Review: THE TEMPEST at Arkansas Museum Of Fine Arts

The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts in Little Rock is a radiant beacon of creativity in Central Arkansas where imagination takes shape in architecture, blooms on canvas, and dances through a year-round tapestry of enriching programs and performances. This summer, for four enchanted performances only, the ever-inventive troupe Shakes on the Lake transformed the museum’s stage into a spellbound isle with their whimsical take on William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, running July 10–13. Infused with original music by Chad Bradford and Tim Cooper, mesmerizing puppetry designed by CB Goodman and Josh Rice, and bursts of theatrical wonder directed by Josh Rice, this vibrant rendition cast a spell of clarity and delight charms both the youngest theatergoers and the young at heart. As my friend Sandee Pinkstaff so perfectly put it, it was “medicine to my soul!” 

The Tempest tells the story of Prospero (Matthew J. Duncan), a powerful sorcerer and rightful Duke of Milan, who lives in exile on a mysterious island with his daughter Miranda (Aidan Heaney). When a ship carrying his treacherous brother and other nobles passes nearby, Prospero conjures a magical storm to bring them ashore. With the help of the spirit Ariel (Madeleine Dauer) and the wild creature Caliban (Ash Winkfeld), Prospero sets events in motion to confront betrayal, seek justice, and ultimately offer forgiveness. Amid romance, revenge, and enchantment, Miranda falls in love with Prince Ferdinand (Tim Cooper), and Prospero must choose between vengeance and virtue. In the end, harmony is restored, and Prospero breaks his staff, renouncing magic and returning to the world he once knew. 

This entire production was nothing short of mesmerizing. From the moment you step into the space, you're drawn into its spell. The room is lit by natural lighting from the massive windows that look over the grounds of AMFA creating an inviting and almost otherworldly atmosphere. The stage, arranged in a half-round, allows the audience to surround the action from multiple angles, making every seat feel like a front-row experience. This immersive setup enhances the magic of the performance, as actors fluidly weave in and out of the audience, blurring the line between spectator and spectacle. The result is an enchanting, almost dreamlike environment where the world of The Tempest comes alive all around you. 

The ensemble collectively worked together to tell a story that we could all understand. Even with most of them playing multiple roles, their seamless transitions and clear character distinctions made the narrative easy to follow and deeply engaging. Each performer brought a unique energy to the stage, whether embodying a noble, a spirit, or a comic relief character, and yet their unity never wavered. They moved as one organism, shifting the tone from playful to poignant with grace. Their physicality and vocal prowess breathed life into Shakespeare’s language, making it accessible without losing its lyrical beauty.  

One of the most enchanting elements of the production was the seamless integration of puppetry into the storytelling. Rather than feeling like separate props, the puppets became living, breathing extensions of the narrative. In fact, they were so fluid and expressive that they seemed to come to life before our eyes. The fairy puppet, in particular, was a marvel, fluttering through the space with ethereal grace, and then they transformed effortlessly into the luminous Madeleine Dauer, who embodied their spirit so naturally that the shift felt like watching magic unfold in real time, creating a dreamlike illusion, blurring the boundaries between the human and the fantastical.  

Another truly mystical transformation was witnessing Ash Winkfeld’s astonishing metamorphosis into Caliban. With trembling, sinewy movements that rippled through xer entire body, she seemed to channel the character from some ancient, untamed force. The mask xe donned wasn’t just a costume piece; it felt almost sentient, as if it had claimed xer, guiding xer every twitch and contortion with eerie precision. Winkfeld's physicality was so immersive, so raw, that it was easy to forget the actor beneath the creature. It wasn’t a performance, it was a possession. 

For those that missed the Arkansas performances, they are in New York, and I deem this show worthy of a fun roadtrip! For more information, visit their website at https://www.shakeonthelake.org. 

For you music fans (which I am), AMFA's 2025-2026 Concert Series kicks off this September and keeps the beat going every month until April! On the calendar are: 

• Ms. Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton -- September 11, 2025 
• Camille Thurman with Darrell Green Quartet -- October 23, 2025 
• James McMurtry -- November 13, 2025 
• Phil Cook -- December 11, 2025 
• Bette Smith -- January 22, 2026 
• Lost Bayou Ramblers -- February 19, 2026 
• African Rhythms Alumni Quintet -- March 12, 2026 
• Kaia Kater -- April 2, 2026  

Arkansas Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. CINDERELLA: THE BROADWAY VERSION (Arkansas State University Theatre)

12.5% of votes

2. THE WIZARD OF OZ (Arts One Presents)

12.3% of votes

3. TUCK EVERLASTING (Harding University Theatre)

10% of votes

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