This summer the Experience Theatre Project will be staging our first play, A Midsummer Night's Dream, at the Round in Beaverton. This production will be offered free to the public. The Round is a wonderfully accessible location to all Beaverton and Washington County residents. The images of dreams, love and magic, coupled with the poetry of the bard and the midsummer, outdoor setting, will promote goodwill and appreciation for live theater and the Bard. We hope that this show is the first of an annual series of free Shakespeare in the Round productions. The production will include original music, live musicians, professional dancers and actors, and enthusiastic children who enroll in our theater's summer fairy camp-who will get the opportunity to perform in front of a live audience for the very first time.

Although the notion of producing A Midsummer Night’s Dream in midsummer is not new, producing an immersive version of this classic Shakespeare piece outdoors to Washington County residents will expose a new generation of theater goers to classical literature under modern-day direction. Our production will have a very immersive quality not seen on the west side. That is, most traditional theater companies perform their shows on a stage, with a fourth wall that is familiar and traditional. Our production will utilize its unique space at the Round by directing actors to move among and around audiences, as if the watchers are important to move the action forward instead of simply passively watching a show. This style of direction will set our production apart from other Shakespeare productions, and hopefully inspire Washington County residents to return for another show or share their experience with their friends and family. The production opens June 24 and runs 7:30 pm Fridays and Saturdays, Sunday matinees at 2 pm through July 10. We will also have a special evening show Sunday, July 3 at 7:30 pm in celebration of Independence Day.

We plan to use the funds for a permit/liability insurance, costumes, props, set materials.

I am the Artistic Director of this 501c3 nonprofit. I founded this theater company to bring professional, immersive, imaginative, and innovative theater to Washington County. We break the familiar fourth wall and bring a theatrical experience to the audience member. We host monthly comedy nights to raise funds for our kids summer camp program and our very first mainstage show, A Midsummer Night's Dream.

The project will make Washington County awesome in that it has not been done before - the city is bending its rules (city codes) to allow us to bring this production for three weekends in a row to The Round. The live music, costumes, and dancing will make for a spectacular production, and Washington county residents of all ages will be able to attend for free.

Ever since I saw the Round at Beaverton, I thought the space would be perfect for a free outdoor Shakespeare production. A Midsummer Night's Dream performed mid-summer seemed to be the perfect choice for the first ever theatre production in this space, and the first production of our theater company. It has magic, humor, and beauty in its folds. We hope that families with curious children, couples, and single people who reside in the Beaverton/Washington County area will come see the play. We believe attendance will number approximately 140-200 people per show, or serve approximately 5,000 Washington County residents of all ages in total. Our success will be measured by attendance, media reviews, and exit polling post-show.

Want to Help?
The Experience Theatre Project is looking for community members to help with: ushering, running their sound and light booth, postering, helping table at events, in-kind donations, and of course, getting the word out about their show. Contact: Alisa at the Experience Theatre Project · alias(at)experiencetheatreproject(dot)org · 844-387-7469 www.experiencetheatreproject.org - www.facebook.com/experiencetp - twitter.com/etheatreproject