Rancho Cucamonga High School advanced drama stepped back into the whimsical world of Shakespeare for their final production of the year, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 

Performances took place from May 4-6 in the RCHS auditorium at 7 p.m., followed by a matinee show at 2 p.m. on Saturday before the final show. Tickets were sold for $10 regular price and $7 for RCHS students. 

“The show went incredibly well,” junior Lorelai Gango said, “my favorite part was seeing the audience’s reaction to Nick Bottom with the donkey-head, that whole scene when he first comes on is my favorite, and I think the audience loved it too

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a Shakespearean comedy that takes its audience on a journey through love, fairies, and magic. It is a stark difference compared to the Shakespeare tragedies most students know. 

“It’s about four lovers, Athenians, fairies, and actors whose stories all happen to be intertwined in a confusing and magical way,” RCHS senior and drama club president Sandy Mourice said. 

The play opened with four lovers who escaped Athens and found themselves lost in an enchanted forest. Suddenly, the vengeful fairy King Oberon and his servant Puck created a love potion, seeking revenge on Oberon’s fairy queen by forcing her to love a man with a donkey’s head. 

However, the young lovers get caught in the crossfire as Puck mistakenly tears the couples apart and ties them back together in messy love triangles and heartbreak. As the show went on, the auditorium filled with laughter as Oberon and Puck tried to resolve the mess they had made. 

RCHS senior and actress Maha Tahir was especially fascinated by the story, complimenting its multidimensional storytelling. 

“It’s such a unique show because it combines so many different aspects of storytelling and, compared to the tragedies that most people know Shakespeare for, this story leans more on the lighthearted parts of life,” Tahir said.  

Another special aspect of the show was the costumes, which were a mix of medieval garb and whimsical attire. 

Junior Sienna Gango worked backstage, helping actors manage their many detailed costumes. She said, “The costumes for this play are especially beautiful because this whole production has a very dreamy theme to it, which calls for very pretty costumes.”

From dreamy dresses with fairy wings to opulent capes and robes, each costume aided in developing each character. 

“Each character also only has one or two costumes, so it really lets the actors get comfortable in their outfit and really act with it to make their character complete,” Sienna Gango said. 

Moreover, much of the preparation occurred very rapidly, according to Mourice. Rehearsals began immediately after Little Shop of Horrors took place in March.  

“The prep for the show went way faster than other shows, especially since it was immediately after Little Shop,” Mourice said. “We only rehearsed two days after school (plus advanced drama class time) and did all the technical stuff in class.”

Advanced drama performed A Midsummer Night’s Dream, making it the last RCHS production for many seniors. 

“It’s a bittersweet feeling. I’ll miss getting to meet with my theater family more than anything, yet I think this show is a good one to end things on,” Tahir said. 

Similarly, Mourice said, “This is definitely a bittersweet moment, unfortunately, I didn’t get much time with our new director Mr. Loudermilk but I’m so glad that I got to spend the last two years under his guidance, it’s really awe-inspiring.”

Gathering lessons learned from A Midsummer Night’s Dream and other RCHS productions throughout the years, many seniors are excited to grow and take on new challenges.

As graduation approaches, seniors in advanced drama intend to end the year strong following A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 

Mourice said, “I’m most excited to end this year with a bang, and the cool lights and sounds that come with it.”

1. The drama department and only advanced drama could be actors but anyone can still tech it!

The most special thing about AMND is probably going to be working with my fellow seniors one last time, you bond with people a lot when you are working on a show with them 

3. The prep for the show is going way faster than other shows, especially since it was immediately after little shop, we are only rehearsing two days after school (plus advanced drama class time) and doing all the technical stuff in class
4. AMND is a Shakespearean play about 4 lovers, Athenians, fairies, and actors who’s stories all happen to be intertwined in a confusing and magical way 

5. they should look forward to the returning actors from our shows this year, this show features so many actors from Clue and Little shop (plus a bunch of lead senior techs from the same shows) 

6. I’m most excited to end this show with a bang, and the cool lights and sounds that come with it

    7. This is definitely a bittersweet moment, unfortunately I didn’t get much time with our new director Mr. Loudermilk but im so glad that I got to spend the last two years under his guidance, it’s really awe inspiring, I’m also glad to see the new stage managers rise to the occasion and be trained and lead their own way through the show. This program has stolen a piece of my heart and it’s going to keep it forever, I hope to come back next year to see the spectacular shows they put on next, because I know they will be spectacular

SIENNA GANGO 

So my job in tech is to make sure costumes stay together as well as help actors change in and out of the costumes correctly. I helped keep track of all the costumes and made sure they stayed in good condition. I also help the actors with quick changes backstage during the show, and I did multiple actors makeup before the show and during the show. I also helped with different hairstyles for different characters in the production.  

The costumes for this play are especially beautiful because this whole production has a very dreamy theme to it, which calls for very pretty costumes. When you have a play with characters like fairies and lovers in the costumes, they have to match. Each character also only has one or two costumes, so it really lets the actors get comfortable in their outfit and really act with it to make their character complete.

LORELAI GANGO

AAH UMM

I think the show went incredibly well, my favorite part was seeing the audience’s reaction to Nick bottom with the ass-head, that whole scene when he first comes on is my favorite and I think the audience loved it too

MAHA

1) A Midsummer Night’s Dream is being performed by actors in the Advanced Drama Production, but anyone else in the drama department can be in the crew.

2) AMND is such a unique show in that it manages to combine so many different aspects of storytelling and, compared to the tragedies that most people know Shakespeare for, this story leans more on the lighthearted parts of life.

3) The Advanced Drama class has become a rehearsal space for the actors as we run through the show each day. Furthermore, we have after school rehearsals where the actors continue tightening out the details and the crew works on what must be accomplished in their department (set, props, etc.).

4)I don’t want to give too much away and talking about it can add to the confusion, but the basics of AMND is that three separate stories in Athens, featuring a multitude of different characters, slowly start intertwining as magic begins to affect each of their lives.

5) Students should look forward to seeing how the comedy and heart of the show combine to make a truly memorable story.

6) I am most excited to spend more time with the people I’ve gotten to work with. Also, this show is far from anything drama has done before, so being able to explore a different side to theatre has been spectacular.

7) It’s a bittersweet feeling. I’ll miss getting to meet with my theatre family more than anything, yet I think this show is a good one to end things on. I can’t speak for all seniors, but for me, I think this show represents my years with drama at Rancho. It’s chaotic and at times can feel overwhelming, but at the end of it all, it’s an experience I wouldn’t trade for the world.

So my job in tech is to make sure costumes stay together as well as help actors change in and out of the costumes correctly. I helped keep track of all the costumes and made sure they stayed in good condition. I also help the actors with quick changes backstage during the show, and I did multiple actors makeup before the show and during the show. I also helped with different hairstyles for different characters in the production. 

The costumes for this play are especially beautiful because this whole production has a very dreamy theme to it, which calls for very pretty costumes. When you have a play with characters like fairies and lovers in the costumes, they have to match. Each character also only has one or two costumes, so it really lets the actors get comfortable in their outfit and really act with it to make their character complete.