So familiar a play is Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream that you likely have a pre- existing mental image of an iconic character like the impish sprite Puck.
Well, prepare to have that preconception disrupted because actor 郝邦宇 Steven Hao is offering a fresh take on this 400-year old character in Canadian Stage’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This 40th anniversary production of the play that launched the beloved summer tradition of the Dream in High Park in 1983, is directed by Jamie Robinson (a member of the inaugural cast), and features a diverse and dynamic ensemble including Louisa Zhu, Jadyn Nasato, Megan Legesse, Ryan G Hinds, Shelly Antony, Stuart Hefford, Frank Chung, Aaron Willis, Julie Tepperman, Vincent Leblanc-Beaudoin, and Angel Lo.
Hao radiates a palpable elation about the show. “Dream in High Park is such a Toronto staple,” he enthuses, acknowledging the rich tradition of the event. Over its 40-year history, it has become Canada’s largest and longest running outdoor professional theatre event, welcoming over 30,000 audience members to the park each year. “As someone who’s just coming into the industry here in Toronto, I could feel the vibrations of excitement for this special 40th year anniversary production of our play. So right off the bat, I would say, the opportunities to meet hundreds and hundreds of new audience members every night excites me a ton!”
And Hao is especially moved by the innovative approach director Jamie Robinson has taken to A Midsummer Night’s Dream: “What excites me the most about this particular production is definitely our brilliant director’s vision, or rather re-imagination of the play. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is Shakespeare’s most-produced play, so I’m sure most audiences will come in already knowing mostly what occurs within the story.” Yet Robinson, says Hao, has completely shifted the way people will think about the play – particularly the resonance of the question, Whose dream is this? Hao expects the audience to question the nature of the dream itself, and “there’s also an undercurrent theme within the play that feels immediate, urgent and exciting to be a part of. Without giving away too much, I hope the [mysteriousness] of my answer will invite audiences to come watch our show.”
Hao’s role as Puck is critical to the play’s plot, of course. Puck the fairy helps his master Oberon, king of the faeries, play a trick on his queen Titania, and when four Athenian lovers run away to the forest, Puck makes both of the Athenian men fall in love with the same woman – spawning comical pursuits and misunderstandings. In the end, Puck reverses all of the magic, and the appropriate pairs reconcile and marry.
So how does Hao’s portrayal of Puck fit within Robinson’s vision? With a character like Puck, “the possibilities are endless,” Hao notes with a grin. He describes this “brilliant character” as “spontaneous, sharp, silly and a real prankster”. But Puck has been conceived in so many ways that, upon receiving the role, Hao really did not know how to portray it. So he approached his characterization with authenticity: with a genuine desire to explore the character’s essence and quirks, and to allow his personal experiences to meld seamlessly with the role: “After reading the script several times, it became apparent to me the amount of similarities I shared with the character. So for me, it really became about playing the character as honestly as I could: to live in the made-up circumstances of this world and, like Puck in the play, figure out what’s going on moment to moment.”
Not only is the opportunity to play his own version of Puck is “such an incredible blessing” – it remains a source of astonishment. For Hao auditioned not for the role of Puck, but for the role of Demetrius. Having never seen an East-Asian Puck before – let alone one as tall or big as he is – Hao was dumbfounded when told that he had won the role. He even asked them to confirm “if they had got the right person”.
“The pre-conceived notion of this character has everyone thinking that Puck should be small, spritely and mischievous,” he muses. So once cast, he focused on how his body understood the character: “I can’t zip up and down while doing several tricks, and if I really did ‘put a girdle about the earth,’ I’m going to come back restless and out of breath,” he laughs. “I am gullible, naive and don’t always know what to do. So for me, it became about drawing those connections within the text, and making sure that I didn’t fall into any stereotype of the character.” He is “thankful to step into these hobgoblin shoes and present a version of Puck that folks have not seen before” – and looking ahead, he hopes to play this part again some day. And when he does, he is certain that the portrayal will once again be utterly different.
In a world where the tension between traditional stories and contemporary sensibilities must continually be negotiated, Hao offers a balanced perspective. “For me, it’s important to acknowledge the difference between having reverence for old works and having appreciation for” them, he asserts. “I see the intent in the fight for removal of older stories, but I often question the merits behind the action. The fact that they’ve survived through all these years proves that there’s something to them that we keep coming back to. Be it theme, structure, or form, there is something inherent in the way we take in these stories. We’re drawn to craft; we’re drawn to the vivid imagination that exists in these old stories. We want to understand them, We want to learn from them.”
The bottom line? “I appreciate old works and will always read them, come back to them, be a part of them. But in order for me to be a part of them, I want to know that there’s a good reason for this story to happen today.” That’s just what he is hoping to prove with his rendition of Puck – and it’s what he hopes audiences in High Park are experiencing more generally from Robinson’s Dream. But at the same time, Hao champions the exploration of new frontiers in storytelling with purpose and intent. “I’m a firm believer in the deliverance of new narratives: ones that are bolder and more imaginative. Ones that really explode open what’s possible in the theatre space.” One example of this is Hao’s strong interest in exploring Asian narratives within the realm of musical theatre. In this vein, he directed A Perfect Bowl of Pho, a critical and audience favourite and the top-selling show of the 2022 Toronto Fringe Festival. And he is also committed to discovering ways to enhance accessibility and sustainability for artists, as well as audiences.
Beyond the stage, Hao reveals many personal details that suggest an irrepressible zest for life.
- His journey to the world of theatre was fueled by a childhood fascination with the magic of Robin Williams movies. “It didn’t REALLY start with wanting a career in the theatre,” he smiles. Upon immigrating to Canada from China, he more or less manifested his destiny as an actor. “I just always told people I was going to be an actor”, he explains – even though he did not know what theatre was, or how to get into film and television.
- Guided by supportive high school mentors who recognized his talent, Hao was eventually cast as one of the greasers in Grease the musical. “THAT’s when I caught the stage bug,” he nods. “There’s something magical about it, the way we share space with each other in the theatre, and for me, that exchange of catharsis is what continues to inspire me to pursue a career in the theatre.”
- Hao is both a cat and a dog person – and he means it. Offering a charming photo (above) as proof, he admits, “I love people, but more than anything, I love people’s pets”.
- He loves mozzarella.
- Aside from acting, he directs and writes, and loves being a part of new stories – whether as a storyteller or a listener.
- “My favorite color is pink.”
- “I like being inside on rainy days, and I had my first kiss in Grade 8 during a truth & dare.”
And the capper? He is extremely easy to find – and wants people to find him. “I love chatting with people. So definitely shoot me a message if you want to get to know me more: @steven_haoby!”
As he continues infusing new life into the timeless character of Puck, he urges Toronto theatregoers to experience the magic of the Dream in High Park. Come journey through the dreamlike landscapes of this bold new A Midsummer Night’s Dream – and then connect with him afterwards: “Let’s get a coffee, or drink, or brunch. Preferably brunch.”
A pause and a final Puckish twinkle: “I love brunch!”
© Arpita Ghosal, Sesayarts Magazine, 2023
