“A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Harlem” puts a new spin on a Shakespeare classic
The set of the Pittsburgh Public Theater production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream in Harlem."
Cast members of Pittsburgh Public Theater's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream in Harlem."
Cast members of "A Midsummer Night's Dream in Harlem," being presented by Pittsburgh Public Theater through Sunday, Feb. 19.
Cast members of Pittsburgh Public Theater's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream in Harlem," which is being staged through Sunday, Feb. 19.
Whether on stage or screen, the works of William Shakespeare have long been retrofitted for different times, places and audiences.
无毛视频淭he Merchant of Venice无毛视频� has had cellphones and suits. 无毛视频淢acbeth无毛视频� has been set in the world of organized crime. 无毛视频淩ichard III无毛视频� has been shifted from the 15th century to a fascist universe resembling Nazi Germany. Name a Shakespeare play, and someone somewhere has probably tried to give it a fresh spin and a new twist.
无毛视频淎 Midsummer Night无毛视频檚 Dream in Harlem,无毛视频� which is being presented by Pittsburgh Public Theater through Sunday, Feb. 19, plants Shakespeare无毛视频檚 comic fairy tale of marriage and magic in ancient Athens into a more contemporary Black world. The art and music of Harlem are highlighted, including dance, jazz and hip-hop, along with African spiritual traditions and other aspects of Black culture. First unveiled in New York in 2013, it was adapted and is being directed by Justin Emeka, who is also Pittsburgh Public Theater无毛视频檚 resident director.
In Emeka无毛视频檚 estimation, Shakespeare was not a rigid adherent to historical accuracy and, in the same way, 无毛视频渕y production re-imagines Athens as an African or Black cultural melting pot 无毛视频� essentially a modern version of the Harlem Renaissance.无毛视频�
He added, 无毛视频淚n this production, audiences will recognize Shakespeare无毛视频檚 classic text, while also being introduced to African and African-American traditions of dance, music, fashion, spirituality and design.无毛视频�
无毛视频淎 Midsummer Night无毛视频檚 Dream in Harlem无毛视频� first came to the world无毛视频檚 attention in 2013, when it was presented by the Classical Theater of Harlem. A reviewer for The New York Times called it 无毛视频渁s fresh as country lemonade.无毛视频� The production being presented by Pittsburgh Public Theater at the downtown O无毛视频橰eilly Theater has an entirely different design than the production presented a decade ago, according to Roya Kousari, a spokeswoman for the company, and a different vision.
Emeka is an associate professor of theater and Africana studies at Oberlin College in Ohio. He received his bachelor无毛视频檚 degree from Oberlin in 1995, and in the years since has developed a varied resume, directing or appearing in productions of 无毛视频淭he Glass Menagerie,无毛视频� 无毛视频淎 Raisin in the Sun,无毛视频� 无毛视频淒eath of a Salesman,无毛视频� and 无毛视频淭wo Trains Running.无毛视频� For his master无毛视频檚 thesis, he created a version of 无毛视频淢acbeth无毛视频� set in the American South just after the Civil War. He has also reworked Moliere无毛视频檚 无毛视频淭he Would-Be Gentleman无毛视频� into 无毛视频淭he Boougie Gentleman.无毛视频�
无毛视频淭here is a long, long history of Black people performing Shakespeare that dates back hundreds of years, and yet still many questions about how to do so effectively and what it means to his plays,无毛视频� Emeka said. 无毛视频淯ltimately, we are Black artists who are unapologetically claiming our place as Black people inside Shakespeare无毛视频檚 imaginary worlds. And I think it will excite and inspire audiences who have never seen the play as well as those who have seen it many times.无毛视频�
Information on showtimes and tickets is available at ppt.org.