Lights Up! Theatre Company to Presents THE TEMPEST in December

Lights Up! Theatre Company is jump starting their sixth season with one of Shakespeare's most famous and beloved plays, The Tempest! Aided by her magical powers, Prospera and her daughter Miranda have survived for 12 long years on an abandoned island, after being set adrift to die at sea by Prospera's own noble family. When a stormy shipwreck strands the same royal entourage on the shores of their island home, is it coincidence, fate, or something more sinister? As Prospera grows closer to getting the justice she craves for this cruel exile, she witnesses her daughter fall in love, listens to the wisdom of spirits, and discovers that sometimes forgiveness is the only way forward. Shakespeare's classic tale of betrayal, love, magic, family and revenge will take you on a fantastical adventure through the high seas on a voyage of human discovery. Mark your calendars for December 14th-15th for an epic evening of theater you won't soon forget!

Director, Amy Love, says, "What I love about The Tempest is that while it's arguably one of his best plays, it's also one of his most meta - in a magical and mischievous way. The play we're watching is itself a construct created by the title character, often believed to be representative of Shakespeare himself. Prospera/Shakespeare spins up this tempest of a plot and throws all of the best devices in; we are treated to a theatrical flotsam of high emotion and dramatic situation on a storm tossed sea. If you look, there are little Easter Eggs of self awareness everywhere - from the very act of creating the 'Tempest', to the magical devices employed to conveniently put characters right where they are needed, to the direct address to the audience by Prospera herself at play's end. One of the many ways that Shakespeare's genius expresses itself is that he can embed some of the most beautiful, dramatic moments ever written into a play that gently pokes fun at itself, all the while delivering a universal, meaningful message of the perils of attachment and the relief in letting go."

During the rehearsal process, our advanced company set out to conquer the complex language and interpret it in emotional terms so the actors could relate to it, and in turn, make it relatable to the audience. We're adding some new ideas while keeping with the original text, and have also added some musical elements; Sea Shanties to bring in The Tempest and original music by Lights Up! Musical director, Jay Real.

This play is a sentimental favorite of director, Amy Love and her founding partner, Jen Gamble. Lights Up! is thrilled to be able to bring it to Center Stage to share with the Santa Barbara Shakespeare fans out there- and hopefully create some new fans along the way.

Coming up in February is the Lights Up! production of Cole Porter's beloved, tap dancing, Tony award winning musical, Anything Goes, at The Marjorie Luke Theatre. This production will be followed by the final musical of the season, Footloose, at The Lobero Theater in May. Based on the smash-hit movie and bestselling Oscar-nominated score, this foot-stomping musical is a show stopper you won't want to miss!

The Tempest opens at Center Stage Theater on Thursday, December 14th, and runs through Friday, December 15th. Performances are 7pm both evenings, with a pre-show reception on Friday from 5-7pm. For tickets, please visit Center Stage Theatre. Ticket prices: General Admission $33, Students + Seniors $23, and VIP $51 (includes free performance video link, preferred seating and a swag bag).

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