Jefferson Elementary’s after school program hosted both a choir performance as well as a play the afternoon of March 14, 2018 for the student body, staff, and parents. It was evident that the students that attend the after school program spent time rehearsing for their Shakespeare play, as it went off without a hitch. Students recited the lines from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” elinquently.
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is a play written by Williams Shakespeare that takes place in Athens Greece where Duke Theseus is top in command. One day as he was preparing for his marriage to Queen Hippolyta, a man named Egeus storms in to see the Duke followed by his daughter Herma, her beloved Lysander, and the man her father has chosen for Hermia to marry, Demetrius. Egeus tells Thesus that Hermia refuses to marry Demetrius, wanting instead to marry Lysander. He asks the Duke for the right to punish Hermia with death if she refuses to obey. Thesus agrees and as a result Lysander and Hermia decide to flee by night into the woods and get married. They tell their plan to Helena, a girl who is in love with Demetrius. Hoping to gain Demetrius affection, she tells him about the plan.
In another part of the woods, King Oberon and Queen Titania are having an argument and King Oberon decides to play a trick on Titania but he overhears Demetrius and Helena in the woods. He casts a spell on Titania, placing magical juice on her eyes that will make her fall in love with the first person she sees upon waking up. When Demetrius deserts Helena in the woods, King Oberon decides he will also place the juice I Demetrius eyes, but instead places the juice in Lysander’s eyes by accident. When Helena comes across Lysander, she wakes him up and he immediately falls I love with her. Oberon who is watching all of this, realizes his mistake and also puts the magical juice in Demetrius eyes. When he wakes up, he also falls in love with Helena. A fight between the two men ensues. Eventually, Oberon removes the spell. Upon Helena, Lysander, Demetrius and Hermia being found in the woods by Egesus, Demetrius confesses the he no longer loves Hermia, but loves Helena instead. Thesus makes the decision to allow Lysander and Hermia to get married.
After the play, students from the after school program choir sang three songs: Music Is Always There by Theresa Jennings, Everybody Needs a Friend by Mike Wilson, and Play That Music by Teresa Jennings. These catchy tunes were a hit with the audience! It was a successful afternoon of fine arts at Jefferson Elementary.
Portions of the article written by Gianetta Skidmore, Jefferson Elementary
