A Bewitching Star-Crossed Dream

The American Shakespeare Center never disappoints. Their goal is to perform a play as Shakespeare's players would have done it--no special lighting, music performed live by the actors, a versatile troop using all of their talents to entertain.

This afternoon we drove to the Franklin Park Arts Center in Purcellville, VA to see ASC's traveling group work their magic with A Midsummer Night's Dream. With each actor playing at least two parts, they wove the twisting tale of love, of a play within a play, and of the machinations of Puck and Oberon. We were spellbound.

My 6'1" son, Willem, played Demetrius (one of the star-crossed lovers) in this play a few summers ago with Not Just Shakespeare in Leesburg, VA. He once perched on our banister to recite Puck's monologue, a role he'd love to play one day. A dream worth dreaming.

Willem's love of Shakepeare led us to the American Shakespeare Theater many years ago. He spent part of three summers in their youth program, YCTC. In three short weeks, students create a performance of an abridged play. On the last day of the camp, three groups perform three different plays to the delight and amazement of audiences.

Today, I wore this pair of enamaled earrings--more star-crossed than midsummer's night, I guess. The blue light of night seemed appropriate, somehow. I've owned this pair for a long time, and don't recall whether I bought them or they were a gift. Mother-of-pearl mountains, a midnight blue sky, and shooting stars--a bewitching land of dreams.