The show must go on (Zoom)
When COVID-19 made live theatre impossible, this troupe of Denver artists innovated to produce a digital adaptation of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” for the pandemic era.
Students in Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Department of Theatre and Dance are putting a COVID-19-era spin on the phrase “The show must go on.”
This month, the department is broadcasting a digital version of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” produced and viewed entirely on the Zoom video platform.
“We have all worked tirelessly over the summer months to research, understand and create a process that will work for our production purposes while creating a unique experience for the students and viewers,” said Jeffrey Parker, an associate professor and producer for the show.
The production is months of socially distanced work in the making: The auditions, rehearsals and recordings were all done virtually from faculty, staff and student homes. Meanwhile, many of the technical elements such as green screens and costumes were safely built on campus and delivered to actors’ homes. Backdrops featured were designed and painted on campus and then photographed to drop digitally behind each actor.
The recorded performance is available for viewing now and will remain through Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 11 p.m. Contact the King Center box office to receive the viewing link. While the department usually charges for tickets, this production is asking for donations; all donations will go to the MSU Denver Department of Theatre and Dance’s endowed scholarship.