“The course of true love never did run smooth!” Bard in the Quad is back in 2025 celebrating our 20^th season with A Midsummer Night’s Dream running July 31-Aug. 3 and Aug. 7-10 at 7:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Quad.

Conflict, confusion, romance and magic abound in one of Shakespeare’s most beloved romantic comedies. Theseus is set to celebrate his marriage to the Amazonian Queen Hippolyta when loyal courtier Egeus begs the duke to settle a dispute and compel his daughter Hermia to marry Demitrius. Given the choice between marrying a man she doesn’t love or life in a convent, Hermia steals away in the night to elope with Lysander. The young lovers and their friends soon find themselves caught in a magical fairy world where they are unwittingly drawn into an ongoing conflict between Oberon the Fairy King and his wife, the proud and powerful Titania. Inspired by the lush gothic fantasy films and synth-heavy pop music of the 1980s, this production explores the nature of love, desire, gender and creation.

The cast features Daniel Barber (Bottom), Hailee Bautista (Cobweb), Sophia Brown (Philostrate/Puck), Lydia Dapkus (Hermia/Lysander), Reegan Dejong (Helena/Demitrius), Wendy Dufrene (Lysander/Hermia), Julia Goode (Snug), Rece Graham (Flute), Matt Holland (Theseus/Titania), Addison Hoppe (Hippolyta/Oberon), Nicki Ito (Mote), Torin Kelchner (Demitrius/Helena), Sophia Massey (Peaseblossom), Zoey Mayhew (Starvling), Jakob Peterson (Quince), Summer Poling (Mustardseed), Cy Rodgers (Snout), and Hank Smith (Egeus/Fairy).

A box office facility located in the center of the MU Quad opens each performance evening at 6:30 pm. This is an outdoor performance and no seating is provided. Please bring blankets or lawn chairs and warm clothing. No late seating or late admission. Seating begins at 6:30 pm and picnics are highly encouraged.

Ticket prices are $17 general, $15 youth and seniors, and free at the door to OSU students with valid student ID.