The Resident Acting Company will mount an Off-Broadway production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Sheen Center's Frank Shiner Theatre October 11-November 2. Opening night will be October 15. Artistic Director Bradford Cover is directing.

The cast will feature Austin Pendleton as Nick Bottom, Pyramus, and Egeus; Rachel Botchan as Robin Starveling, Moonshine, Hippolyta/Titania, and Hermia; Anique Clements as Peter Quince, Prologue, Peaseblossom, and Helena; RJ Foster as Tom Snout, Wall, Theseus/Oberon, and Demetrius; Carine Montbertrand as Snug, Lion, Cobweb, and Puck; and Andy Paterson as Francis Flute, Thisbe, Moth/Mustardseed, and Lysander.

The company is planning to mount a meta version of Shakespeare's tale of quarreling lovers and mischievous fairies. The meta staging will center on a troupe of amateur actors presenting the play, themselves taking on the dynamics of their characters with a "clown-inspired kaleidoscope," according to press notes.

Resident Acting Company was founded in 2018 in the wake of the closing of Pearl Theatre, but Midsummer will be the company's first full production. The company looks to carry on the legacy of Pearl and create an acting ensemble.

“When we started The Resident Acting Company, we were a group of actors who understood that what we were doing was a bit of an experiment," says Cover in a statement. "Now that we are producing our first full production, we are going to embrace that experiment, and build a Midsummer Night’s Dream through the eyes of its clowns. We will treat them with great respect—they are our fellow actors after all. We will also allow for the humor to shine through, as they struggle and perhaps very often succeed in their quest for theatrical glory, human connection, and artistic freedom.”

“A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of my favorite plays,” adds Pendleton, a founding member of the company. "I was a kid, it was always the play I wanted to be in. I didn't care what part I played. I could play Puck. I could play whatever. I love the part of Bottom."

The production will feature scenic and lighting design by Harry Feiner, costume design by Evan Riley, and sound design and original music by PJ Ju. Kelly Merritt will stage manage.

More info and tickets are at RACNYC.org.