William Shakespeare, architect of sword fights and men in tights, visits the University with one of his classics.
Rex Fleming Readers, a theater group at the University, will be performing "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at Mabee Theater May 1.
The play is a romantic comedy that deals with love triangles and love potions. Other issues that are addressed in the play range from love, conflict and comedy to fantasy.
Dr. Constantina Michalos, professor of English and adviser to the group, said the actors perform every Christmas at University Place and at Texas Children Hospital.
Michalos has been teaching Shakespeare for 15 years at the University. She also has a background in theater and acting.
The group was named after Dr. Rex Fleming, a former speech professor at the University. In 1996, two years after Fleming died, Mary Austin Newman, an acquaintance, created the group and named it the Rex Fleming Readers in his honor.
The group has performed a variety of plays including "Arsenic and Old Lace," "You Can't Take it with You" and "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged."
Michalos said a musical was in the works for the spring. In the fall, a scene from "The Pyramis and Thesbes" will be performed in Dunham Theater.
The proceeds of the plays have been given to victims of Hurricane Ike as part of the Rex Fleming Readers' contribution to the City of Houston.
Michalos said one of their recent accomplishments was winning best in show at the 2009 Husky Revue and added she was pleased with the cast.
"They work well with each other, and none of them are divas," Michalos said. They listen to instruction, she said, which gives her the pleasure of sitting back and watching them perform. She often tells them simply, "Act the character. Make it believable."
Senior Lucy Girgawy, president of the Rex Fleming Readers and director of the show, added that they have also won best table at Spring Preview Weekend.
Freshman Christina Khoung is looking forward to performing one of Shakespeare's plays.
"Because his work was very pervasive, the translation of some of his plays would be very shocking in today's language," Khoung said.
Girgawy, who joined the group in the fall of 2006, said she has been performing since she was seven.
"The ability to make people laugh and cry is the mark of a performer," Girgawy said.
Girgawy also hopes that the more the group grows and the more plays they perform the more likely drama will be made a major at the university.
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