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As the Bard (or John Fletcher) might have said, “Of all valleys, methinks a Rogue is best.”
The Rogue Valley Shakespeare Company, which was founded just last year, has announced that it will present its production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream from June 3 to June 17 in Reinhart Volunteer Park in Grants Pass.
“We are thrilled to bring this cultural offering to our community, following the traditions of so many vibrant communities across the nation where Shakespeare in the Park is a part of the annual cultural fabric,” Annie Sabel, RVSC’s founding managing producer, stated in a press release.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be directed by Sabel’s husband, Steven Sabel, who is the company’s artistic director and has directed 24 different Shakespeare plays. He plans to utilize the park’s natural greenery as part of the production’s set.
“I am excited to work with this tremendous collection of artists as a company to tell this delightful tale outdoors under the stars,” he said.
RVSC’s Shakespeare in the Park productions are intended to be annual, flagship events for the company. However, the Sabels are plotting plenty of additional, non-Shakespeare productions, including plays by Chekhov, Moliere, Henrik Ibsen and Oscar Wilde.
Before moving to Oregon in 2019, Annie Sabel was a founder of and a studio/theater manager at the Archway Theatre Company in Los Angeles. During the pandemic, she served as the executive director of Barnstormers Theatre in Grants Pass.
“It was a pleasure to work with the local theater community through such difficult times, witnessing the strength and resolve of local artists to persevere through their art,” she said.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream will return Sabel to familiar territory. A classical theater savant, she has co-produced, managed and performed in productions of As You Like It, Richard III, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, Trojan Women, Antigone and Medea.
“It will be great to get back to my roots with Rogue Valley Shakespeare Company,” said Sabel. “There are so many great masterworks filled with rich characters and compelling stories to share with audiences.”
Lawn seating spaces for A Midsummer Night’s Dream are currently on sale here for $60 (each space accommodates up to four guests).
Related: Oregon Shakespeare Festival Director Nataki Garrett Named United States Artist Fellow