Nashville Shakespeare Festival presents 'The Tempest' January 14-31

Nashville Shakespeare Festival invites you to journey to a magical island for a story filled with laughter, enduring wisdom and beautiful poetry when they present The Tempest at Belmont University's Troutt Theatre - the company's third winter production there - January 14-31. Public performances of The Tempest, directed by Claire Syler, NSF education director, will be held Thursday through Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday afternoons at 2:30 p.m.

"This is a story for everyone," said Denice Hicks, NSF artistic director. "It has magic, drama, hilarious comedy and romance. Anyone who has ever been wronged, lost or fallen in love will relate to it."

The Tempest is about Prospero, a powerful duke who has been marooned on an island for 12 years. On the day during which the play takes place, Prospero (played by Brian Russell) uses magic to raise a storm shipwreck the enemies who wronged him. Assisting Prospero are his indentured servants, the soaring spirit Ariel (played by Hicks) and the monstrous beast Caliban (played by Jon Royal).

One of Shakespeare's most charming female characters is Prospero's innocent daughter, Miranda, who has grown up on the island and who, upon seeing the shipwrecked men exclaims, "O brave new world that has such people in it!"

"Hatred turns into love and vengeance is transformed into forgiveness in a play with some of the most beautiful poetry ever written," Hicks says.

"We are such stuff as dreams are made on" and "the rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance" are among The Tempest's most memorable - and most often quoted - lines.

Tickets, which are on sale now at TicketsNashville.com, are $19 in advance and $22 at the door. Groups of 10 or more can purchase tickets for $15 per person. Student tickets are $10.

The production is part of Shakespeare for a New Generation, a national initiative sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts in cooperation with Arts Midwest. Support is also provided by grants from the Tennessee Arts Commission. For more information, visit the NSF website at www.nashvilleshakes.org.

Denice Hicks, Brian Russell and Jon Royal in The Tempest

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