Theatre and Dance presents ‘The Tempest’

Published February 20, 2014 This content is archived.

The Department of Theatre and Dance will present Shakespeare’s The Tempest” March 6-9 in the Black Box Theatre in the Center for the Arts, North Campus.

Performance times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

The play will be directed by Kazimierz Braun, professor of theatre and dance.

The Tempest brings together powerful characters of good and bad people, as well as good and bad spirits. Shakespeare uses the structure of a tragedy in which all heroes are doomed to perish, but mixes it with a comedic structure, saving them all.

The action takes place on an enchanted island ruled by the Duke Prospero, a scholar, magician and master of elements, spirits and humans. Employing his art to provoke a storm, Prospero brings to his island people who harmed him and his daughter, Miranda, in order to punish them. After a series of unexpected and magical events, love and forgiveness eventually prevail.

“The Tempest” features a cast of 18 student-actors. Sets, costumes, lighting and sound design also have been prepared by students of the Department of Theatre and Dance.

This production of “The Tempest” is Braun’s 12th production of a work of Shakespeare. He has directed, among others, King Lear” (Shakespeare in Delaware Park), “Richard III” (Kavinoky Theatre), Hamlet” (in Poland) and “Twelfth Night” (in Germany).

Braun has been artistic director of professional theaters, taught history of theater at universities, and acted and directed at schools of drama in Poland. He has directed more than 150 theater productions in Poland, the U.S., Ireland, Canada, Germany and other countries.

Tickets for “The Tempest” are $20 for general admission and $10 for students and seniors, and can be purchased at the Center for the Arts box office and at tickets.com.