Puck lands in high school

A classic work gets a modern veneer in OCC’s free production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” playing this weekend.

Directed by Alex Golson, the production is a contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic comedic fantasy, in which four young lovers from Athens become lost in a fairy-inhabited forest.

Three related plots interweave in the piece, including the plight of the young lovers, an argument between the king and queen of the fairies, and a group of “rude mechanicals,” who are planning a play for an upcoming royal wedding and venture into the forest to rehearse.

Their lives all intertwine, thanks to a magic juice that causes love at first sight; hilarity ensues.

“The students really enjoy doing Shakespeare,” Golson said. “It’s a challenge for them.”

In this modern version, the juice from the “love-in-idleness” (or pansy) flower isn’t applied from the flower; Puck instead uses a squirt gun.

Samantha Wellen, an assistant in the theater department who has worked with Golson before, said he gave the show a pacing that made it fly by.

Golson cut about 15 minutes out of the show, he said — primarily jokes that were funny in Shakespeare’s time, but fall flat today due to their esoteric references.

“He’s absolutely wonderful,” Wellen said of Golson. “He’ll really try to get the best out of you, both as a student and as an actor.”

The modern-day interpretation makes the play more accessible to its audience.

“I thought it was a way that the students could be creative, because I wanted all of the creatures to be from different social groups,” Golson said.

Nick Bottom and his friends, blue-collar workers, are depicted as employees like janitors and cooks; but when Bottom appears in the play-within-a-play, he wears a red velvet coat and leopard tie.

The humans are given upscale, preppy outfits; Hermia and Helena wear Catholic school uniforms. In contrast, the fairies look more gothic.

College theater veteran Gabrielle Salas plays Puck, traditionally a male role, in a corset and jaunty top hat; she appears in one scene while talking on her mobile phone.

Golson chose to make Puck a female role before having auditions.

“We always get twice as many women auditioning as men,” he said.

As Oberon, David Cowan looks more like David Bowie in “Labyrinth,” with his rock star wig.

Patrons are asked to bring a low chair or blanket for the outdoor show.

“It’s a nice show for a summer night,” Wellen said. “I didn’t think twice about the weather.”

IF YOU GO

WHO: OCC

WHAT: “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 2:30 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: College amphitheater, 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa

COST: free

INFORMATION: (714) 432-0202 or orangecoastcollege.edu

CANDICE BAKER can be reached at (949) 494-5480 or at candice.baker@latimes.com.