On Friday, Oct. 3, the GHS Drama Club and AP Lit. class took a field trip to go watch a production of the Shakespeare show A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the American Player’s Theater. This show was a great way for the students to get together and experience theater in a unique way, as they sat outside as the actors put on the show, along with bringing some audience interaction as well!
Galena has been doing field trips to APT for around 15 years now, and they have always been a Shakespeare centered theatre. This year, they did a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, so the AP Lit. class also got to go as well since they had just read the story. “They have at least one Shakespeare show per season, so it’s a grea50t opportunity to enjoy his works,” said Lillie Anderson-Beadle.
The students had a very fun trip and enjoyed the play. The play the group saw, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, is about pairs of lovers getting into confusing shenanigans after elves accidentally interfere with their love life while a theater group plans to put on a show for the rulers of the land. The show got lots of laughs from the audience, and was easy to enjoy even for the unusual dialect of Shakespeare. “The whole experience was super fun, and the actors were really funny,” said Kane Trujillo ‘27.
The show was unique in an aspect, however, as it was also conveyed through sign language, so audience members who couldn’t hear could still enjoy the production to its fullest. “Other theaters aren’t as visual as APT was, and it was so cool they made it enjoyable for deaf watchers. I liked the more visual performing over that of traditional Shakespeare plays,” said Emily Carothers ‘27.
The show’s outdoor setting meant the students had to contend with the unbearable heat. However, that single difficulty didn’t overshadow the performance. “The heat was a little unbearable, but it was worth it to see such a good show!” said Violet Doyle ’26. The heat was the only thing that seemed to negatively affect the trip.
Overall, the field trip to the American Player’s Theater was a fun way for the students to spend their Friday, while also getting to experience the works of Shakespeare in an enjoyable way. “I thought it was really fun. The acting was really good, and it helped me to understand the story better,” said Liliana Asta ‘26. And hopefully, the Drama Club and AP Lit. class can come back again next year to enjoy what else APT has to offer!
