Embedded Files
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
20th - 22nd January 2025
UWCSEA East Black Box
6.30PM
A story of order and disorder, reality and appearance, love and marriage! Theseus, Duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, are to be married and great celebrations are planned.
A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare, likely written around 1595-1596, is a delightful comedy that weaves together the intersecting stories of four young lovers, a group of amateur actors, and a mischievous group of fairies. Set in an enchanted forest near Athens, the play explores themes of love, illusion, and the unpredictable nature of desire. The central plot follows the romantic entanglements of Hermia, Lysander, Helena, and Demetrius, while the comedic subplot involves the misadventures of a group of amateur actors led by the bumbling Nick Bottom. Meanwhile, Oberon and Puck, the Fairy King and his mischievous servant, add a magical element to the whimsical narrative.
DIRECTOR'S NOTE
"Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a timeless exploration of love, magic, and the enchanting power of the natural world. When exploring our concepts and a context for staging this production, we found that the play held a strong resonance to elements of Indonesian life; the enchanted monkey forests, the traditional art forms, and the spiritual nature of the many islands that make up the archipelago. As you will see this evening, this became central to our vision. Our playful Puck, based on the character of Hanuman, our Mechanicals and members of the Court, drawing inspiration from Topeng, and our use of elements of Wayang Kulit puppetry to help convey this tale. You will also see this mirrored in our design choices; from the Banyan tree, to the temple, to the very jungle that so much of the play is set in. So much of this play is about connection to the natural world, and we hope we’ve managed to bring you into this world, at least for a little while.
We were very fortunate to work with prominent global artists I Made Sidia and Rucina Ballinger, from Indonesia, who joined our cast in our first weeks of rehearsal to teach the cast Kecak, Wayang Kulit and Topeng. This enabled an authentic connection with the culture and traditions of the country and the Island specifically of Bali.The cast then explored the play and found meaningful and appropriate moments in which to apply their learning.
The real pleasure in committing to a 4 month plus process is to see the learning at the heart of the production with both the crew and cast. We’ve had many students involved offstage, in costume design, fabrication and upcycling, stage management, analysing, listing and coordinating the props, lighting ideation, design and operations and sound ideation and design. Their learning about production processes, and connecting with the intentions of the directorial team has been a rich experience and had an enormous impact on the production. We’ve also been exceptionally lucky to have the very patient, hardworking, and knowledgeable assistant director, Palchhin. She has been instrumental in the experimenting and exploration of movement and character work.
Much like the expression ‘It takes a village to raise a child,’ it also takes a team of people to realise a creative vision for a production. Our immense gratitude to Manuel, our Production Manager overseeing lights, set and props. Nadiah our fixer of everything, Shi Han for our lighting design and programming, Jo and the awesome Wardrobe & Makeup Team, Lewin and the Props Team, Nurul and Ziyad for their Set Design and construction work, Natalie for the stunning scenic artistry, Mia for her work with the sound design and Kazry for capturing it all.
Nikmati pertunjukannya!"
Anna Parr and Anthony Kelly
STUDENT DIRECTOR'S NOTE
"Working on this production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream has been an extraordinary journey. As a student assistant director, I’ve had the unique privilege of collaborating with an incredible team of actors, designers, and creatives to bring this Balinese-inspired vision of Shakespeare’s classic to life.
This adaptation intertwines Shakespeare’s timeless comedy with the elegance and depth of Balinese culture, drawing from its rich traditions of dance, music, and mythology.
My role has been a balance of learning and contributing — observing the director’s process, assisting with blocking, refining character dynamics, and supporting the cast as they explored this cross-cultural fusion. I’ve gained a deeper appreciation for how theatre can transcend boundaries, merging worlds to create something entirely new.
This production is a celebration of collaboration and creativity. I hope you find yourself as enchanted by this magical world as I have been throughout this journey."
