Teens take on the Bard

"Though she be but little, she be fierce!"

Hinsdale Central's Helena Ault relishes this line she utters in the school's upcoming production of Shakespeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream."

"My character may be small but she's strong," Ault says of Hermia, who's caught in a romantic entanglement because of her love for one man, Lysander, while being courted by Demetrius, whom she is trying to shed. "Women were not treated well at that time, and I think it's cool how Shakespeare made Hermia such a strong person."

This subplot is one of several in the famous play set in Athens, which revolves around the central story of the marriage of Theseus, the Duke of Athens, and Hippolyta. Much of the action takes place in a forest inhabited by fairies who manipulate the humans while enmeshed in their own domestic intrigue.

Senior Sara Malysz portrays both Theseus and Oberon, King of the Fairies. Oberon is angry with his wife, Titania, and instructs his underling Puck to use a love potion as part of his revenge. But the plan goes awry.

"There is just a lot of chaos that goes on," Malysz said.

Director and Central English teacher Chris Kostro said he selected the comedy for the troupe's fall play because it allowed for versatility in casting after his return from grad school.

"Being gone for a year, I didn't know the kids as well as I normally do," he said. "I wanted to pick a play that I could do more gender-bending if I needed to.

"And it had been a long time since we'd done Shakespeare," he added. "This just fit the bill."

The production is actually a 90-minute cutting of the play.

"It's just a really nice tight script, and everything fell into place," Kostro said.

Because it dovetails nicely with sophomore English and AP Literature curriculum, preview performances will be held for those classes.

"Like a little 25-minute cutting to have that tie-in," he said.

Ault said she's always considered "Midsummer" her favorite Shakespearean work and has embraced the chance to take on the challenging script.

"With Shakespeare I feel like you have to get more of your mind involved in what you're saying," Ault said.

Malysz agreed, stressing the need to employ exaggerated physical movements and intonation help communicate the meaning - and often double meaning - of the archaic diction.

"It's so different that what you're used to," Malysz said,

"Midsummer Night's Dream" runs Nov. 21-23, with performances at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 5 p.m. Saturday in the Hinsdale Central auditorium, 5500 S. Grant St.

Tickets are $10. Visit http://www.ticketpeak.co/hcdrama/events.

'Seussical' hits South

Hinsdale teen Laura Armstrong will perform with her MainStage Theatre company in the production "Seussical" Friday to Sunday, Nov. 22-24, at Hinsdale South High School, 7401 Clarendon Hills Road in Darien.

Armstrong portrays lovesick Gertrude, who is disheartened that Horton the Elephant does not return her affections.

"She tries really hard to get his attention by doing things like growing a really long tail to impress him," Armstrong said. "But she really can't get him to notice her."

Horton, meanwhile, has discovered a speck of dust that contains the Whos, and faces a double challenge of protecting the Whos from a world of naysayers and dangers and guarding an abandoned egg, left in his care by the irresponsible Mayzie La Bird.

The production works in many beloved Dr. Seuss stories.

"It's a fun musical for kids and adults, and a way to celebrate all the stories that we all read as kids through music," Armstrong said, admitting to not being familiar with it until preparing for the audition. "Once I finally watched it, it was really nice to see a bunch of these stories portrayed in a genre like musical theater."

A 10-year veteran of the stage, Armstrong said the process of bringing a work to life for audiences is special.

"I enjoy having a community where I get to do something I love with people that love it just as much as I do," she said. "Music is something that really keeps me going throughout the year, and it's really a positive and uplifting experience when I'm at rehearsal."

It's a commitment, she noted, with rehearsals after school running until 10 p.m. But the payoff is worth it.

"We're so proud of it. We've created something and put so much work into it," Armstrong said.

And having Hinsdale South as the venue after relocating from the south suburbs means more of her friends can attend.

The themes of friendship, loyalty, family and community are prevalent in "Seussical," and Armstrong said Gertrude learns to appreciate herself, too.

"Seussical" is on stage at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Tickets are $27. Visit http://www.mainstage-theatre.com.