THE TEMPEST Brings The Storm To Seattle Shakespeare Company 6/4, 6/28

With a limited time on earth, how do you reconcile the good and bad in your life and prepare for the next transition? Do your rail like a storm at the misdeeds and scramble to tie up loose ends? Or go gently into that good night surrounded by love? Prospero is about to find out in Seattle Shakespeare Company's production of The Tempest. George Mount will stage the production which features actor Michael Winters as Prospero and original music by Jesse Sykes and Phil Wandscher from the local "porch-noir" band Jesse Sykes and The Sweet Hereafter. Starting with a low-priced preview on June 4, The Tempest opens on Friday, June 5 at the Center House Theatre and will run through June 28.

Support for Seattle Shakespeare Company's production of The Tempest is provided by 4 Culture, the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture, K&L Gates, and 94.9 KUOW.

Often seen as Shakespeare's final farewell, The Tempest is a world of illusion and magic. Seeking resolution to some of the wrongs in his life, Prospero conjures both people and memories from his past to an enchanted island. Using his powers to wreak revenge, he manipulates both spirits and humans in his last quest, but ultimately discovers that love and forgiveness work the most potent magic of all.

At the heart of The Tempest is the desire to forgive and be forgiven. "We're approaching the play as a symbolic and personal story told through Prospero's perspective," says director George Mount. "There's a certain fluidity of memory as he wrestles with his mortality." Some characters will serve as competing aspects of Prospero's personality while others will be mere memories brought to life in a dream world created to wrap up the loose threads of his fractured life.

The cast of The Tempest features Eric Ray Anderson (Stephano), James Dean (Gonzalo), Jeffrey Frieders (Ferdinand), Bradley Goodwill (Alonzo), Hana Lass (Ariel), Todd Licea (Antonio), Carolyn Marie Monroe (Miranda), Peter Dylan O'Connor (Caliban), Kerry Ryan (Trinculo), Richard Nguyen Sloniker (Sebastian), and Michael Winters (Prospero).

Set and projection designs for The Tempest are by L.B. Morse, with costume design by Doris Black, lighting design by Roberta Russell, sound design by Robertson Witmer and original music by Jesse Sykes and Phil Wandscher.

Performances of The Tempest are Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Saturdays at 2:00 pm (June 13 and 20) and Sundays at 2:00 pm. There will be Sunday evening performances at 7:30pm on June 21 and 28, and Wednesday evening performances on June 17 and 24 at 7:30 PM.
Special "Shakespeariences" will be offered in conjunction with The Tempest including: "Jumpstart into The Tempest" a facilitated introduction to the play (June 11 at 6PM - $10) and post play discussions on selected performances. A late-night cabaret featuring the cast will be performed at 10:30 on Saturday, June 27.

Tickets to performances of The Tempest are now on sale and range from $30-$36 for adults and $22-$25 for seniors and students. Pay-What-You-Will previews are on June 2 and 3 at 7:30 PM. Discounted tickets are available for groups of ten or more.

For ticket reservations, call the Seattle Shakespeare Company box office (206) 733-8222 or go online at www.seattleshakespeare.org. Regular box office hours are Tuesday through Friday 1:00-6:00 PM. During performance weeks, in addition to regular hours, the box office opens Saturdays 1:00-6:00 PM and Sundays 12noon to 4:00 PM. Seattle Shakespeare Company performs at the Center House Theatre at Seattle Center.