Will Kempe’s Players
Midsummer Madness
Will Kempe’s Players’ adaptation of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream is a collaborative creation that comes from a deep love for and knowledge of the story.
Will Kempe’s Players is a regional theater cooperative from Troy, NY that produces a wide range of theatrical performance utilizing the methods used by William Shakespeare and his contemporaries. Our aim is to create quality experiences by promoting an inclusive creative environment and making Shakespeare’s works engaging and accessible to modern audiences while retaining historical authenticity.
This summer, the Capital Region is in for a theatrical treat as Will Kempe’s Players (WKP) introduce Midsummer Madness: A Shakesperience, an interactive twist on Shakespeare’s beloved A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Our innovative Summer production promises an electrifying blend of traditional Shakespearean comedy mixed with modern audience-engaging performance art.
In Midsummer Madness, both the cast and audience will collaboratively create the show each night, ensuring that no two shows are the same. At the start of each performance the cast list will be created live on stage. Actors will be swapping scripts, speed-designing their costumes, and choosing their props in a race against the clock as the show will be set to begin ve minutes after each actor receives their script for that evening's performance. This process, reminiscent of the spontaneous and collaborative nature of Elizabethan theatre, oers a fresh take on Shakespearean performance for the Capital Region.
Key Features of Midsummer Madness:
- Partially Devised Performance: A blend of traditional Shakespeare and contemporary devised theatre practices, ensuring each performance is a unique creation.
- Interactive Audience Participation: Audiences can engage at their comfort level, from responding to cue cards, to selecting cast members, and even singing a group lullaby.
- Exploration of Original Practices: Emulating Renaissance theatre by eliminating directors and traditional production teams, this approach relies on actors’ creativity and ensemble synergy.
Production Concept:
WKP’s approach aims to replicate the spontaneous spirit of Elizabethan theatre. In Shakespeare’s time, actors made swift and creative decisions without always having had extensive rehearsals. By embracing this method, WKP plans to showcase the uidity and playfulness inherent in Shakespearean performance and directly share that joy with our audiences.
Responses to Common Questions:
“Is this a read-through?”
Absolutely not. While scripts are present on stage, actors are breathing life into the text with spontaneous choices, inventive props, and lively performances that will create a dynamic and immersive experience for all involved.
“Why don’t you have a Director?”
Mirroring Elizabethan practices, we forego a director to highlight the actors' autonomy and collaborative creativity. This method emphasizes the ensemble’s adaptability and the unique nature of each performance.
“How does this process resemble Elizabethan Theatre Practices?”
Elizabethan theatre thrived on actor-driven performances with minimal directorial oversight. Audience interaction was a key component, fostering a communal theatrical experience. WKP’s method is aimed at reviving these principles while promoting spontaneity and collective engagement.
“What is Devised Theatre?”
Devised theatre is a collaborative creation process where the ensemble shapes the performance, bringing in their shared ideas and skills to craft a dynamic show.
Show Title: Midsummer Madness: A Shakesperience
Performance Ensemble (Listed in alphabetical order)
- Ash Visker
- Cameron Richardson - Devin Trager
- Imzak Mohamed
- Jack Ellis
- Melissa Colasessano
- Michael Sinkora
- Phillip Beattie
- Syl Simmons
The casting will vary nightly, ensuring fresh and unpredictable performances each time.
While WKP has temporarily dissolved traditional production roles for our 2024 Summer show Midsummer Madness, we are using that newfound space to empower the ensemble to take collective responsibility for all aspects of the show, thereby removing one more barrier between performer and audience.
Learn More: willkempesplayers.com