it look all too easy.
Following the rehearsal I was invited to partake in the celebration of the board chairman’s 94th birthday, along with the birthdays of two of the production’s principal dancers. But birthdays aren’t the only thing Cleveland Ballet had to celebrate. This show at the Mimi Ohio Theatre will mark a triumphant return for the once-displaced company. Following the dissolution of the San Jose Cleveland Ballet company in 2016, the new Cleveland ballet is back and poised for success. It would appear that the company is eager to present itself refreshed and anew to its adoring fans, and once again aims to offer this amazing city another artistic metric to beat.
Cleveland is well known for its art scene, it would seem by everyone except Clevelanders, With Cleveland being host to a world renowned orchestra, an art museum second closely to the MET, and a Play House that shows as many Broadway shows as Broadway itself, the Cleveland Ballet has returned to reclaim its seat among the critically-acclaimed and must-see attractions this cool city has to offer.
It is my humble opinion that this show is a MUST-see, and that Cleveland Ballet is a MUST-support.
View the PHOTOSTREAM here.
Tickets to the show are on sale currently here, with showtimes on May 6th and May 7th. Use the promo code ‘MOTHER’ to buy one ticket and get one half off! In short; The Ballet is BACK, Cleveland Ballet that is; and they cant wait to show you A Midsummer Night’s Dream!
https://clevelandballet.org/a-midsummer-night-s-dream/
Preview and photos by CoolCleveland correspondent Maya Kincaid
One Response to “PREVIEW & PHOTOSTREAM: A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Cleveland Ballet”
Johnnie W. Baker
I am now retired emeritus professor at Kent State. I currently am still living in Northeast Ohio, but expect to be away from Ohio during parts of the year.