A Midsummer’s Shakespearean Soiree
Performers in Elements Productions’ Midsummer Night’s Dreamscape. Coco Zickos photos
A new production company offers something entirely different for Kaua‘i Friday with a dress-up evening of food, music and fire dancing
An entertaining evening of wining and dining in the enchanted landscape of Na ‘Aina Kai Botanical Garden, and mingling with fairies and other mystical beings awaits Friday (Aug. 24) during Elements Production’s Midsummer Night’s Dreamscape.
“It’s a sophisticated, elegant evening of food, dance and a beautiful garden,” says Roxanne Ruby, co-owner of Elements Production.
The soiree will begin at 6 p.m. with a cocktail reception. Guests can sip beverages from Nani Moon Mead and stroll through the garden to enjoy music by John Dumas, while fairies “flit about.”
Dinner is at 7:30 — a four-course, sit-down meal provided by Sushi Bushido including fresh opakapaka with sparkling sake cream sauce, wild rice and vegetables.
While guests enjoy their meal, belly dancers, fire dancers and fairies perform an adaptation of Midsummer Night’s Dream, and weave among the tables, creating an engaging atmosphere for diners.
“The movement and essence of the songs will tell the story,” says Ruby.
Adrian Nicholas and Roxanne Ruby
The evening ends with a dance party at Kilauea Bistro.
“I don’t know that there’s ever been anything like this on Kaua‘i before,” says Ruby, who will showcase her dancing talents during the performance.
This is the first time her business is producing an event of this magnitude, and she hopes it will become a seasonal tradition.
“We really want to do it for the people on Kaua‘i,” she says.
Ruby and business partner Adrian Nicholas wanted to provide a venue for kama‘aina to dress up and treat themselves to an evening out.
“We want to create a space for people on Kaua‘i to look forward to — a classy, cultural experience for people here,” Ruby says, suggesting fine dining attire for the affair.
Nicholas, a Kaua‘i native and Waimea High School graduate, is a professional fire spinner — a person who performs with ignited objects.
“Our specialty style is theatrical dance,” says Ruby, who fire dances alongside Nicholas for special events such as birthday parties and business openings.
“We are honoring our dance as we are connecting to the earth,” she says. “It’s very much a prayer for us the way we dance.”
The duo would like to pass these talents on to keiki.
“Youth outreach is a dream of mine,” says Ruby.
Roxanne Ruby spins her fire. Photo from Roxanne Ruby
They have other philanthropic plans for the future, such as holding events like Midsummer Night’s Dreamscape as fundraising opportunities for the community.
When asked why she chose to represent a Shakespearean play Friday evening, Ruby says, because “it’s so fun.”
“There was just a lot of room to play with it and leave space for each character to come in to their own,” she says.
Not only is she performing, she helped choreograph the fire dancing pieces.
“This is the best way for me to express myself,” says Ruby, a Montana native who has been a dancer of a variety of styles including ballet and modern all her life, and now has a particular affinity for fire dancing. “When the dancing is with fire, we’re dancing with the elements — it’s a whole different world. I love seeing people’s faces; it brings people together like a moth to the flame.”
Tickets cost $100 each or $185 for a couple, and can be purchased at The Root in Hanalei and Kapa‘a, Vim & Vigor, Sushi Bushido and Kaua‘i Fine Arts.
Visit elementskauai.com or call 652-9174 for more information.