Palchhin
SUSTAINABILITY IN A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
Sustainability starts at the core of our design process with set design, construction, and scenic art executed by local artists and students using sustainable materials. This collaborative process not only supports local craftsmanship but also provides students with the opportunity to learn about environmentally responsible practices in Theatre.
The stage flooring is made from repurposed wooden slats from past productions and will be kept for future shows
The forest screens have been crafted from calico, a cotton fabric that is naturally biodegradable, and natural pigments, reducing the use of synthetic dyes
The banyan tree is created with hemp rope, a strong and biodegradable material made from the hemp plant, a natural fibre, which is sustainable due to its minimal environmental impact
The costumes were especially designed and sewn by our wardrobe manager and students some of which were repurposed using old garments from past productions
CAST LIST
Hippolyta - Tia
Theseus - Ishaan
Egeus - Myrah
Philostrate - Cruz
Hermia - Serena
Helena - Katie
Lysander - Tomasso
Demetrius - David
Oberon - Zephyr
Titania - Sameeksha
Puck - Aisha
Mechanical Nick Bottom / Pyramus - Harvey
Mechanical Peter Quince - Joanna
Mechanical Peter Quince's Assistant - Hayoung
Mechanical Francis Flute / Thisbe - Jarvis
Mechanical Tom Snout / Wall - Luke
Mechanical Robin Starveling / Moonshine - Kavi
Mechanical Snug / Lion - Skyelar
Peaseblossom - Ananya
Cobweb - Simran
Moth - Emma L.
Mustardseed - Emma W.
Fairy - Avni
Fairy - Leia
Fairy - Ruby
Fairy - Ahilya
PRODUCTION CREW
Directors - Anna Par & Anthony Kelly
Student Director - Palchhin
Production & Technical Manager - Manuel Garrido
Lighting Designer & Programmer - Ong Shi Han
Assistant Lighting Designer & Operator - Chiara
Sound Supervisor - Mia Insyirah
Sound Design/Operator - Prakrit & Julianna
Wardrobe Manager / Costume Design - Joanne Ng
Costume Assistants - Wan Sarah, Khirul Adnin, Lewin Bernard,
Stella and Emily H.
Stage Managers - Melody, Dhriti, Mishka, Jaswant
Properties - Lewin Bernard, Khirul Adnin, Melody,
Dhriti, Mishka, Jaswant
Prop Sourcing - Nadiah Yusof
Set Design - Nurul Izyan, Ziyad Bagharib
Set Construction - Nurul Izyan, Ziyad Bagharib
Scenic Artist - Natalie Chung-Therrien
Makeup & Hair - Stella and Emily H.
Publicity Design - Grace Hong
Programme Design - Nadiah Yusof
Photography - Kazry Kazan of LenScript Photography
Website - Ong Shi Han
SPECIAL THANKS TO...
UWCSEA East Drama Department,
UWCSEA East Facilities Department and Security,
UWCSEA East Communications Department
UWCSEA East Parents' Association
GALLERY
Full Dress Photos by Kazry Kazan of LenScript Photography
Taken on 18th January 2025
CAST REFLECTIONS
"I am happy with the learning experiences I have gained, through the process of all the theatrical aspects of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Having first hand experience with blocking and stage directions has helped immensely with my approach to any production set. I feel as though that I could’ve improved with maintaining energy and being alert and present to what the scene is trying to portray and what should be shown and depicted to the audience."
Tommaso (as Lysander)
"During the rehearsal process, I learned a lot about theatre and its cultural roots, especially through my experiences with Wayang Kulit and Topeng, particularly the Kecak performance. I think I improved the most in my reactions. I focused on actively listening to what my scene partners were saying and really connecting that with the context of A Midsummer Night's Dream. It made my interactions feel more genuine and added a lot to our scenes."
