Shakespeare Theatre Company has announced the full cast and creative team of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed by STC Artistic Director Simon Godwin. The production, which includes puppetry by Basil Twist and featured puppets created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, plays STC’s Harman Hall th rough the holiday season, from December 4 through January 10. “Putting puppetry at the center of this show has allowed us to create a broad and diverse ensemble. We are of course excited to welcome several familiar faces back, as well as several new members, to the STC family,” says Godwin. As previously announced, Melanie Field and Ben Turner, who appeared in last season’s hit production of Othello, will return to STC as Titania/Hippolyta and Oberon/Theseus, respectively. Joining them as the young lovers of Athens, and all making their STC debuts, are Rob B. Kellogg as Lysander, Ella Olesen as Helena, Kamal Sehrawy as Demetrius, and Amelia Windom as Hermia. Rounding out the citizens of Athens are returning STC actors Todd Scofield (Othello, King Lear, many more) as Egeus and Claire Hilton (Othello) as Philostrate.  “Many of our players come from different backgrounds, including traditional theater, opera, Broadway, as well as clowning and puppetry,” continues Godwin. “We are especially lucky to have several of the puppeteers who have worked regularly with Basil joining us for this production.” The fairy world will consist of a mix of human and puppet characters, bringing to magical life the inhabitants of the forest. Puck, a puppet, will be performed collaboratively by Kate Brehm, Justin Otaki Perkins, and Nick Lehane, who lends his voice to the fairy. They will be joined by Tyler Herman (STC’s The Servant of Two Masters) as the fairy Cobweb, and Betsy Rosen as Peaseblossom, as well as the Mechanical Peter Quince.  Completing the Mechanicals are Tony Award nominee Andy Grotelueschen as Bottom (Tootsie, STC’s The Servant of Two Masters), John Sygar (STC’s Guys and Dolls) as Starveling, and three new names to STC: Heschel Bay as Francis Flute, Juice Mackins as Tom Snout, and Kalen Robinson as Snug. The ensemble is made up of recent STC actors, including Jon Beal (Othello, As You Like It) and Em Whitworth (Othello), and recent STC Academy graduates Kimberly Colisch, Kira Cornell (Paranormal Activity), Christian Joseph Craig (Othello), Michael Girts, Cameron TrinityHolder, and Kendall Kent. The production’s design team includes Choreographer Jonathan Goddard, Scenic Designer Robert Brill, Costume Designer Heather C. Freeman, Lighting Designer Ben Stanton, Sound Designer Christopher Shutt, Puppetry by Basil Twist, and Composer Michael Bruce. Hair and Wig Design by Satellite Wigs, Inc., and Makeup Design by Lexi Martinez.  Intimacy Coordinator for the production is Bess Kaye. Casting by The TRC Company/Peter Van Dam Claire Burke, CSA, and Joseph Pinzon. The Production Stage Manager for A Midsummer Night’s Dream is Laura Smith, and Assistant Stage Managers are Stephen Bubniak and Leigh Robinette.  CAST (in alphabetical order) Heschel Bay, Francis Flute, u/s LysanderJon Beal*, Ensemble, u/s Theseus/Oberon, Demetrius, Francis Flute, Egeus/Puppeteer Kate Brehm*, Puck (Puppeteer)/EnsembleKimberly Colisch, Ensemble/Puppeteer Kira Cornell, Ensemble/PuppeteerChristian Joseph Craig, Ensemble/Puppeteer Melanie Field*, Titania/HippolytaMichael Girts, Ensemble/Puppeteer Andy Grotelueschen*, BottomTyler Herman*, Cobweb/Puppeteer, u/s Puck (Voice), Puck (Puppeteer)/Ensemble, Puck (Puppeteer)/EnsembleClaire Hilton*,  Philostrate/Puppeteer, u/s Hermia, Helena Cameron Trinity Holder, Ensemble/PuppeteerRob B. Kellogg*, LysanderKendall Kent, Ensemble/Puppeteer Nick Lehane*, Puck (Voice)Juice Mackins*, Tom Snout, u/s Bottom Ella Olesen*, HelenaJustin Otaki Perkins*, Puck (Puppeteer)/EnsembleKalen Robinson*, Snug, u/s Peter Quince/Peaseblossom Betsy Rosen*, Peter Quince/PeaseblossomTodd Scofield*, Egeus/Puppeteer Kamal Sehrawy*, DemetriusJohn Sygar*, StarvelingBen Turner*, Oberon/TheseusEm Whitworth*, Ensemble, u/s Hippolyta/Titania, Philostrate/Puppeteer, Snug Amelia Windom*, Hermia CREATIVE TEAM Director, Simon Godwin Choreographer, Jonathan Goddard Scenic Designer, Robert BrillCostume Designer, Heather C. Freedman Lighting Designer, Ben StantonSound Designer, Christopher Shutt Puppetry by Basil TwistComposer, Michael BruceWig Hair Designer, Satellite Wigs, Inc. Makeup Design, Lexi MartinezDialect and Vocal Coach, Lisa Beley Intimacy Coordinator, Bess KayeCasting, The TRC Company/Peter Van Dam Claire Burke, CSA and Joseph Pinzon Dramaturg, Drew LichtenbergProduction Stage Manager, Laura Smith*Assistant Stage Manager, Stephen Bubniak*, Leigh Robinette*  * Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers Biographies of the cast and creative team are available at ShakespeareTheatre.org.  SHAKESPEARE THEATRE COMPANYFor 40 years, the Tony Award-winning Shakespeare Theatre Company has been recognized as the nation’s premier classical theater. Classical plays are realized best not by originalism but by walking the path Shakespeare himself followed, creating works that spoke to his own contemporary audience. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Simon Godwin and Executive Director Angela Lee Gieras, STC tells vital stories in audacious forms, stories that are Shakespearean in the deepest sense, even if—and especially when —they are not written by Shakespeare. By focusing on works with profound themes and complex characters, STC’s artistic mission is unique among regional theaters: to bring to vibrant life groundbreaking, thought-provoking, and eminently accessible theater. ...read more read less