We hope you and your family are enjoying a peaceful holiday season.

In this month’s newsletter, you can read the second in our series of reminiscences about DSF’s 2003 inaugural production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream – and find news about dates and staff who will be bringing you DSF’s 2012 A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

The poster advertising the DSF production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is still on the wall above the desk in my office, right next to a drawing of the reproductive tract of a water snail (don’t ask – it’s what I get paid to do). I joined the production late and had very little time to get to know the cast, crew and admin folks. What struck me at the time was just how brave Molly Cahill and her family and friends had been to even countenance such an undertaking. The DSF started a couple of years after we had founded our own amateur theatrical society in Kennett Square (KATS) and that was proving hard enough, I can only imagine how difficult it was to create a professional company from scratch.

Save the date! We are pleased to announce the performance dates for our 10th Anniversary Festival!

A Midsummer Night’s Dream will perform at Rockwood Mansion Park July 13-28. As a new feature this year, we’ve added rain dates (or heat dates) on July 17, 24, and 29 in case we are forced to cancel any performances due to the elements.

For the second straight year, DSF will be hitting the road. On August 2, the company of Midsummer will travel to Fenwick Island to perform at The Freeman Stage.

We hope to see you at Rockwood or at the beach for Shakespeare’s most magical comedy!

There is still time to support DSF with an end-of-year gift.

We cannot create high quality, accessible productions of Shakespeare’s greatest works without the support of great friends such as you.

You can contribute to DSF through Network for Good. Just click on the link below, and you’ll be taken right to a contribution page.

Network For Good

We are pleased to announce several new DSF staff members – or rather we are pleased to announce several old DSF friends who are back for more fun.

DSF’s current Education Director, Allyson Good, has added the title of Business Manager. Allyson played Lady Macbeth in 2010.

Jeff Robleto has begun serving as Associate Producer. Jeff directed Love’s Labour’s Lost (2005) and played Peter Quince in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2003).

Jim Burns is our new Marketing Director. Jim played Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing (2006) and also appeared in As You Like It (2004).

Brand new to DSF is Production Manager Jessica Simkins. Jessica recently served as stage manager for Delaware Theatre Company productions of All My Sons (directed by DSF Artistic Director David Stradley) and A Capella Humana.

We are thrilled that these passionate Shakespeare fans have joined the DSF team.

Everyone at DSF wishes you and yours a most joyful holiday season.

We are excitedly preparing for our 10th Season and look forward to sharing more information with you about A Midsummer Night’s Dream in coming newsletters.