W&M Theatre Presents Premiere of A TEMPEST

Shakespeare's famous work, "The Tempest", gets a historical twist with the post-colonial adaptation by Aime Cesaire, "A Tempest".

Cesaire's adaptation, set on an island in the Caribbean in an age of imperialism, imagines the sorceror Prospero as a white master, holding captive his two slaves, Ariel and Caliban. In the wake of a powerful storm that brings his enemy's ship ashore, the play follows the plight of powerful Caliban and dutiful Ariel as they seek their freedom. With an emphasis on issues of race, power, and anti-imperialism, "A Tempest" shares brings important historical context to issues that persist in the modern world.

Director Janel Miley hopes to bring this important conversations to light with the production.

"A Tempest" interests me because Césaire took the characters and story of "The Tempest" and adapted it to explore the impact of colonization," she said. "What happens when colonizers strive to dominate and force their culture onto the people they are attempting to colonize? This is not a question to historicize and consign to the past. It is an ongoing conversation as we consider where we are as a nation and what our roles are in the story."

The production designers are working to set the stage for this vision evoking the magic of Shakespeare's original piece, in an environment that spans time, allowing us to encounter the generational impact of colonization.

William & Mary Theatre welcomes a diverse cast of students from across the peninsula to stage the production.

"A Tempest" opens on the Kimball Theatre Stage in Colonial Williamsburg March 3-6. Performances begin at 7:30pm Thursday-Saturday, with a Sunday matinee at 2:00pm. Patrons are required to remain masked for the duration of the performance, and socially-distanced seating will be available.

Tickets are on sale now at wm.edu/boxoffice, and in-person sales are open at the Kimball Theatre Box Office M-F from 2pm-6pm, and two hours before each performance. Visit wm.edu/theatre for more information.