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Cast:
Prospero, Bill Hammack
Alonso, King of Naples: Bill Rotz
Sebastian, his brother: Bill Redding
Prospero,the rightful Duke of Milan:
Bill Hammack
Antonio, his brother, the usurping Duke of Milan: Joe Petrolis
Ferdinand, son to the King of Naples: Rob Snyder
Gonzalo,an honest old councilor: Joe Delaloye
Adrian /Mariner: Noel Smith
Caliban, a savage and deformed slave:
Greg Maurer
Francisco: Rick Prosper Pavia
Trinculo, a jester: Rob Cramer
Stephano, a drunken butler: Terry Locke
Boatswain: Mike Mallon
Miranda, daughter to Prospero: Allison Laker
Ariel, an airy spirit: Mary O'Dowd
Spirits:
Karen Holbert
Laura Leonardo Ownby
Christine Peterson
Singing Spirits / Ladies In Waiting:
Mary Maureen Gentile
Donna Marie Kanak
Kathleen Kusper
Spirits:
(Students from the Children's Theatre)
Mary Clarke
Daniella Doll
Brittany Esposito
Moira Forberg
Jorie Habian
Kristin Idaszak
Samantha Rasnak
Shannon Reilly
Elizabeth Sprecher
Young Miranda 1 / Spirit C.C. Holbert
Young Miranda 2 / Spirit Olivia Vezner
About the Play
and the Author
By Carol Dapogny
The Tempest is one of only two plays, the other being Love's Labors Lost, which scholars
consider to have original plots. (Every schoolchild knows that Shakespeare
'borrowed' most of his plots.) Actual events of the early 17th Century probably provided the seeds of The
Tempest. In 1609 a fleet of nine ships left Plymouth, England for Virginia. The flagship, the Sea-Venture,
was separated from the others during a storm off Bermuda and thought lost. A year later, two small boats
carrying those who had been on the Sea-Venture arrived in Jamestown. Since Shakespeare was closely
connected with the leaders of the Virginia Company, he would certainly have read the reports of this wreck that appeared in 1610. The Tempest was
written in 1611.
The first two recorded productions of The Tempest were both at Court, for James I in November 1611, and
as part of the wedding celebration of his daughter Elizabeth in 1613. We can safely assume that it was performed at the Globe, but
there are no specific references. In the almost 400 years since 1611,
productions of The Tempest have taken every form and shape an artistic (and some whose art is
questionable) mind can conceive, from the highly elaborate – after all it starts with a shipwreck – to the
most simple. It has been adapted as an opera, rewritten to give Prospero all the lines, and given political
(anti-colonialism, anti-slavery, anti-sexism, etc.) postures. The Tempest needs neither twists nor
modernization. It is the culmination of the greatest playwright.
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564, a year of great plagues. The exact date of
his birth is unknown, but he was christened on April 26th. He was the
eldest son of John Shakespeare, a glover and bailiff, and Mary Arden, the daughter of a wealthy farmer. At
the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, who was eight years his senior. They had three children, Susanna and the twins, Judith and Hamnet (who died in childhood).
Around 1587, Shakespeare left his family and moved to London, where he began an acting career with the
Lord Chamberlain's Men. His earliest play, Henry VI, part one, was first
performed in 1592. The success of that play was followed by The Comedy of Errors, Richard III, A
Midsummer Night's Dream, and Romeo and Juliet, a string of crowd-pleasers that made him one of
London's most popular playwrights.
Though he bought a house in Stratford in 1597, he spent most of his time in London. The next decade
proved to be his most prolific; he created As You Like It, Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet, Twelfth
Night, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, and King Lear. In 1599, he became a shareholder in the Globe
Theatre.
From that time on, the Globe served as the home for his acting company, and they made the most of the
playwright's talents. In 1603, the Lord Chamberlain's men were awarded a royal patent (a sign of
acceptance and prestige), becoming known as the King's Men.
Shakespeare's final plays, The Winter's Tale, The Tempest, and Henry VIII were produced between 1611
and 1613. At some point during 1610 (about the same time that he wrote The Winter's Tale), Shakespeare
made Stratford his permanent home, though he maintained business interests in London. He died on April
23, 1616 at the age of 52. He is buried in Stratford Holy Trinity Parish Church, where his grave is marked
with a poem cursing anyone that disturbs his bones, thus assuring his uninterrupted rest.
