Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens, southern California’s premier cultural center, is pleased to announce a special two-night run of its 2018 Casa Theater commission: a site-specific performance of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The play will be performed by the Southern California Shakespeare Festival Guild on June 28 and 29, 2018. The Casa Theater series is generously underwritten by Tom and Laura Miller.
What is unique about the commissioned play is that it will be performed in the ‘promenade
theatre’ genre, which involves moving the audience around to different physical settings on Casa
Romantica’s coastal bluff. Promenade theatre pushes boundaries of time and space in a way that
can’t be achieved in the regular theater. Actors playing multiple roles in the production will stroll with
the audience as the natural setting relates to the story. “Casa Theater: A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a unique and interactive performance that is sure to inspire our community,” says
Casa Romantica Executive Director Berenika Schmitz. “We are thrilled to have the Southern California Shakespeare Festival Guild as part of our Casa Captivating programming.”
The famous play’s plot revolves around a chaotic night in the woods outside of Athens (Greece), in which young lovers running from the confines of an arranged marriage get mixed up with another young couple, mischievous fairies, the Fairy King and Queen of the forest, and several Athenian workers practicing for a play. “The Southern California Shakespeare Festival Guild’s mission is to celebrate Shakespeare’s timeless classics through performance,” says Guild Artistic Director Linda Bisesti. Bisesti is a professor of acting and voice at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and has also held Guest Artist positions for Fortune’s Fool Productions of Dublin, Ireland, The Gaiety School of Acting, American Shakespeare Center, and The Actors’ Center in London. Her acting
credits also include roles in films and television. “We are thrilled to be returning to magical Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens.”
“The Southern California Shakespeare Festival Guild production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream hearkens back to a time of strolling performers. Casa Romantica is the perfect setting for the play,” says A Midsummer Night’s Dream Director Sam Robinson. Robinson is the former Managing Director of Will & Company, an Artist in Residence through the Cultural Affairs Department, a Master Teaching Artist for the Los Angeles Music Center and a faculty member with the Theatre Conservatory at Mayfield Senior School. His work with the Southern California Shakespeare Festival Guild includes directing productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest and The Comedy of Errors. He has
also acted in several Guild productions, with major roles in Julius Caesar, Macbeth, and As You Like It.
Underwriters
The Casa Theater series is underwritten by Tom and Laura Miller. “Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens provide opportunities for all of our community to experience history and culture through art, plays, and music. This work can bring us all together, making Orange County an exemplary community,” says Mr. Miller, who is a Casa Romantica Board Member.
Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens
415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente, CA 92672 | Tel 949.498.2139 | Fax 949.498.2192 | www.casaromantica.org
All Casa Theater events are family-friendly and are appropriate for all ages. Non-reserved amphitheater tickets are available for purchase. There will be a cash donation bar for wine and beer ($5) with complimentary light snacks; adults must bring valid ID for the bar. Proceeds support Casa Romantica’s cultural and educational programs.
Tickets to each of the Casa Theatre performances are $25 for general admission and $20 for member admission. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.CasaRomantica.org, by calling (949) 498-2139, or by visiting the institution at 415 Avenida Granada in San Clemente.
About Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens
Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens maintain a robust series of year-round programs in arts, music, history, horticulture, and literature for all ages. Under the leadership of Executive Director Berenika Schmitz, Casa Romantica has commissioned several critically-acclaimed works, including Casa Coastal: Rebecca Louise Law (2017; visual art), Casa Kinetic: Contemporary Dance Collective (2017; contemporary dance), The Beauty of the Butterfly (2017; visual art), Casa Kinetic: Carrie Lee Riggins (2016; contemporary dance), Casa Drama: Slings & Arrows (2015; theater), and Open Casa: The Photographs of Douglas Kirkland (2015; visual art). The 2017-18 Casa Captivating season includes a new jazz series, visual and performing arts commissions, and an enhanced wellness program.
“Casa Romantica strives to be the epicenter for innovative artistic experiences in our southern California community,” says Casa Romantica Executive Director Berenika Schmitz.
Casa Romantica also hosts a variety of free arts education programs for children year-round. The institution’s annual Casa Romantica Music Festival and Academy has received critical praise for its comprehensive two-week music studies program in cello, piano, viola, and violin. Casa Romantica also offers a Summer Dance Workshop, a Spring Break Arts Week, various art, literature, and horticulture
events to grades K-12, and welcomes over 2,000 children from the Capistrano Unified School District each year for STEAM-based field trips that examine the history of San Clemente and the coastal environment.
Mission Statement: Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization and is the historic home of the founder of the City of San Clemente. Casa Romantica provides programs for all ages in arts, music, history, and horticulture and is a premier Southern California
cultural center.
Photo Credit: Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens
For more information, call (949) 498-2139 or visit CasaRomantica.org
