Cashmere High brings Shakespeare’s mischief to life with ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’

CASHMERE — “My gentle Puck, come hither.” Cashmere High School Drama steps into moonlit mischief with William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” presented in a lively adaptation by playwright Claudia Haas and directed by Brady Dundas. The production blends sparring lovers, quarrelsome fairy royalty and an earnest troupe of would-be thespians who all collide in an enchanted forest where nothing — especially love — goes quite as planned.

Performances run Thursday, Oct. 23, Friday, Oct. 24, and Saturday, Oct. 25. Doors open at 6:15 p.m., curtain at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are sold at the door only: $8 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. Seating is general admission on a first-come, first-served basis.

The cast is led by Wenatchee Apple Award honoree Maren Peterson as Petra Quince. Peterson earned The Academy’s Choice award last season for her scene-stealing Jetsam in “Disney’s The Little Mermaid,” and now wrangles the “rude mechanicals” as they rehearse their very serious (and very funny) play-within-a-play about Pyramus and Thisbe — yet MORE star-crossed lovers.

Fellow Apple Award nominees Dylan Cornea (Nick Bottom), Kalli Miller (Hermia) and Makenna Fritz (Puck) headline a company that leans into the comedy’s quick turns of mistaken identities, bewitched affections and a donkey transformation for the ages — all while keeping Shakespeare’s heart on full display.

Rounding out the ensemble are Addy Aguigui, Layne Bagley, Zoe Caruso, Jillian Daweritz, Claira Guerin, Avonlea Hemmer, Georgia Hemmer, Lexi Lutton, Trip Martin, Kamren Meloy, Micah Meloy, Hayden Miller, Tily Richmond, Mileigh Loomis Robertson, and Emerson Thomason.

Haas’s adaptation keeps the Bard’s wit intact while streamlining scenes for today’s audiences. It’s an accessible entry point for first-time Shakespeare-goers and a fresh take for those who already know the play’s tangled romances and fairy-sparked chaos. Expect brisk pacing, youthful energy, and the kind of ensemble work that turns a classic into a crowd-pleaser.

Whether you come for the poetry, the pranks, or the heartfelt reunions at dawn, Cashmere’s “Midsummer” promises a magical evening, and, as ever, a happy ending once the spell is lifted.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media