“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.
鈥淭he Merchant of Venice鈥� has had cellphones and suits. 鈥淢acbeth鈥� has been set in the world of organized crime. 鈥淩ichard III鈥� 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.
鈥淎 Midsummer Night鈥檚 Dream in Harlem,鈥� which is being presented by Pittsburgh Public Theater through Sunday, Feb. 19, plants Shakespeare鈥檚 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鈥檚 resident director.
In Emeka鈥檚 estimation, Shakespeare was not a rigid adherent to historical accuracy and, in the same way, 鈥渕y production re-imagines Athens as an African or Black cultural melting pot 鈥� essentially a modern version of the Harlem Renaissance.鈥�
He added, 鈥淚n this production, audiences will recognize Shakespeare鈥檚 classic text, while also being introduced to African and African-American traditions of dance, music, fashion, spirituality and design.鈥�
鈥淎 Midsummer Night鈥檚 Dream in Harlem鈥� first came to the world鈥檚 attention in 2013, when it was presented by the Classical Theater of Harlem. A reviewer for The New York Times called it 鈥渁s fresh as country lemonade.鈥� The production being presented by Pittsburgh Public Theater at the downtown O鈥橰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鈥檚 degree from Oberlin in 1995, and in the years since has developed a varied resume, directing or appearing in productions of 鈥淭he Glass Menagerie,鈥� 鈥淎 Raisin in the Sun,鈥� 鈥淒eath of a Salesman,鈥� and 鈥淭wo Trains Running.鈥� For his master鈥檚 thesis, he created a version of 鈥淢acbeth鈥� set in the American South just after the Civil War. He has also reworked Moliere鈥檚 鈥淭he Would-Be Gentleman鈥� into 鈥淭he Boougie Gentleman.鈥�
鈥淭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,鈥� Emeka said. 鈥淯ltimately, we are Black artists who are unapologetically claiming our place as Black people inside Shakespeare鈥檚 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.鈥�
Information on showtimes and tickets is available at ppt.org.