The Antioch Classical Theatre Company

Event: Shakespeare’s magical comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Presented by: The Antioch Classical Theatre Company, directed by Sean O’Neil. 

Where: El Campanil Theatre, 602 West Second Street in downtown Antioch. 

When: Friday and Saturday July 21 & 22nd at 8 p.m. and Sunday July 23rd at 2 p.m.

 Tickets: $12 - $15. (925) 757-9500 or online at www.elcampaniltheatre.com.

 Antioch’s first professional theatre company will kick of its inaugural season this July at El Campanil Theatre in historic downtown Antioch. The Antioch Classical Theatre Company will present everyone’s favorite summertime Shakespeare play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, for one weekend only, July 21 – 23rd.

Shakespeare's classic tale of star-crossed lovers, feuding fairies, aspiring actors, and a misapplied love potion comes to Antioch for the first time starring two members of the Actors' Equity Association. Hilarity ensues as the mischievous sprite Puck watches the players play, the lovers fight and his king and queen quarrel, all the while reveling in the misadventures of this Midsummer Night's Dream. Shakespeare’s most beloved comedy is sure to please with its side-splitting humor and enchanting poetry.

Pioneered by Antioch’s own Sean O’Neil, the Antioch Classical Theatre Company brings professional actors together with talent in the community. O’Neil says “I think it’s time. Our community is ready for it.” He emphasizes that that this is a wonderful way to put money back into the community so that people don’t have to go over the hill for quality art and entertainment. He says art and theatre are important so that Antioch isn’t just a place to live. “So many people live here and work someplace else. People should be able to do cool things where they live…so they don’t miss out.”

Sean O’Neil grew up in Antioch and has been the Director of Theatre Arts at Antioch High School for 10 years and adjunct theatre professor for Los Medanos College since 2001. He earned his BA in Drama from UC Irvine and MA in Directing from the Chicago College of Performing Arts. He also worked as an actor, director, teacher and Arts Education Administrator for the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival for 3 years.

The two professional Equity actors , Shaun Carroll and Nikki Haines, will be playing the young lovers Lysander and Hermia. Carroll worked for 5 years in Ashland with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in the acting and dance companies and school tour program. He also continues to work with the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival and the Foothill Theatre Company. Haines, an AHS alumni and one of O’Neil’s former students, is pursuing her acting career in Los Angeles. Also a member of the Screen Actors Guild, she graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Hollywood and was recently featured on the television shows Scrubs and Not So Raven.

El Campanil Theatre was originally a vaudeville theatre and movie house after its opening in 1928. After years of restoration, El Campanil is once again serving its original purpose as a venue for the performing and visual arts. O’Neil says he wanted the Antioch Classical Theatre Company to perform in El Campanil because “it’s beautiful downtown, and it’s a beautiful theatre. It’s a good place to do respectable work and…it’s classical itself!”