The Wood River Middle School seventh-grade Purple Team is sponsoring a performance next month of William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer's Night Dream," performed by the Utah Shakespeare Festival. The event was planned as a fund-raising project for community service. It will be held at the Community Campus theater in Hailey at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 6.
In addition to the performance, students are selling raffle tickets to raise additional funds.
The story is, in typical Shakespeare fashion, a dizzying array of plot lines and characters. It features many of the devices the Bard so loved, including mistaken identities, traipsing about in the woods, fairies, love, weddings and music.
Hermia is to marry Demetrius (who loves Hermia), but Hermia is in love with Lysander. Meanwhile, Helena loves Demetrius even though he jilted her after meeting Hermia. Hoping to regain his love, Helena tells Demetrius of Hermia and Lysande's plan to elope. At the appointed time, Demetrius stalks into the woods after his intended bride and her lover. Helena follows behind him. And so the craziness ensues.
Proceeds from this production of "A Midsummer's Night Dreams" and the raffle will benefit the Walbaum family and the Sloan family, who are both closely associated with the Wood River Middle School Purple Team. A paraprofessional at the school, Kim Walbaum suffered a series of strokes in February and again just a week ago. She is recuperating at the Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Hospital in Boise.
"Her sudden illness brought considerable financial hardship to her family," said seventh-grade teacher Sara Shafer, "We love her and appreciate everyone for their love and positive support."
Half of the proceeds will be contributed to the established fund for Walbaum's family.
The other half will be used to establish a college fund for former Purple Team students Nick and Steph Sloan, whose father, Jeff Sloan, 51, was killed last fall in a car accident near Pullman, Wash.
Tickets are available from any Wood River Middle School seventh-grader or through Janene Alleman at 578-5030, ext. 2311.
A scene from the Utah Shakespearean Festival?s 2007 Shakespeare-in-the-Schools production of ?A Midsummer Night?s Dream.? Courtesy photo by Karl Hugh. Copyright Utah Shakespearean Festival 2007.