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Synopsis:
A Violent storm at sea is tossing a ship carrying Alonso, King of
Naples; Ferdinand, his son; Sebastian, his brother; Antonio the usurping
Duke of Milan, and various sailors and courtiers. The ship breaks up they
are tossed onto an island. Ferdinand, the young prince, is separated from
the others. Living on the island is Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan
who had earlier been banished by Antonio; Prospero's young daughter
Miranda; a world of spirits, chief among them being Ariel; and a deformed
savage, Caliban. Prospero tells Miranda that using his magical powers -
things he learned while Duke and then perfected in exile - he has caused
the storm both for her good and in revenge for his brother Antonio. Ariel
leads Ferdinand to Prospero and Miranda, and the young couple immediately
falls in love. After several wonderfully silly escapades between drunken
sailors and Caliban and a mystical marriage celebration by spirits,
Prospero forgives his brother Antonio and gives up his mystical powers to
the world of mankind. Production Credits
Director:
Tony Vezner
Technical Director:
Shelley Dotson
Stage Manager:
Sue Turner
Assistant Stage Manager:
Jane Bowers
Director of Spirits:
Scott Illingworth
Assistant Stage Manager of Spirits:
Angelee Johns
Costume Designers:
Linda Bremer, Martha Niles
Costume Crew:
Nancy Belda, Mary Burian, Carol Clarke, Doreen Douvris, Mary Ellen Druyan, Sharon
Feldt, Chris Galvin, Beth Hubbartt, Dennis Hudson, Pat Huth, Julie Knoch, Bea McLean, Debby Mills,
P.K. Parker, Elizabeth Roche, Helen Smith, Mary Ellen Schutt, Julie Suarez, Jamie Szynal
Dramaturg:
Carol Dapogny
Hospitality Crew (* Cookie Baker)
Carol Clarke*, Mark Cunningham, Doreen Douvris, Charlie Egan, Liz Egan*, Pauline Gamble*, Astrid
Heyman*, Bonnie Hilton*, Julie Knoch*, Rich Kropp, Caitlin Machak, Lisa
Machak*, Nikita Machak, Duane Mills, Arlene Page*, Joanne Patten*, Lori B. Proksa, Carolyn Redding*, Janette Taft, Susan Waldschmidt*, Ginny Welch*
Cookie Bakers only:
Kirby Harris, Karen Holbert
Lighting Designer:
Shelley Dotson
Lighting Crew:
Peggy Carlson, Paul Roach, Peter Sonnenberg,
Bryan Taylor
Makeup Designers:
Bridget Kellens Bittman, Lori D'Asta
Makeup Crew:
Judy DiVita, Pat Doll, Charlie Egan, Brenda Esposito, Liz Forberg, Claire
Idaszak, Laura Reilly, Elizabeth
Roche, Sarah Sainsbury, Paulette Sarussi, Mary Van Nest, Jackie Weiher, Marilyn
Weiher, Barb Wetzel
Program Editor:
Mary Maureen Gentile
Program Crew:
Alison Burkhardt, Cheri Campbell, Carol Suda
Properties Designer:
Jane Bowers
Properties Crew:
Bryon Abramowitz, Karen Arnold, Brian Centers, Pat Huth, Mike Huth, Arlene Page, Lori B.
Proksa, Julie Suarez, Jamie Hoehn Szynal, Mike Williams
Set Designer:
Tony Vezner
Set Construction Chair:
Mike Huth
Set Construction Crew:
Anne Cahill, Tom Frohnapfel, Mark Hewitt, Pat Huth, Art Kelly, Mike Pavia, Paul Roach, Bill
Rotz, Peter
Sonnenberg
Set Painting Chair:
Pat Huth
Set Painting Crew:
John Allen, Jane Bowers, Peggy Carlson, Carol Clarke, Mike Huth, Arlene Page, Pat Rafferty, Susan Remy, Sandy Squillo, Connie Sierzputowski
Sound (Composer, Producer, Musician):
Willy Steele
Sound Crew:
Nick D'Asta, Jon Gensen, Al Driefke,
Stephanie Williams
Production Box Office Chair:
Mary Ellen Schutt
Production Box Office Crew:
Susan Cardamone, Ruth Cekal, George Dempsey, Janet Ryan Grasso, Terry Kozlowski, Jill Neely, Lori B. Proksa, Joan Roeder, Patti Roeder, Carol Suda
Production Group Sales:
Carol Clarke
Production House Managers:
Dave Bremer, Susan Cardamone, George Dempsey, Jim Dutton, Harry Hultgren, Jon Mills, Denny Wise
Production Lobby Photo Display:
Marjorie Mason Heffernan, Jane Stacy
Production Posters:
Kathleen Kusper
Production Publicity Chair:
Arlene Page
Production Publicist:
Ann Marie Hultgren
Production Advertising Sales:
Cheri Campbell
Web site: Judy DiVita
Director’s Corner
As you from crimes would pardoned be,
Let your indulgence set me free – Prospero, 5.1
Forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us – The Lord's Prayer
It's been said that if a quote sounds elegant and profound, it either comes from the Bible or from
Shakespeare. Indeed, Shakespeare often refashioned texts from the Bible and put them into his characters'
mouths in his work. In the case above, Shakespeare may not be consciously lifting the text, but the parallels
are so close they can't be ignored.
One question The Tempest poses to modern audiences is: "What is the right way to seek retribution when
someone wrongs us?" Prospero's first answer is to seek revenge. Because of his magic abilities, he has the
power to do what he wants with his enemies. As he treads the easy road to revenge, Prospero is tested, not
by impediments to revenge, but by people and a delicate spirit who challenge the rightness of revenge as a
means of satisfaction.
The Bible teaches that if your neighbor sins against you, you should not seek revenge or hold a grudge, but
present the person's fault to them. If they say they're sorry (repent), you are then to forgive them. It seems
a neat and tidy solution. Problem arises, problem is pointed out, and problem is solved.
However, what if they don't repent? What if the violator is content or even proud of their actions? This is a
particular problem today. As the line between right and wrong, good and evil, is blurred into a pale gray,
there seems to be little if any need for anyone to repent. Actions that may have been wrong before are now
just "personal choice" - respectable due to our society's overwhelming belief in
diversity of choice. In his famous book How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie stated it
was futile to point out our neighbor's wrongdoing since all people see themselves, in spite of their actions,
as inherently good. We see strong evidence of this in our justice system in recent times. Now, rather than
pleading guilty, people plead "no contest." Individuals and corporations that pay settlements when sued pay
with the provision that the settlement not be an admission of guilt. Guilt is too harsh a word, it seems, to use to label our actions.
Is the model of repentance and forgiveness outmoded then? If no one will repent or feel guilty, how can
they be forgiven? Well, I'm no theologian. However, I can share one profound truth we learned as we rehearsed this play: while it may appear that the
benefits of forgiveness are for those receiving forgiveness, they are equally important to the one who
forgives. The forgiven person's heart is freer for having been forgiven. It is just as liberating for the heart of
the forgiver to let the person free from their fault. That's one idea to which both Shakespeare and the Bible would agree.
Tony Vezner
Artistic Director
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