Nathan Scheuer's claim to fame in Northwest Arkansas comes in one sentence: "I am Justin's younger brother."
That explains how Nathan Scheuer was invited to direct and design "A Midsummer Night's Dream" for the Classical Edge theater company, founded by Justin Scheuer and his wife, Virginia, with mentoring by David Joliffe, initial holder of the Brown Chair in English Literacy at the University of Arkansas. The rest of the time, the younger Scheuer, a graduate of The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University, is a lighting and scenic designer based out of New York City with credits that run the gamut from TheatreSquared in Fayetteville to The MUNY, Los Angeles Ballet, Selena Gomez, Alice Cooper, Toby Keith, the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, Alvin Ailey Dance Co., Lincoln Center Festival and the San Francisco Opera.
FAQ
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’
WHEN — 6 p.m. today & Saturday; again Sept. 18-19
WHERE — Lawrence Plaza in Bentonville (bring lawn chairs)
COST — Free
INFO — 464-7275 or theclassicaledge.org
Nathan Scheuer answered five questions about his current gig:
Q. So ... how did Mr. Shakespeare land in the Boston Mountains?
A. Since Lawrence Plaza is such a unique and personal atmosphere, I wanted to incorporate the energy of the space and audience into the show. I didn't want audience members to be intimidated by Shakespeare, but rather feel at home with the story and characters even if the language is a little foreign at first to the ear.
After some research, it became very clear that the Ozarks would be the perfect location, and the post-war prosperity of the 1950s would be the perfect era to set this play. The wonders of the Natural State will frame our young lovers, who disobey the traditions of the past and get caught up in the mystery and wonder of the woods at night. We've also added some bluegrass and folk music to help ground it in a genre that I hope draws in our audiences.
Q. Are you using original dialogue or adapted dialogue?
A. We are using the original dialogue but have cut it down a little bit for accessibility and time. I believe we have found a perfect balance between the poetry of the language and the energy and drive of the story.
Q. How does moving the piece change it in concrete ways -- costumes, physical characterization, vocal characterization -- and how does it change it in meaning?
A. I hope that we don't change the meaning of the show, but rather direct it to our audience so they can understand these characters better. Our costumes and set will reflect the time period and help identify our characters and change of locations, and our soundscape, which is comprised of contemporary folk and bluegrass, will help set the tone of the show and hopefully bring vibrancy to this classic script.
Q. Why this play for Shakespeare in the park?
A. This is a perfect play for the park. Not only does the majority of it take place within the woods, but it has a wide range of characters from the absolutely silly and ridiculous, to the strong and mischievous, to the tender and loving. The multiple stories that are interwoven here are well crafted and completely approachable for all. It is the classic romantic comedy.
Q. What do you hope to accomplish by bringing Shakespeare to a more casual audience?
A. I hope this production demonstrates how accessible Shakespeare truly is, and how much life can be found in these plays that have been done for hundreds of years. We want people to come out and celebrate with us.
-- Becca Martin-Brown
bmartin@nwadg.com
NAN What's Up on 09/11/2015