Brett Elliott and Jane Longenecker Shakespeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream" plot became very real for actress Jane Longenecker during the Shakespeare Festival at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks last Sunday.

Instead of just kneeling to express his usual affection during one of the young lovers' scenes, fellow actor Brett Elliott proposed to Longenecker with a real engagement ring-on stage while the audience witnessed the special occasion. But the actors didn't change the script, which was fitting for the occasion.

"It was fun because for a second we got to be those characters for real," Elliott said. "I wanted to surprise her, and because we both know and love Shakespeare and the stage very much, I couldn't think of a better place," he said.

Elliott portrayed Lysander and Longenecker was Hermia in the Shakespeare production directed by Lane Davies.

"I would never have dreamt that he would have done it in that setting," said Longenecker. "I felt totally overwhelmed and the flood of emotions was unexpected," she said. But the emotions didn't detract the couple from proceeding with the play because they're very familiar with the story. Both are equity actors. They plan to move to New York in the near future.

This was the last performance of "Midsummer Night's Dream," but the festival isn't over. The lovers will be back this weekend in the upcoming Kingsmen

Shakespeare Company production of "Othello" on Fri., Sat. and Sun at 8 p.m. "Othello" will be featured at CLU for the next three weeks.

--Sylvie Belmond