November 15, 2006
For Immediate Release
For more information:
James Arrington
(801) 735-7157
“The Tempest” Plays at UVSC in Shakespearean Style
With an all-male cast – the only female character played by a male in a corset with a long wig – audiences at Utah Valley State College’s “The Tempest” will think they’ve been transported back to the days of Shakespeare.
"It's very much like how Shakespeare's shows would have been, with all men on the stage,” said Chris Clark, director. “It’s really classical. A man does the voice for the woman character too. You can tell it's a man, but it's still good."
Though the all-male cast follows traditional Shakespearean guidelines, Clark breaks away from tradition by splitting up the typical acting roles. Actors on stage will wear masks and portray the characters with exaggerated movements. Actors off stage will do the speaking for the characters on stage.
"I've never seen anyone do a play like this, it's just something I thought I would try," Clark said. "The students needed movement training, so I took the words away from them so they were forced to work on their movement."
The basic story line of “The Tempest” follows Prospero as he gains control of an enchanted island after being banished from power by his scheming brother, the King of Naples. Through a raining tempest, he shipwrecks his enemies on his island. Instead of seeking revenge on his captives, he forgives them and creates new relationships, though he almost gets killed in the process. Shakespeare’s tale is a multi-sensory production of sound, music and sight with exotic characters engaged in romance and revenge.
“The Tempest” will run Nov. 30-Dec. 2 and Dec. 4-9 at 7:30 p.m. in the Black Box Theater. Tickets are $6 for UVSC students, $8 for other students, UVSC faculty/staff and seniors and $10 general admission. For more information or to purchase tickets, call Campus Connection at (801) 863-8797.
# # #
College Marketing Contact:
Megan Laurie
(801) 863-7149
Written By:
Valerie Chapman
(801) 863-8504
*