Quintessence Theatre Doubles Down on Shakespeare with this Season’s Repertory

Reported on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.

Pictured Above: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Quintessence Theatre, 2025 (L to R Zachary Valdez, Sarah Stryker, Tim Dugan, Steven Anthony Wright, Rafi Mills, Imani Lee Williams). Photo Credit: Linda Johnson.

NEWSROOM POST: PHILADELPHIA, PA

The full Shakespeare repertory schedule is running now to April 27

Philadelphia, PA – Repertory theatre is a high-wire act, and Quintessence Theatre is once again taking on William Shakespeare to deliver this epic experience for Philadelphia. Recognized and awarded for both its ‘classics forward’ Shakespeare productions and its repertory work, this is the first time in a decade that the paired productions are written by The Bard.

12 actors will be performing multiple roles in a rotating schedule of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Antony & Cleopatra in a “Reckless Romance” repertory. The productions are highlighted by casts featuring some of the region’s best actors, including Philadelphia-based classic theatre actor and arts educator Tim Dugan, stage and screen actor Christopher Patrick Mullen, theatre artist and film actor DeAnna S Wright, and veteran actor and director Steven Anthony Wright. Both productions will be directed by Quintessence Producing Artistic Director Alex Burns. The trippy romantic comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream begins previews on February 27 and opens on Saturday, March 15. The near-mythological love story wrapped in political intrigue, Antony & Cleopatra, begins previews on Wednesday, March 5, and opens on Saturday, March 22.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream asks if love is for the foolish. Four Athenian youths reject their parents’ efforts to interfere in their romantic lives and choose to run away instead of facing the love-limiting laws of the land. Lost in the surrounding wilderness, the lovers stumble upon a fairy kingdom in conflict; a spat between the fairy king and queen so great it threatens to alter the earth’s orbit and suspend its seasons. A group of laborers, secretly rehearsing their play for a royal competition, also wander unwittingly into the middle of the fairy battle. Mayhem ensues, and Shakespeare confirms we can all prove an ass when in love.

Antony & Cleopatra poses the question, can passion topple an empire? Julius Caesar is assassinated, the rebellion foiled, and the Roman Empire is now ruled equally by three men, of which Mark Antony is the most powerful. Stationed in the east, Mark Antony summons Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, to demand submission, but instead, Antony is subdued by Cleopatra’s beauty, wit, and charm. Heart tied to Cleopatra, Antony neglects his wife and empire, the man of war surrendering to a life of decadence, seduction, and the pleasures of Egypt. Torn between desire and duty, will the eternity in their eyes and in their lips create a new global power, or will Antony and Cleopatra’s passions lead to the fall of the empire?

Pictured Above: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Quintessence Theatre, 2025 (L to R Gabriel W. Elmore, Tyler Elliot, Imani Lee Williams, Zachary Valdez, Rafi Mills, Christopher Patrick Mullen). Photo Credit: Linda Johnson.

“In celebration of our ‘resident playwright,’ our 15th birthday, and the power of the classical actor, we return to repertory to present two of the most impactful works of Western literature,” said Burns. “Both plays are about the power of love: one a romantic comedy, the other a political thriller and romantic tragedy. Both celebrate a set of lovers whose passions are so great that they choose to stand outside of their society’s dictates and risk all for love. The result is that their reckless romances change the course of the world forever.” Burns added, “With the future of our democracy in question, we look to the genius of Shakespeare to question how empires fall, the fallibility of fairy magic, and if winning the war is more important than following your heart. For hundreds of years, the bawdy comedy and eroticism of Shakespeare’s plays was censored, or misunderstood. Quintessence is excited to lean into the divine and the vulgar of human sexuality, exploring the comedy and the tragedy in hedonism.”

