Midsummer for Haters is showing June 3-18, 2022! In this collaboration with Nemesis Theatre Company, Shakespeare’s beloved classic gets a new treatment by the people who can’t stand it, resulting in a kidnapped Amazon, mystified mortals, sadistic fairies, and mechanicals gone wild! Will any of them survive four nights in the magic forest?
We reached out to set designer Alice Dodge to find out more about her and her experience working on this unique production!
What do you hate about Midsummer?
So many people have to lie down on things, yet still be visible.
What do you love about Shakespeare?
We're still finding ways to do it differently.
How did you get into theatre?
I'm pretty sure Melon literally dragged me there when I was 14 (she was 13).
How is working with The Magnetic different from working with other theatres?
It is..... spatially challenging.
Have you done any research or read any books / listened to any interesting podcasts related to the play's subject matter that you'd recommend?
The set is inspired by the work of artist Ernesto Neto, who has made crazy pod-things and giant crocheted hanging sculptures. You can check out his work at https://www.tanyabonakdargallery.com/artists/49-ernesto-neto/.
Do you have any upcoming projects that we should check out?
If I do, I'll put them on my website at alicedodge.com.
Biography
Alice Dodge is a visual artist living in Montpelier, Vermont. This is her first remote set design and she's extremely grateful to all those who helped make it happen, including everyone at Nemesis and The Magnetic; Molly and Chris and family; her husband Will, who is holding down the fort up north while she's here; and Jon and Melon, who first dragged her to a rehearsal thirty years ago.
Midsummer for Haters is showing June 3-18, 2022 at The Magnetic Theatre in Asheville, NC. Grab your tickets here: https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?show=134503