Serena (as Hermia)
"Throughout the process of I've learnt how to embody a character through different ways, for example through physicalisation, reaction, and voice. Specifically with Helena as a character, I feel as if I've been able to come out of my comfort zone and go above and beyond in my acting. Midsummer has also taught me how to balance my passions with my school work, and to learn how to prioritise and self manage especially whilst being in IB. I was also able to get inspiration from the set, directing, costumes, and over all theatre elements to apply to my PP work for the IB. The workshops that we have experienced has also opened up an opportunity for me to learn about the Balinese culture in particular, and being able to learn about Kecak for example, and being able to apply this to our play as been an incredible experience. :) "
Katie (as Helena)
"For the production, I learned a lot about blocking and character placement on stage. Given the various entrances, I also learned to be coordinated and constantly aware."
David (as Demetrius)
"I've spent so much time with Oberon that I have his laugh now. Working on this character was a wonderful and eye opening experience as he and I move in very different ways. The hard work from the talented costume team really helped bring him to life. It was lovely to spend time with my cast mates and form a bond to bring onto the stage that will likely last long after I am no longer King of the Fairies. This play was special to me as it's my last school play ever in UWC, and what a perfect way to end off my time here. Truly a sensational experience."
Zephyr (as Oberon)
"During this production process, I have grown as a performer and a theatre student. The workshops that we had with I Made Sidia furthered my understanding of Topeng and Wayang Kulit (in addition to what I learned in drama class). I loved immersing myself in Balinese culture and putting on a production set in such a beautiful place. Additionally, playing a non-human character helped me explore various physicalities that aren't what we usually see. Finally, returning to the world of Shakespeare helped me continue to fine-tune my enunciation and projection (it is especially necessary given that not everyone understands Shakespearean English). Overall, I had such a fun process, and I loved being a part of this production!"
Sameeksha (as Titania)
"Playing Puck these past couple of months have been nothing but a learning process. I learned a lot from the character Puck itself, like the importance of physicality as Puck is literally from another world, so my body movement was really important to bring out the story. Not only physicality, it was also interesting to perform in an immersive style as the stage is in the round, so having that awareness was different from acting end on. I'm also grateful to be able to learn Wayang Kulit and Topeng from professionals. Not only in acting itself, but I also got to experience and appreciate the full theatre experience from the costume to the stage."
Aisha (as Puck)
"Even though I have acted a lot before, this was a really new experience for me where I learned a lot. Unlike the Student Theatre Festival where everyone is devising and working together with the director to create the play as well as being actors, it was very interesting and cool to experience a different more structured approach where I was executing the vision needed to fully focus on embodying that and acting out my own role, which really made me appreciate that I was part of a bigger thing with many moving parts and roles. One area I definitely feel that I can grow in is in terms of learning lines and memorising script, specifically managing my time and practicing more to be more confident on stage with my lines. I did struggle quite a bit and with Grade 12 work on the side, I didn’t prioritise nailing my lines down as much as I should have, but I have learned my lesson and will definitely improve on this as it affects not just my performance but the cues and performances of my cast mates."
Ishaan (as Theseus)
"Throughout this whole experience, I’ve learnt many different ways to speak and physically move. I worked on projecting my voice and making sure my feet are planted in the ground. It was also nice to work with new people and learn about the Balinese culture."
Tia (as Hippolyta)
"Doing A Midsummer Night's Dream was such a surreal experience for me because I am very used to doing Musical Theatre, although this year I wanted to be part of a play. For one, It wasn’t just any play, it was Shakespeare. Doing Shakespeare is very different from normal plays and requires certain decorum and style of speech. Additionally, having an immersive stage with audience on all four sides is a new experience for me and makes it enjoyable but it also teaches actor awareness."
Myrah (as Egeus)
"I learned a lot, mainly about the whole production process because it was my first time being a part of a large production. The Bali workshops we did were very informative and it was interesting to learn about their culture. Seeing the Bali elements like the Kecak being used in the production was cool because we managed to mix cultural practices into the production. Later run throughs we did taught me to reflect on past rehearsals and think about what I did, why I did it, and if it fit into the context of the scene. Overall, I learned a lot about collaboration and how that can make or break scenes and also about working on personal skills so that my character can be represented well in scenes so the audience understands why they are there."
