Tonight, love will force two couples to retreat to a mystical forest where fairies will rule their thoughts and spells will tangle their relationships.

Though this theme may seem distantly familiar to some ISU couples, most know it as the imaginative plot of William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

The Shakespearean play’s story focuses on the journey of two couples who escape ancient Athens in order to marry in secret. The king of fairies, Oberon, places a love spell on the queen of fairies in order to steal a boy under her protection. The king decides to correct the two lovesick couples by placing the love potion on them as well. While under the love spells, the lives of the two couples become entwined.

“What’s great about [the play] is — it’s a play about the world of being awake and the world of being asleep,” says artistic director Peter Meineck.

The New York-based Aquila Theatre Company, known for its visual effects, will present the play through an array of decorated umbrellas and “a bit of surprise costuming,” says director Robert Richmond. Each actor will dress in a basic ensemble costume, with different pieces added on to distinguish each character.

The design is based on 18th century French impressionistic paintings, Richmond says. The different social classes are demonstrated through three separate costume pieces. While the upper class Athenians are dressed more lavishly, the lower order of Athenians are costumed in basic brown and black jackets and hats.

“The costumes represent all the mystery of the magical forest,” Richmond says. “The idea behind the costumes are that they’re real and people actually wear them. People will wear those things and feel that they’re actually a part of them.”

Richmond says the actors begin wearing the costumes early in the rehearsal process so they can become comfortable with the outfits and realize how the separate pieces represent their character.

“The design is very clever and very whimsical,” Meineck says. “It’s not the standard Shakespeare [piece] — it tells the story much better through beautiful design.”

Richmond says the story describes more than just two tangled couples.

“All great plays reflect the human conditions,” he says. “It’s very much a journey — a rebirth of characters and a discovery of the self.”

Richmond says the audience will recognize certain characteristics and traits within the actors portraying the characters.

“[Audiences] will enjoy their mistakes and the process they undergo as they learn to correct their mistakes,” he says.

Richmond says he spent extra time with the actors to aid them in connecting with their characters.

“We use a physical approach to show what the character feels like. We also look very hard at the text and see what that suggests,” he says.

As in many Shakespearean plays, a few adjustments had to be made to help the audience understand the play.

“[The actors] speak the play as fluently as possible, but so that the audiences will understand,” Richmond says.

“You actually feel like you are being spoken to.”

What: “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

Where: Stephens Auditorium

When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday

Cost: $8.50-$14.50 students, $15.50-$27.50 public