Shakespeare in the park

Photo

Carol Weakland, director of "A Midsummer Night's Dream," is reflected in a mirror of the dressing room at the Morely Pavilion in MIll Creek Park.

Morley Pavilion will provide an ideal setting for 'Midsummer.'

By GUY D’ASTOLFO

vindicator entertainment writer

YOUNGSTOWN — The stars are aligned for a middle-of-the-summer outdoor production of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

The play will be presented for free at Morley Pavilion on Friday evening, with Carol Weakland directing.

Weakland, who is best-known for her one-woman shows in which she depicts historical figures, is excited and pleased with the opportunity.

A naturalist-interpreter for Mill Creek MetroParks, Weakland handles children’s programs for the park system. About eight years ago, she directed a children’s performance of “Midsummer” at Morley Pavilion.

The decision to stage “Midsummer” for an adult audience this summer began with a discussion she had over the winter with the parks director.

“I directed it several times, and still have all the costumes and sets,” said Weakland, who lives in Youngstown.

“Midsummer” — a tale of young love and fairy hijinks set in a woods — is always a favorite to stage outdoors in the summer. Morley Pavilion provides a near-perfect venue for the play, and Weakland plans to take advantage of it.

“It so lends itself to the outdoors, with the wide open skies and the stars,” she said. “We will use the entire setting. Characters will go into the audience and all around the green.”

The Morley stage is a masonry facility with a pitched roof that blends in with Mill Creek Park’s trademark stoneworks and wooded paths. The stage sits at the bottom of a gently sloping lawn that can seat thousands, with the woods providing a backdrop. Playgoers should bring a blanket or lawnchair to sit on. There are vendors and restrooms on the site.

“It’s just an incredible facility,” said Weakland. “Hopefully, this is just the first step. We’re hoping people come out and it allows the park to do more things like this.”

Weakland has assembled a cast of local theater regulars. The role of the mischievous Puck is being handled by Jason Ensor. Sindey Gwinn plays Titania, the fairy queen, and Mike McGrail plays the parts of Bottom and Oberon, the fairy king. Others in the cast include Denise Glinatsis as Helena; Laura Schneidmiller, Hippolyta; Rebecca Worthington, Hermia; Shaun Lipe, Demetrius; Adam Lebenne, Lysander; Joe Asente, Flute; and Justin Asente, Snout.

Weakland was originally supposed to play the fairy queen, a role she has brought to life many times in her career. She had to step out when the actor playing Oberon, the fairy king, had to withdraw. A younger Titania had to be cast to better suit the replacement Oberon.

Weakland recently directed Kent-Trumbull Theater’s summer stock production of “Alice in Wonderland.” On Saturday, she can be seen at the Niles Historical Society’s annual Luncheon on the Lawn at noon on the grounds of the Ward-Thomas Museum, 503 Brown St., Niles. She will present a one-woman production of the classic literary figure Jane Eyre.