Cruz (as Philostrate)
"Something new I learned was performing in the round. It was the first time I had to think about performing to all four sides of the audience, which meant I had to be more aware of how I moved and where I was facing. It was a different way of performing for me, but it was really exciting to try out and helped me think about how to connect with the audience."
Harvey (as Nick Bottom / Pyramus)
"I have loved working on this production. I have learned so much about showing emotion through physical movement due to the fact that I had a mask completely covering my face. I have loved just watching the set grow up around us bit by bit and piece by piece. I found it really enjoyable and interesting to work with everyone involved both in the acting and background. Collaboration, creativity and communication were some of the most important aspects of the process and were all skills that I have enjoyed working on improving and implementing into the production the entire time."
Luke (as Tom Snout / Wall)
"It is a very new experience to perform completely in mask. It inspired me to focus more on my characterization more physically instead of emotionally. Especially when I’m playing a stupid character, physicalization and exaggeration is very important. Throughout the rehearsals and the cultural explorations, I found it very interesting to experience theater traditions from other cultures. It was a very inspiring and unforgettable experience in my theater learning journey. I really appreciate this."
Joanna (as Peter Quince)
"I learnt to focus on characterising myself more to be more like an assistant of Peter Quince. Some of my biggest learnings from being a part of this production is probably self management and communication by showing up to the rehearsals and remembering and perfecting lines."
Hayoung (as Peter Quince's Assistant)
"I really enjoyed the highlight of Act 5 because the comedy flows quite naturally to me. But other bits were a bit trickier, as they are “less funny” on their own. And that’s what I really learned from the process - the use of physical comedy and over-reacting to better illustrate the whole play."
Jarvis (as Flute / Thisbe)
"It was an amazing experience to get to work with so many people and especially getting to learn about all the Balinese culture to adapt into the production. For the mechanicals, I loved working with the masks to show our characters more clearly and to represent their characteristic and exploring movements and language to show the facial expressions we couldn’t show because of the mask themselves. I learnt a lot and overall it was such a fun experience to be a part of."
Skyelar (as Snug / Lion)
"I think some of the biggest takeaways I had from this drama production is probably like showing up, commit to time management and actually show up because everyone needs each other. I learned a lot about mask and emotion as I’m a mechanical. I had to learn how to project emotion by not using facial expressions and had to work with my peers to work on blocking."
Kavi (as Robin Starvelling / Moonshine)
"Throughout the production, I learned a lot of new things, particularly about working in a group. Being in an ensemble really helped me learn about teamwork and how every person has to work together to perform well. It took a lot of time and practice but eventually we were able to be in sync and communicate clearly with each other. I’ve learned the importance of playing my part but also being aware of others in the group, learning this helped me work with the other fairies and it helped us in our physical work."
Ananya (as Peaseblossom)
"This experience was really fun and eye opening. I’ve never been in a production before so this is my first and it was a really good experience. I enjoyed learning about the Bali art style and the dramatic devices that we used to create an interactive play. Although it was difficult at some points, we all tried our best and put a lot of energy into our scenes. All in all, I think that it was an amazing opportunity to showcase our passion for drama and to learn about various art styles."
Simran (as Cobweb)
"The production helped me understand the importance of energy and how it can really improve the scene or the whole show with just adding more energy and putting yourself out there. I focused on continuing to have energy while performing and applying the feedback."
Emma L. (as Moth)
"For me, the production process so far has been an extremely eye-opening experience. Throughout our rehearsals, I have become much more comfortable and confident bringing a distinct character and personality to my movements, and I am proud of this. I am also grateful to have found a great community within our cast, crew, and directors alike, and I hope to continue performing with everyone!"