Each of the 12 cast members play at least one role in each show, with some appearing in multiple roles in one or both plays. Returning actors to Quintessence are: DeAnna S Wright (Flyin West), Tim Dugan (Cyrano de Bergerac), Christopher Patrick Mullen (Macbeth), Steven Anthony Wright (Kiss Me Kate, The Fantasticks, Father Comes Home From the Wars Parts I, II, and III), Ivana Thompson (Father Comes Home From the Wars Parts I, II, and III, The Owl and the Pussycat and Other Nonsense), Sarah Stryker (The Owl & The Pussycat and Other Nonsense), Gabriel Elmore (Major Barbara and No Exit, Cyrano de Bergerac), Lee Thomas Cortopassi (Macbeth, Cyrano de Bergerac, Major Barbara) and Zachary Valdez (Macbeth). New to Quintessence are Rafi Mills and Tyler S. Elliot.

Quintessence founder and artistic director Alex Burns directs both shows in addition to serving as the set and sound designer. Burns leads the creative team featuring Lighting Designer John Burkland, and Costume Designer Sydney Dufka for Antony & Cleopatra. For A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Summer Lee Jack is the Costume Designer. Sean Bradley is the Fight Director and previously worked on Quintessence’s production of Macbeth last season. The production team is rounded out by Stage Manager Wilhelm Peters, with Liz Nugent and Karly Amato serving as the Assistant Stage Managers. A Midsummer Night’s Dream features an original score by noted Philadelphia musician David Cope.

Pictured Above: Antony & Cleopatra, Quintessence Theatre, 2025 (L to R DeAnna S Wright and Tim Dugan). Photo Credit: Linda Johnson.

Ticketing Information:

The full repertory schedule runs from February 27 to April 27. All performances take place at the historic Sedgwick Theater (7137 Germantown Avenue), a flexible black box theater. Tickets start at $35, with premium seats available starting at $45. Multiple discounts, event details, and information are available at QTGREP.ORG or by calling the Box Office at 215-987-4450. Group Sales are available. Theatregoers enjoy Pay-What-You-Can tickets for A Midsummer Night’s Dream on February 27 and for Antony & Cleopatra on March 5. Repertory ticket bundles will be available and patrons may use discount code DOUBLEUP to save on any General Admission tickets when they purchase both productions.

Special Promo:

Quintessence hosts a variety of special programming and performances to further engage audiences around its productions, including:

Behind The Scenes Preview: Antony & Cleopatra: Thursday, March 13, at 7 p.m. | A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Thursday, March 6, at 7 p.m. – Join a pre-show chat hosted in the bar lobby 30 minutes before curtain time, where Quintessence staff share insights about the production, playwright, script, designers’ process, theatrical challenges, and more.

Post-Show Convos: Antony & Cleopatra: Sunday, March 30, at 3 p.m. | A Midsummer Night’s Dream:

Sunday, March 23 at 3 p.m. – A special guest is invited on stage after the performance to lead a deep dive into the nuances of the production.

Cast Talkback Nights: Antony & Cleopatra: Thursday, March 27, at 7 p.m. | A Midsummer Night’s

Dream: Thursday, March 20, at 7 p.m. – Patrons can meet the cast members immediately after the performance to ask anything they’d like about the production.

Queer Affinity Night: Antony & Cleopatra: Friday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m. | A Midsummer Night’s Dream:

Friday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m. – Quintessence Producing Artistic Director and the Reckless Romance Repertory director Alex Burns hosts guests for a post-show meet-and-greet with complimentary cocktails.

Industry Night: Antony & Cleopatra: Wednesday, April 16, at 7 p.m. | A Midsummer Night’s Dream:

Thursday, April 10, at 7 p.m. – Philly theatre friends and colleagues can purchase tickets for just $10 and come early, hang out, and enjoy bar specials Theatre Industry tickets are also available for every performance for $15.

Young Artists Night: Antony & Cleopatra: Thursday, April 3, at 7 p.m. | A Midsummer Night’s Dream:

Thursday, April 17, at 7 p.m. – Includes a 30-minute pre-show reception where aspiring artists can meet a working theatre professional to talk about their careers, aspirations, and love of the stage. Antony & Cleopatra and A Midsummer Night’s Dream are part of the 8th Annual Philadelphia Theatre Week, April 3 to 13.

Public and street parking is available throughout the Mt. Airy neighborhood.