Special Events

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

By William Shakespeare Directed by Marcela Lorca
The IASD will attend on Tues. June 16, 2026

“The course of true love never did run smooth”
When Hermia, Lysander, Helena, and Demetrius flee into the woods, they do it in pursuit of personal freedom and their one true love. But making their way through the forest is particularly tricky under the influence of the mischievous Puck’s spells. The line between truth and illusion blurs as the couples are drawn into a dream world that is as dark and mysterious as it is marvelous and full of wonder, where magic reigns and nothing is quite as it seems. Shakespeare’s timeless romantic comedy returns to OSF with original music by Justin Huertas (Lizard Boy) in an enchanting production, under the direction of Marcela Lorca (The Count of Monte Cristo).

Opening and Closing Ceremonies, with Lana Nasser

Lana Nasser’s description of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies

“A dreaming hive, a safe abode buzzing with energy – where we forage in the lush fields of the imaginal and bring the nectar home. Each one dreaming their own dream, and depositing their ‘findings’ in a chamber of the collective dreaming-mind. In the IASD conference, we come together, in a unique hive with not one – but many kinds of bees. There are more than 360 species of bees in Oregon alone wild bees, solitaries, bumble- carpenter-and honey-bees, drones… just like there are many colors of dreamers. No two bees are the same -even within the same so-called kind. Not to mention the other creatures that sometimes stop by the hive with a story to tell: ant, dragonfly, caterpillar, butterfly, hawk, beetle, frog… O, much-to-say about hives and dreams, about the healing power of both, their potential to ease our way to wholeness – but we’ll leave that for the opening ceremony.

The intention of the ceremony is to establish an inclusive container for the conference participants with the hive as a metaphor. This within the larger container, which is the land on which we will gather, represented by Native Oregon plants incorporated in the ceremonial center piece.

The opening sets the stage: lyrical dreaming/bee-anecdotes, sacred geometry-inspired movement/dance and toning/singing. Concluding with inviting the participants to breath/hum together (bee-breath: Bhramari Pranayama.) 

A bee-skep is introduced at the end of the opening ceremony– and a word about what to do with it.

The skep is to be placed somewhere during the conference up until the last midday. If inclined, participants may write one phrase (a few words or a sentence) and place it in the hive. This is the drop of nectar they’d like to offer to the collective. I’ll give clear guidelines that day- things like: written legibly in English, Arabic of Dutch – or if in another language then written phonetically so I can sing it (but with a translation next to it.)

During the closing ceremony, the phrases are poetically synthesized in an improvised chant/song –inviting the group to join in at the end by singing/toning, collectively closing the conference -before the ball.”