Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 28, 1991 TAG: 9102270228
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: E-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JEFF DeBELL STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"I thought he was kidding," Patterson said.
That's understandable. The famous sprite of William Shakespeare's comic fantasy traditionally is played by someone able to flit nimbly about in the way that sprites are understood to do. In many instances, the part has been played by a young woman.
Patterson certainly isn't a young woman. Nor is the food-loving actor built for flitting nimbly about. But the idea is funny, and that's precisely what Hodgin had in mind.
"Trying to be fast is funnier than being fast," Hodgin said.
Call it nontraditional casting. Patterson accepted the challenge and claims to be "enjoying it immensely."
The actor first performed at MillMountain Theatre in its 1977 production of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum." He has had a part in at least one play in all but one season since.
"I'm that bad penny that keeps showing up," he joked.
Though the 43-year-old actor has a number of favorite roles, his undisputed triumph came in the theater's 1986 mounting of "Fiddler on the Roof" with Patterson as Tevye.
In 1985, Patterson broadened his involvement at the theater by joining its office staff as a full-time odd-jobs man. A year later, he moved to the marketing department and still works there when not acting.
"I feel like I'm one of the luckiest actors in the country," he said. "I'm in a place I love, doing what I want to do. I'm grateful to everyone for allowing me to do this, including the audience, which has been very supportive."
Patterson and his colleagues are returning Shakespeare to Mill Mountain's stage in answer to popular demand. The theater gave the slot for its annual classic over to Tennessee Williams' "The Glass Menagerie" last season, after doing Shakespeare in 1988 and '89. The response was indifferent - patrons said they preferred Shakespeare.
"It was refreshing and a surprise," said Hodgin, who is the theater's artistic and executive director.
"A Midsummer Night's Dream" was selected for a number of reasons, Hodgin said, among them its elements of comedy and fantasy, elegant language and adaptability. The comedy of romance is generally set in place - Athens - but not in time, therefore granting considerable freedom of interpretation.
"We wanted something we could do in more of a stylistic way," Hodgin said.
Robert Croghan's abstract sets emphasize circular platforms and stylized trees, with a prominent moon and dark background to enhance the play's dreamlike atmosphere. There are pools and waterfalls and suspended rings to "fly" Shakespeare's fairies onto the stage.
Croghan's costumes have a vaguely Mediterranean tone, though they, too, are meant to be of indeterminate place and time.
Harry Hogan, who was Freddy in Mill Mountain's production of "My Fair Lady," returns to play the fairy king Oberon in "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Titania, the fairy queen, is played by Corinna May. She was Katherine in the theater's 1989 production of "The Taming of the Shrew."
Sharon Merle, who was in both "The Taming of the Shrew" and "The Comedy of Errors" at Mill Mountain, returns as Helena. J.R. Hontz, who last appeared at the theater in "A Christmas Carol," portrays Lysander.
Newcomers Sewell Whitney, Sharon FitzHenry, Cuivan Kelly and Kristina Wright appear respectively as Theseus, Hippolyta, Demetrius and Hermia. Herbert Mark Parker makes his Mill Mountain debut in the role of Bottom. His fellow craftsmen, or "mechanicals," are played by David Glenn Stern (Quince), Jeff Berger (Snug), James Bunzli (Flute), Andrew R. Cooksey (Snout) and Roger Mangels (Starveling).
The lighting is by John Sailer. Keith Levenson composed the music for the production. Kenneth J. Davis is stage manager and Diana Gonzalez, artistic director of Roanoke Ballet Theatre, assisted with the choreography.
A preview performance, on Thursday, is sold out. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. on weekend matinees. Discounts are available to students, senior citizens and groups of 15 or more, and half-price tickets called Hot Tix are available at selected times.
"A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM': Opening at 8 p.m. Friday at Mill Mountain Theater, and runs until March 17. $11-14. 342-5740.
by CNB