Main Stage

The North Shore Players invites you to audition for our Shakespeare in the Park production of 

A Midsummer Night’s Dream!

Coming Soon: A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare  (locations tbd)

A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Character Descriptions

ROYALS OF ATHENS

Theseus - Duke of Athens. He has recently returned from conquering the Amazons, a race of warrior women, and is about to marry Hippolyta, their Queen. Theseus is an extremely powerful ruler and conqueror, but out of his depth with marriage at the beginning of the play.

Hippolyta - The legendary warrior Queen of the Amazons engaged to marry Theseus. Hippolyta is a peacemaker as well as warrior and a challenging match for Theseus.

Egeus - A classic blocking parent, Egeus tries to control his/her headstrong

daughter’s love life. Never goes well.

Philostrate- Theseus’s Master of the Revels who organizes the wedding

entertainment.

THE LOVERS 

Lysander - Young man of Athens in love with Hermia. He recklessly persuades Hermia to elope with him into the forest.

Demetrius - Young man of Athens in love with Helena, then Hermia, then Helena.

Between his own fickle character and Puck’s mischief, Demetrius is tossed back and forth between the women.

Hermia - Egeus’s strong-willed daughter and childhood friend to Helena. Both

Demetrius and Lysander are in love with her . She is in love with Lysander . Shows a ferocious side when she thinks Lysander has deserted her .

Helena - A good friend of Hermia’s in love with Demetrius despite his humiliating

rejection of her advances. Love has no pride.

THE MECHANICALS– Working men/women of Athens who produce entertainmentfor the royal wedding - a Classical tale of Pyramus and Thisbe. They are:

Nick Bottom- An overconfident weaver chosen to play Pyramus. During

rehearsals, Puck and Oberon use magic to give him a donkey’s head and make

Queen Titania fall in love with him. 

Peter Quince- A carpenter and the writer/director of “Pyramus and Thisbe.”

Francis Flute- The bellows-mender cast as Thisbe.

Robin Starveling (m or f)- The tailor cast as Moonshine.

Snug- The joiner (carpenter) cast as Lion.

Tom Snout- The tinker (handyman) cast as the Wall, dividing Pyramus from

Thisbe.

THE FOREST nature spirits

Puck – (AKA Robin Goodfellow) (M/F) A spirit. He delights in playing pranks on mortals; he is Oberon’s out-of-control servant. He has a connection not only to the fairy and human worlds of the play, but also to the world of the audience.

Oberon - The King of the Fairies who rules with Titania. During the play they are

fighting over custody of a child Titania adopts in India. Oberon loves his queen but, like Theseus, has a lot to learn about sharing power.

Titania - Queen of the Fairies who rules with Oberon. Poetically articulates the damage being done to the natural world because of her power struggle with Oberon. It will take a comic magical transformation that humiliates both Oberon and Titania to reconcile them and bring nature back into balance.

Peaseblossom, Moth, Cobweb, and Mustardseed (M/F)– Fairies in Titania’s court who interact invisibly with the humans. Comic skills needed. 

Recent Rehearsal Photos from Drop Dead!

Pre show interview written by Marielle Sabbag 

Is this supposed to happen or is this real?

North Shore Players (NSP) is bringing audiences a hilarious production of “Drop Dead.” The play centers around a group of has-been actors attempting to revive their careers in a new Broadway show. Several chaotic mishaps occur from technical difficulties, murder, to the horrible thought if the show can go on.

Unhinged, hysterical, and farcical. These are words the cast has used to describe the nature of North Shore Players’ upcoming show “Drop Dead.” The cast has been having an immensely fun time bringing this comical show to the stage and look forward to when audiences attend.

“Drop Dead” is directed by Tori Knight, whose passion for theater sparked at a young age through special outings with her musical-loving granny. Although she didn’t step on stage until she was 17, Knight said the experience changed her world, and now she teaches musical theater to youth performers.

Having recently moved from Seattle to Massachusetts, Knight quickly found a home with North Shore Players, where she was involved with “Sister Act” last fall. She enjoyed working with her new theater family so much that she decided to direct “Drop Dead.”

Auditions had an excellent attendance with 40 people signing up. Knight said this turnout was unexpected, but also a great thing, as audition numbers had increased since the pandemic. Ten actors were chosen for roles.

Each actor has studied their part closely, finding relatable moments. Richard White, who plays Chaz Looney has found relatable material to work with as he said both himself and his character are relatively new to theater.

“Although Chaz is just a character, I’m bringing a lot of my personality into him which makes him feel really charming and endearing,” White said.

Rehearsals have been busy with blocking, character work, and figuring out where to place all the ‘dead bodies’ onstage, according to Alison Newman, who plays Mona Monet.

The over-the-top humor is a central part of the production. Knight said they have focused on comedic timing the most. Timing has been tough to nail, but with the cast, Knight said their natural abilities have made the process easier. With much of the cast rarely leaving the stage, Knight said it has motivated the cast to make bigger challenges in acting choices.

“Because ‘Drop Dead’ moves so fast and goes so big, rehearsals have really been about finding the rhythm of the mayhem and trusting each other enough to fully commit,” said Christina Bontempa, who plays Candy Apples.

Cast members have detailed several scenes and quotes as laugh-out-loud moments.

“My favorite moments are the multiple deliveries of the word ‘Murder,’ which at times are a callback, a running gag, a declaration, or a curse,” said Michael Philbrick, who plays Philip, the stage manager within the show.

Knight said audiences should look forward to big technical elements that will enhance the show’s comical atmosphere. The props department and producers have been working hard to bring the show's many ‘deaths’ and physical gags to life.

As opening night approaches, the team hopes audiences will come ready to laugh, and maybe see a bit of themselves in the show’s exaggerated personalities.

For the 2027/2028 season:  Do you have a play that you would like to see NSP produce?  Do you have a play that you have always wanted to direct?  Do you have a play that you want to be in!?  It's time to start getting your suggestions in! Do you have a play that you would like to see NSP produce?  Do you have a play that you have always wanted to direct?  Do you have a play that you want to be in!?  It's time to start getting your suggestions in! We are accepting Play suggestions NOW from NSP members! 

     Send submission to:  northshoreplayersma@gmail.com

NSP's most recent production was "Sister Act" (a musical)

which was performed on November 21, 22 and 23rd, 2025

Link to rehearsal clip from NSP's 2025 recent Fall Production:  Sister Act