The 37th Annual Kern Shakespeare Festival kicked off with “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” held on Oct. 1 at the Bakersfield College Outdoor Performing Arts Theatre. 

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. This comedy is a modern take on the Greek Mythology Gods and their in-different love triangles. 

When the fairy queen casts a spell on the four young lovers Hermia, Helena, Lysander and Demetrius. This creates an unwanted love triangle between both of the boys who fall for the same girl (Helena). They must then run to the forest, seeking answers as to what is creating this mess. When the fairy queen has a spell casted upon her from another fairy by the name of Puck. The fairy queen is under a love spell and only has eyes for a man who has mistakenly turned into a donkey. 

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” play cast consists of Scott Deaton as Theseus, Andrea Vega as Hippolyta, Connor Demming, Marina Gradwitz as Hermnia, Lucy Brown as Helena, Karl Brown as Bottom and Cristina Ortega is Titania, the fairy queen. 

This Shakespeare Comedy adaptation was Directed by BC Adjunct Theatre Arts Professor, Cody Ganger. Who also portrayed Oberon in the play. 

As someone who is not a big fan of Shakespeare I rather enjoyed this play. It was funny, it made me laugh, it was witty and the Greek mythology aspect of it all was what I enjoyed the most. It was a modern take on a classic love triangle story line. 

General Admission is $10 and for BC Students, Staff and Veterans it is $5. Following COVID-19 protocols, masks are optional for the outdoor theatre setting. Upon entering guests were required to fill out the daily health checker through the Kern Community College District and show a green or blue pass before entering. 

The 37th Kern Shakespeare festival will consist of two plays “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” showing Oct. 6 and Oct. 8 at 7:30 P.M. and “Macbeth” directed by BC Associate Professor, Brian J. Sivesind showing Oct. 7 and Oct. 9 at 7:30 P.M. in the Outdoor Theatre as well. The play runs for approximately two hours with a ten intermission in-between.