FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com october 16, 2014 • buzz • The Queens Courier 79 Titan’s ‘Midsummer’ is autumn delight Bashful autumn’s leaves have barely begun to coax their brightest colors at Flushing Meadows Corona Park. In fact, it’s still summer at Queens Theatre’s studio venue. The resident troupe, Titan Theatre Company, opens the season with a live encore presentation of William Shakespeare’s popular “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” At the Oct. 8 performance, artistic director Lenny Banovez warns the audience that 40,320 combinations are possible if roles are mixed randomly. In fact, he introduces mischievous but classy Puck (Nathan C. Crocker) who invites us to pull names from a hat. With a flourish, the evening’s portrayals have been selected. That means every performer has memorized every line for the entire comedy! In 16th-century English! Wearing white shirts and black slacks, the actors appear center stage. Once assigned, they return later with minimal makeup and modern clothes. They deliver their lines with facial expressions and physical exaggerations that magnificently transform them. It’s almost like watching human cartoon characters. Sean Hudock as Bottom refrains from wearing a donkey’s head. Instead, his vocalizations and mannerisms hilariously convey the desired effect. Plenty of gender-bending puts the women in men’s costumes and vice versa. Annie Paul plays Lysander and Snout while Tressa Preston portrays dominant males Oberon and Theseus. Laura Frye is a little of both. She is lovely Hermia and blue-collared Snug. Of these, Annie’s additional interpretation of “the wall” is really solid. Jonathan Finnegan very ably plays Egeus, who is prone to violence, and Quince, who is prone to mangling the English language. Lloyd Mulvey’s Thisbe dies a comically noble death in the story’s play within a play. Gregory Isaac is Helena and Peasblossom. Jonathan Hicks is Hippolyta and Titania. Tonight, neither of them will skirt the gender issue as they wear wraparound dresses and other attire. Yes, they keep us in stitches at all the right moments. Producers Kevin Beebee and Leonard Banovez Sr. have clearly sought talented performers, many of whom are members of Actor’s Equity. The behind-the-scenes team is also strong and includes Alyssa Van Gorder (stage manager), Jasmine Nicole Roberts/Liz Lundberg (scenic design/charge), Alan Piotrowiz (lighting design), Anna Grace Carter (sound design), Alexis Black (fight choreography) and Lloyd Mulvey (promotional photography). For information on the troupe’s upcoming projects call the Queens Theatre box office at 718-760- 0064 or surf to www.TitanTheatreCompany.com. As always, save me a seat on the aisle. A VIEW FROM THE CLIFF BY CLIFF KASDEN Photo courtesy of Kevin Thomas Garcia REGIS TR ATION September 15th Starting January 4th every Monday Evening 7-8 pm Saturday afternoon 11:30 am-12:30 pm through January 25th. Baseball for boys and girls Girls softball available e League that feels all children should be playing and having fun tNhorvoeumghb Nero v1e0mthber 10th for ages 10 and up e Club House 25-32 168th Street Lower level VISIT THE WEBSITE: BaysideLittleLeague.com FOR TH E A PPL ICAT ION A ND IN FO EARN EXTRA INCOME The Queens Courier is looking for experienced Telemarketers to work in our Bayside Office. MORNING & AFTERNOON SHIFTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE. SALARY + COMMISSION CALL FOR INTERVIEW 718-224-5863 ext. 228
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