Anna Hedgpeth

Reporter

South’s fall play, A Midsummer’s Night in Jersey, is a parody of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream and the TV show Jersey Shore.

It features nontraditional casting and plot twists, and a group of aspiring actors working as hairdressers.

The story revolves around the impending marriage of the governor of New Jersey, the love affairs of four beach-bound high school crushes, a lively crew of fairies, and the staff of a local beauty salon.

Junior Lexi Holder, who plays a hairdresser named Nikki Bottom, said that she enjoys the comedic script, which sets this show apart from those of the past, and the community of actors participating in the play.

A Midsummer’s Night in Jersey was chosen as this year’s fall play after Director Susan Cooper and the drama club read through countless plays last spring in search of the perfect fit for South students. Cooper said that this script stood out because of its humor and because the theater wanted to do something to honor Shakespeare since April marked the 400th anniversary of his death.

On differentiating the fall play from the winter musical, Holder said that the atmosphere is completely different, with a smaller cast of flexible actors willing to do whatever they can to help improve the show.

The comedic nature of A Midsummer’s Night in Jersey is popular among the cast. Junior Carlie Baldus said that because it is a Shakespeare parody, it takes the typical show performed at South, for example Shakespeare’s Hamlet performed two years ago, and pokes fun at it a bit.

The performances of A Midsummer’s Night in Jersey are 7 p.m. September 29, 30 and October 1, with a 1 p.m. matinee on October 1, in the Blue Springs South PAC. Tickets are on sale from any cast member for $5.