THE TEMPEST Opens At The Long Beach Playhouse Today

Trickery, romance, and revenge set the stage for one of William Shakespeare's late masterpieces, in which sprites, goddesses, monsters, and fools hold court. In this fanciful classic that is often described as the darker twin to A Midsummer Night's Dream, a deposed noble turned sorcerer uses powerful magic to raise a great storm, shipwrecking the vessel bearing a group of conspirators onto the sorcerer's mysterious island home. There, attended upon by a daughter, a magical sprite, and a deformed servant, the sorcerer leads their enemies through a mysterious dream as circumstances transform vengeance to reconciliation and forgiveness.

"The Tempest is the perfect show for ending the summer," said Madison Mooney, the Playhouse's Executive Director. "It starts on a ship and ends up on an island and it's dreamy and filled with magic. At the end, Prospero tells the audience it's only with their applause they'll leave the island. It's just the right vibe for summer moving into fall."

Sean Gray, Artistic Director for the Playhouse, is pleased with the way the actors are interpreting their roles. "Shakespeare can be tricky, it's poetry and wit. Actors are central to turning the intricate words into dynamic action. The cast is doing that in ways that are nothing short of incredible. Each character is cast perfectly. I'm thrilled with everything about the show.

"One of the things that drew me to The Tempest is the scholarly speculation that Shakespeare was influenced by stories coming out of Jamestown and other colonies in the "New World." It's intriguing to think about America's earliest history influencing the world's greatest playwright."

This is the first show Mary Schaugh has directed for the Playhouse. Schaugh said she felt a deep connection to nurture versus nature while preparing for the show, observing, "So often, we fight against what we feel is unnatural and try to change the word based on our own beliefs."

Schaugh notes it's a dynamic story of magic, power, revenge, greed, murder, and love. And says The Tempest illustrates the folly of unnatural power, the absolute joy of natural love, and the freedom of acceptance and repentance. She hopes the audience will see that if we take a small bit of this forgiveness and acceptance we can make our world a better place for all.

Volunteers are busily working the sewing machines and adjusting costumes on fitting mannequins in Donna Fritsche's costume shop. Rebecca Roth is serving as assistant costume designer for the show. Alexandra Draughan is handling the aging and dying of the fabrics to give authenticity to the shipwrecked characters. The set designer and painter are turning the upstairs stage into the world the actors inhabit.

The 14-member cast is a mix of returning actors and those making their debuts on the Playhouse stage. Returning actors include: Stephen Alan Carver, Hayley Jackson, Lee Samuel Tanng, Holland Renton, Amara Phelps, Stephen Biggs, Alex Shewchuck, Carole Louise Duffis and Tyler Gray. Those making their debut are: Jessica Bell, Benjamin White, Gillian Gonzales, La Vonna Miller and Sarah Hoeven.

Friday: Adults are $20.00, Seniors $18.00, and Students $14.00Saturday and Sunday: Adults are $24.00, Seniors $21.00, and Students $14.00.

Tickets are available at www.lbplayhouse.org, or by calling 562-494-1014, option 1.
To request an interview with the director, cast members or reserve your media tickets to this performance, please send an email to: pr@lbplayhouse.org.
Long Beach Playhouse is located at 5021 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach, CA, 90804, right across from the Long Beach Recreation golf course. The Playhouse is community-supported theatre with programs and events that cut across age, gender, ethnic, and cultural boundaries.

Performances are 8 p.m. Friday, and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The box office is open Wednesday-Saturday from 3:00-8:00 pm and Sundays from 1:00-2:00 pm on scheduled matinees.

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