Cal Poly Theatre and Dance presents Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’

In an array of twinkling stars, towering sunflowers and fluttering fireflies, Cal Poly Theatre and Dance took their first production of fall semester to the stage on Oct. 22, bringing William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to life in Spanos Theater.

The play follows a classic, but very complicated love quadrangle, in which the actors humorously represent the messy emotions of their four entangled characters. Campanario’s dramatic pronunciations of love and Traski’s not-so heroic love pursuits, combined with Reilly’s commitment to fighting Traski and Winston’s flustering obsessions — they all greatly come together within this Shakespeare tale. 

The cast is composed of Cal Poly students, with the lead four lovers made up of Hermia, played by mechanical engineering freshman Elena Campanario, Demetrius, played by theatre arts junior Wyatt Traski, Lysandra, played by computer science junior Daphne Reilly and Helena, played by computer science junior Caitřiona Winston. 

Some of the magical members of the cast were played by theatre arts senior Ben Walker, as fairy king Oberon and English senior Lauren Perales as Walker’s adversary, fairy queen Titania.

Cal Poly Theatre and Dance’s rendition of the play adhered to almost the same plotline as Shakespeare’s original, aside from the changing of the male characters Lysander and Peter Quince, to female characters Lysandra and Petra Quince.

The stage was set in a dreamy field of sunflowers, which sat underneath a sparkling array of dangling stars. Not only were the rolling hills of the background beautiful, but the changing lighting and fog machines which appeared as the night progressed from dusk to dawn truly illuminated the story’s magical atmosphere.

As the love story unfolds, the audience is introduced to Hermia, a young Athenian woman who is arranged to marry Demetrius, a nobleman who is deeply in love with her.

Hermia however does not reciprocate these feelings as she has fallen for Lysandra, another noblewoman. The two women run away into the forest to escape this arranged marriage. However, they are then followed by Demitrius, who is trailed by Helena, a friend of Hermias who is in love with Demitruis.

The four characters become wrapped up in not only their messy feelings, but also the unruly spirits of the forest. Much of the couple’s troubles are at the fault of fairy king Oberon, who plays some cruel tricks on the four mortals, fairy queen Titania and a group of working-class musicians who are on their way to play for Demetrius and Hermia’s wedding, leading to a unique night in the woods. 

The play is composed of multiple dance numbers, as well as songs performed both a cappella and with live accompanied renaissance music or recorded music by Julie Herdon, professor of music technology and composition. 

Overall, the play was performed just as intended: as a romantic comedy.

Some scenes of note are a sword fight between Demetrias and Lysandra (in which the swords are just sunflowers), a traveling musician’s head being turned into that of a donkey, multiple misplaced love potions and an excellent performance by economics freshman Bob Meyers as a wall.    

The true comedic stars of the show however, were the traveling musicians known as The Mechanicals. Played by English freshman Lori Mae Hernandez, applied mathematics senior Maya Seagraves, business freshman Eduardo Winarski, biology sophomore Drew Heskett, computer engineering sophomore Michael McGuinness and Meyers. A travelling group of actors and musicians who honestly steal the show during the final act, when performing their own play for the Duke, his attendants and the four lovers. 

Cal Poly Theatre and Dance originally held auditions for the show on Aug. 27, making the play a little over a month and a half in the making. Directed by Theatre and Dance professor Karin Hendricks and the first of five shows on the theater’s 2026-27 schedule, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is just the beginning. 

Yet, it is not over yet. The production has three more shows — Oct. 30 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 31, at 2 p.m. — for those who are looking for a night of love and laughter.