Midsummer Night

A musical loosely adapted from William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream
Book, Music and New Lyrics by Brendan Milburn and Valerie Vigoda
Additional Music by Gene Lewin
Adaptation Conceived and Directed by Janet Roston
Musical Direction by Ryan O'Connell
Reading: Saturday, June 27 at 7:00 pm
University of Memphis Theatre Building Mainstage

What if the madness of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream took place at a Rock Festival? Songwriters Brendan Milburn and Valerie Vigoda (Striking 12, Sleeping Beauty Wakes) join with co-creator/director Janet Roston for a new take on Shakespeare's beloved comedy. It's a rollicking collision of rock music, iambic pentameter and hipsters – where rock stars Titania and Oberon quarrel, festival assistant Puck creates havoc, and roadie Bottom gets a chance to shine. Live music, glow sticks, and power chords!

The cast of eleven singers from Los Angeles, NYC, and Memphis includes Katrina Lenk (Titania) from Broadway's Once and Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.

Keyboardist Milburn and electric violinist Vigoda have been singing and writing songs together for over 20 years, first for their band GrooveLily, and more recently for musical theatre and film. Theatre: Striking Twelve, Sleeping Beauty Wakes, Beautiful Poison, Wheelhouse, Toy Story: The Musical, Long Short Story, A Midsummer Night's Dream, its complete reworking as the rock musical Midsummer Night, and Ernest Shackleton Loves Me. Film: many songs for Tinker Bell for Disney animated movies. Awards: LA Ovation Awards (2007), Jonathan Larson Award (2006 and 2008), ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award (2009), Annie Award nominations (2011 and 2012), and Broadway World Seattle Critic's Choice Awards (2014). For more information: milburn-vigoda.com.