Commonwealth Shakespeare Company Presents TEMPEST TALKS: LOOKING BEHIND THE CURTAIN

In anticipation of the summer 2021 production of The Tempest on Boston Common, the series Tempest Talks, hosted by CSC Associate Artistic Director Bryn Boice, focuses on the various elements that come together to put a great production on the stage: direction, design, performance.

Bryn Boice commented: "Tempest Talks give audiences the unique opportunity to hear artists discuss how they approach this play, how they make their artistic choices. We'll be hearing from directors, designers, and performers, and their perspectives will all be quite different."

There are five Tempest Talks, taking place monthly beginning in March.

"The Director's Vision," with CSC Artistic Director Steven Maler. He will give an overview of The Tempest and how he approaches play selection for CSC. This play was chosen several years ago to be the showcase for CSC's 25th production, but had to be postponed from 2020 to 2021 because of the pandemic. How has his view of the play evolved in light of all the changes that have occurred in the past year?

March 4, 2021 6:00 p.m.

"Comic Relief," with John Kuntz and Fred Sullivan, Jr., two of our audience's favorite comedic actors. In honor of April Fool's Day, they will be discussing the role of comedy in Shakespeare's plays, and how they work to make it funny for the audience. They will also give us insights into the process of collaboration among actors as they prepare for their roles.

April 1, 2021 6:00p.m.

"The Elements of Design," with designers Nancy Leary and Jeffrey Peterson. They are both members of the design team responsible for the stunning costumes and sets for this and previous CSC productions. In particular, we'll explore how the entire design team comes together to bring all the elements of design - sets, costumes, sound, lighting - into one seamless vision.

May 6, 2021, 6:00 p.m.

"Access for All," featuring CSC Accessibility Advocate Christopher Robinson and other members of the team that works with ASL, audio describing, and other techniques to ensure that our productions really are accessible to everyone. We'll explore how these talented performers prepare for their roles and learn how to interpret Shakespeare's complex language.

June 3, 2021, 6:00 p.m.

"Prospero's World," featuring renowned actor John Douglas Thompson, playing Prospero in this production. We'll look at how he approaches building the character, how he works with the director, and how relationships are built with the entire cast. We'll be able to get a peek behind the scenes of the ongoing rehearsal process, and insights into his process for bringing this extraordinarily complex character to life on stage.

July 8, 2021, 6:00 p.m.

Tempest Talks is one of three series of programs CSC is offering under the umbrella PlayOn@CSC. At a time when live in-person performances are not possible, PlayOn@CSC takes this opportunity to bring audiences a more in-depth look at how great story telling is conceived and executed by the artists. This collection of virtual programs also includes The Actor's Craft discussion series and the Shakespeare Reimagined film series in collaboration with the Coolidge Corner Theatre.

Each Tempest Talk is 30-40 minutes in length and takes place live online at 6:00 p.m.; the talks are recorded and replayed the following day at noon via social media platforms. Events are free of charge, but advance registration is required to view the live event, and a donation of $10 per event is suggested.

Speech-to-text captioning is available at all events. CSC is equipped to respond to disability-related accommodation requests. Please contact audienceservices@commshakes.org with any questions.

Link for further information and registration: https://commshakes.org/production/tempest-talks/

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