Emma W. (as Mustardseed)
"I think that this experience made me realise that I can be a bigger part of the show even if I don’t have many lines. It’s really fun when I’m able to contribute to the play with small things like the fairy lights or the shadow puppets. Midsummer also opens my eyes to the Balinese culture especially with the Topeng characters and Kecak."
Avni (as Fairy)
"On reflection, during the production process I think I’ve made a lot of improvement, especially based on my character and the things they do. I’ve specifically improved on my characterisation, and my movements, with how my character would do them."
Ruby (as Fairy)
"I have really enjoyed this production with being able to be in the round and explore Balinese culture. I have learnt so much with physicalisation of my body while being a Fairy. We have worked so hard with learning how to physicalise like different things or character which helped a lot while developing my character. I am super grateful for this experience and the amazing things the cast and crew have put together."
Leia (as Fairy)
"I learnt a lot through this experience especially about characterisation and how important it is on stage and this production has helped me become more confident with physicalisation as well. Collaboration was a huge part of the fairy world and we worked hard and developed ideas well and I'm glad it came together in the end."
Ahilya (as Fairy)
CREW REFLECTIONS
"I learned so much during my time in the production, I not just learned new skills but also new values. Skills like organisation which were crucial during the shows and rehearsal. It allowed me to understand the show from different perspectives of not only the actors but also the lighting and sound, directors as well as the costume team. I learned new values like communication. The whole production needs every single one of us to run."
Dhriti (Stage Manager)
"Midsummer is my first ever production, and the experience has been such a wild ride. Over the past months, I’ve learned so much on how the different production elements come together to make the vision come to life. I realised how important communication between the directors, cast, and tech team is, to ensure everyone is on the same page. I’m so grateful for everyone who has made this possible, theatre really is an experience like no other."
Melody (Stage Manager)
"I think that being a stage manager till now has been rewarding and a refreshing experience especially because it is my first time being so. I really enjoy it and I would like to work on being more precise with turning on the lights and being in sync with the other managers."
Jaswant (Stage Manager)
"This experience has been amazing and I have learned a lot. I learned there is more to theatre than just acting, I understood what all goes into being part of the crew and how everything comes together. This experience has been really fun and I would love to be part of other productions!"
Mishka (Stage Manager)
"Being a part of the costume team has been a new experience for me, since I have never done this for a production before. I learned a lot about making and designing costumes for a production as well as new sewing techniques that I didn't know about before. This was a really rewarding experience and one that I really enjoyed."
Emily H. (Costume & Makeup)
"I learnt so much about the things that go on behind the scenes and how much work goes into each performance. Also the experience of working with others on the production was so amazing."
Stella (Costume & Makeup)
"I really enjoyed working on A Midsummer Night's Dream and being able to work directly with Manuel and Shi Han. While I have done theatre lighting before in the past, I haven’t been able to work with this level of scale and grandeur and to be able to work so closely to so many professionals. With the workshops I was really able to study proper lighting technique in depth and I was also able to get to get to know the technology through and through. Working in the round is certainly a challenge as I am used to a more manual and hands on lighting style with an ancient broken mixer but it’s really helped me immediately understand the feeling of working on a real production. Most importantly though, I loved being able to work with this crew and be able to create such fond memories with them whether it was frantically racing through the set trying to find something or secure a prop or it was chilling out and catching up after a long run. They were the real ones."
Chiara (Lighting)
"I learned a lot by collaborating with the technical team and understanding the work that goes into the tech side of a production. Specifically, having to communicate between directors and the rest of the sound team to hone in a specific vision was a valuable experience."
Prakrit (Sound)
"Throughout the production process, I learned how much time, communication, and detail go into the sound design of a production, giving me a new appreciation for the technical side of theatre. Usually an actor in school productions, I really enjoyed the change of working behind the scenes, collaborating with others to ideate, refine, and create the sound for this unique production."
Julianna (Sound)
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