Theatre Program Presents 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
ALBANY, N.Y. (Feb. 24, 2026) — UAlbany’s Theatre Program will present A Midsummer Night’s Dream, William Shakespeare’s comedy of romance, mischief and magic, in a fresh staging directed by Visiting Assistant Professor of Acting Michael Schantz, March 4-8. Tickets are available through the Performing Arts Center.
The production, part of UAlbany’s Department of Music and Theatre, features a large company of student performers and crew members, with costumes by Lecturer Anne Croteau, scenic design by Visiting Assistant Professor Beck Clark and lighting design by Visiting Assistant Professor of Production Evan Anderson.
Written in the mid-1590s, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is widely regarded as one of Shakespeare’s early masterpieces, dating to the same period as Romeo and Juliet and Richard II. Blending courtly drama, rustic comedy and supernatural fantasy, the play intertwines the stories of young lovers, a troupe of amateur actors and a quarrel between a fairy king and queen, creating one of his most frequently performed comedies.
“I think the enduring appeal of this play comes from its joyous and hilarious exploration of life’s most confounding obsession — love,” Schantz said. “I’m most interested in how the play explores love as an irrational force, often driving us to behave in the most embarrassing but endearing ways, and how love can transform our once clear vision of reality into a blurry, surreal landscape, thereby transforming us, for better or worse. Hopefully, for better.”
Music and Theatre Chair and Resident Playwright Kate Walat said the production continues the department’s commitment to offering students a wide range of performance experiences.
“This fantastical new staging of Shakespeare’s comedy follows upon our Fall 2025 production of Thornton Wilder’s American classic, Our Town, and leads up to the conclusion of our 2025-26 season with the annual FRESH ACTS festival of new plays,” Walat said.
FRESH ACTS is the Theatre Program’s annual spring festival showcasing new plays written, directed and performed by students. Now in its eighth year, the festival will run April 22 to 25 in the Arena Theatre and will also include a showcase of excerpts from solo performances on Friday afternoon.