Casting A Midsummer Night's Dream Summer of 2013

Director Hannah Smith has cast the following roles in Bottle Tree Productions'; A Midsummer Night's Dream. Nineteen year old Smith has been involved in theatre since she was eight years old. with starring roles in Romeo and Juliet, The Sound of Music, Ghost of the Tree, Miss Julie, Les Mis, The Sound of Music and Grease among her numerous productions.

Below is a video of her rehearsing for the show.

Cast List – Midsummer Night’s Dream

Theseus/Oberon: Jason Shulha

Hippolyta/Titania: Hannah Smith

Egeus/Snout: Rob Bruce

Philostrate: Sarah Hamilton

Hermia: Trina Skanthavarathan

Lysander: Erik Scribner

Demetrius: Justin Robertson

Helena: Amanda Edwards-Brown

Quince: Emily Townshend

Snug: Abby Wilson-Campbell

Bottom: Daryl Notley

Flute: Daniel Smith

Starveling: Morgan Roff

Peaseblossom: Maureen Barnes

Puck: Colby Silva

Cobweb: Evelena Falcao

Mustarseed: Annika Broadhead

Moth: Gia Silva

Attendants: Claire Lapointe, Maddy MacVicar, Maggie Garrison

Huntsmen: Hector Jenkins, Adam Handleman, James Fair

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Hannah Smith directs William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream in downtown Kingston this summer at St Andrew's Presbyterian Church at the corner of Princess and Clergy Streets.

Dates and times are Tuesday July 2nd to Saturday July 6th at 8 pm.

This story of lovers lost in the woods, a hapless band of actors and a mischievous group of fairies is one of the funniest plays ever written. Starring some of Kingston's best actors, this play is a must-see. Community theatre at its best.

In ancient Greece, a young woman named Hermia runs away from Athens with her boyfriend; Lysander to get married. Lost in the woods, they are pursued by a young man named Demetrius who has a thing for Hermia and he is pursued by Hermia's friend; Helena who has a crush on him. Meanwhile a bunch of hapless actors, led by the inept Bottom, have gone into the woods to rehearse a play. The play they are rehearsing is hilariously bad. Unknown to the mortals there is a domestic battle going on between Titania; Queen of the Faeries and Oberon; the King. Oberon decides to get revenge on Titania by sending his henchman; the mischievous Puck, to place a love potion in Titania's eyes so that she will fall madly in love with the next living creature that she sees. It will be the actor Bottom who Puck has turned into an ass; a donkey. He also sees Lysander sleeping on the ground near Hermia. He puts the potion in Lysander's eyes who, when he wakes up, sees Hermia's girlfriend; Helena. He falls madly in love with her and chases her through the woods. Puck tries to fix his mistake by putting the love potion in Demetrius's eyes, and he too falls in love with Helena. Hermia; who was loved by both Lysander and Demetrius finds that no one loves her now. She goes ballistic, thinking her friend Helena has stolen her boyfriend from her.

But finally the fairies fix their mistakes.

After the romantic chaos of the night before, the morning sun returns order to Shakespeare's magical world. A Midsummer Night's Dream then ends with a performance of Bottom's hilariously bad play; Pyramus and Thisbe. Bottom plays the young lover; Pyramus, and the awkward young man; Francis Flute, plays Thisbe in drag. Shakespeare was making fun of the acting convention of his day, when young boys played the female roles.

One of the world's most popular plays.

To buy tickets, please go to Buy tickets

Spring Acting Classes 2013

Fresh from our wonderful musical theatre class production of The Little Mermaid our Acting Classes start on Saturday April 6th. We have classes for 6-10 year olds where the kids get the basics in acting, including improv, theatre games and basic technique. Our acting classes focus on developing self-confidence. Self confidence is an important tool for acting. Acting can help shy kids develop socially and performance-wise. We write a script for the kids which involves every child in the class equally. The parts are specially written for the ability and personality of the kids.

We have classes for 11-12 year olds which helps to further develop a child's talent. This is a safe environment for these kids to learn their craft as their class mates are a ready-made and supportive audience for each other. The play that is written for them is a more sophisticated piece written in collaboration with the kids.

Our class for teens is a far more technically demanding class where vocal and physical technique is emphasized. The teens may work on well-known scripts or on a play that they themselves have helped create. Socially theatre is a wonderful experience for teens, a place where they can express themselves. Here, teens get to meet other teens who share the same interests.

We provide a child with the ability to have fun in the performing arts, or if they are interested, we can offer professional advice about the things required to make the performing arts a career.

Anne Marie Mortensen works for the Ontario Arts Council as an educator in the schools. Anne Marie recently directed Fiddler on the Roof for the Meistersingers and The Little Mermaid for Bottle Tree Productions. Charles Robertson has written four award-winning plays and his plays have been produced in Canada, the United States and Australia. Charles recently directed The Sound of Music for Bottle Tree Productions.

To register for acting classes please go to Spring acting classes-2013

The Little Mermaid-First Time in Kingston

Rehearsal Footage

Maddy MacVicar, Mariah McDaniels and Anne Marie Mortensen talk about our upcoming production of Disney's The Little Mermaid. This Disney musical was just made available for theatre companies, and we are pleased to offer it for the first time in Kingston.

COGECO came and filmed some interviews and some of our musical rehearsals. The show is a product of our musical theatre class and it opens Friday March 29th at L'Octave Theatre at 711 Dalton Avenue. Curtis Brunet from COGECO interviewed some of the cast members and the director and took some footage of the kids working on songs from the show.

The Little Mermaid is a Disney Jr production which means that no one over the age of 18 can perform in the show. Disney does this so that the kids that love seeing the Disney shows can also participate in them. Its a great opportunity for young people to star in something as well known as the Little Mermaid.

Easter weekend, take your kids to this highly entertaining show. Our kids have put a lot of work into the show and it should be an amazing experience.

Show times are Firday March 29th at 2 pm and 7 pm and then Saturday March 30th at 2 pm and 7 pm.

Tickets are only $12.

You can purchase tickets at the door or online at Purchase Tickets Online at Bottle Tree Productions

Paid acting job for female 18-30, Kingston

We are looking for an a female actor for an all day job in Hamilton on Wednesday March 20th. Pay is 200 dollars. Transport, accommodation and meals included. The role is as part of a married couple looking for a job with Homestead Land Holdings as a superintendent. There will be a two hour training session. There are 4 actors going up from Kingston. Details have yet to be finalized. Contact us at c.robertson (at) bottletreeinc (dot) com

There will be two roles to play for you as actor. One role would be as the ideal candidate and the other would be as a less successful candidate. Homestead Landholdings is using actors to test the hiring practices of their managers. It is a newly developed interview technique that is considered behavioral in method.

We have already done one of these interview session in Kingston at Homestead's head office and the actors had a lot of fun.

If you are interested please contact us at c.robertson (at) bottletreeinc (dot) com