The McDonald College stages Shakespeare in the outback and tours to Wagga.

Earlier this year, The McDonald College staged a bold reinterpretation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, transporting Shakespeare’s most magical play to the heart of the Australian outback. Set on a Queensland cattle station with a rainforest as its enchanted counterpart, the production invited students to reimagine Shakespeare’s characters through an Australian lens—breathing new life into the timeless themes of love, power and transformation.

Directed by Acting teacher Romy Bartz and Head of Acting Greg Friend—both seasoned professionals with decades of combined industry experience—the project brought together 21 acting students and four musicians for a dynamic, cross-disciplinary collaboration.

“Having reimagined Shakespeare’s most enjoyable play, we have been able to gift our students the opportunity to explore the magical artistry of his storytelling through quintessentially Australian characters that live within the Aussie bush community,” said Friend. “The students’ initial apprehension soon turned into glorious moments of discovery as they embraced the challenge of creating this wonderful piece of theatre.”

From rehearsal to performance, the journey mirrored the play’s emotional arc. Characters were pushed out of their comfort zones and transformed—just as the students were. “Each student gradually opened their heart and soul to the work,” said Bartz. “It was a joy to watch it develop, adapt and transform.”

Original music composed and performed by students from the College’s Music Stream added a rich atmospheric layer—from haunting tones in the rainforest to upbeat energy for the comic ‘Mechanicals.’ Guided by Head of Music Lucy Birmingham, the musicians helped shape the emotional rhythm of the story.

Following a sold-out four-night season at the College, the cast and crew hit the road in early July for the school’s first-ever regional tour, performing in Wagga Wagga for local schools and public audiences. The experience not only tested their adaptability but deepened their confidence and stagecraft.

“When you ask people, ‘What’s the first word that comes up when you think of Shakespeare?’ they immediately think of ‘boring’ and ‘ancient,’” said student actor Lara. “This play is the opposite—fantabulous!”