The Tempest

 

The Tempest
by William Shakespeare
Adapted by Dwight Chiles

 

Produced by Montford Park Players at the Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre

 

Show Dates: September 1-30
Friday, Saturday and Sunday @ 7:30pm

 

Montford Park Players is proud to announce their upcoming production of the ethereal comedy The Tempest. All performances will be held at the Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre at 92 Gay Street in the heart of Asheville’s historic Montford District, from September 1st through the 30th on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings at 7:30pm. In the effort of safety, only those with tickets will be allowed at each performance. Tickets are available at montfordparkplayers.org and are, as always, FREE.

 

Although not often performed at Montford, The Tempest regularly proves to be an audience favorite for its comedy, romance, and some fun stage trickery to showcase a massive shipwreck and some supernatural goings on. This script will be adapted and updated by director Dwight Chiles, who helmed last season’s overwhelming favorite, Much Ado About Nothing, and promises to be as fun as that show was.

 

The plot centers on Prospero, who is forced out of her home by her hateful family and lands on a deserted island with her infant daughter. After twenty years go by, she lives there still, contented with her books, her daughter, her favorite CD and a few island spirits to keep her company. One day, the family that threw her out is caught in a powerful storm and washed ashore on Prospero's island. The events play out while Prospero contemplates revenge.

 

Director Chiles, a local of Asheville, is very excited for this play. As he puts it, “This play is so full of Magic and Fantasy and Drama and Comedy. It is a director’s dream to figure out how to make it all work. With the design team and the incredible cast I’ve assembled, it’s going to be such a fun experience.”

 

That cast includes Paula O'Brien, Lauren Otis, Matt Wade, Kristi Deville and Kevin Morris, among many other MPP favorites. Chiles himself will be designing the set, with Fable Wilde Day on costumes and Jason Williams on lights. Choreography will be by Kristi Deville, with puppet design by Kayren McKnight.

 

“Fundamentally this show is about forgiveness, says Chiles. “It seems to be such a difficult concept to understand these days. But it is so much easier to forgive someone than to hold on to resentments and seek out revenge. There is so much more we can focus on if we just took the time to forgive.”