For this production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, the design team was guided by the director's decision to set the play in the Mediterranean region in the late1800s. For her, the story was juxtaposition of the parental views of marriage and the young people's romanticized views where their hearts guide them. During a recent trip to Tuscany, I felt the town of Certaldo embodied her concept. The village was built high on a hill with breathtaking and romantic landscapes in every direction. The buildings provided artistic inspiration for me as well. The warmth of the brick reminded me of how young love seems so permanent and clear. Yet, bricks need to be in an ordered fashion to create a foundation. The repetitive columns and arches resembled Egeus' strict parental view toward Hermia's marriage to Demetrius. The beautiful hillsides surrounding Certaldo could have been enticing to Hermia and Lysander to escape from Theseus' proclamation for Hermia to honor her father's wishes. The woods in the show need to be magical as well as romantic. In collaboration with the director and the lighting designer, we decided that Puck would motivate the scene change with the rest of the fairies facilitating it. What transpired was a truly remarkable transition with lighting, sound, and an acrobatic sprite creating a magical forest.

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