Opening the 2009 theatre season at Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy is the dramatic production of Shakespeare’s romance The Tempest. The beginning of the play finds Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan and a sorcerer, and his daughter, Miranda, marooned on a fantastical island, after being set adrift twelve years earlier by Antonio, the duke’s brother, and Alonso, the king of Naples, who were conspiring to seize Prospero’s throne. Prospero is served, reluctantly, by Ariel, a spirit whom Prospero has set free with his magic, and Caliban, the son of the devil and a horrid witch. A ship carrying Prospero’s enemies is shipwrecked in a storm, scattering the survivors ashore. Among the survivors is Ferdinand, son of Alonso, who is lured to Prospero’s cell by Ariel’s singing. The remaining survivors wander the island in search of Ferdinand whom they fear is dead. With both love and betrayal filling the minds of those inhabiting the fantastical island, Prospero, with the help of Ariel, manipulates them to his own plot.

Employing the same calibre of artistic creativity and genius, this year’s play will not disappoint fans of past years’ productions. Using fine silk fabrics, hand-dyed by our students, this year’s costumes will appear as a rainbow of colour, brightening the dreary February nights.  Along with this feast of colour, you will hear the lovely strains of our original music score, a hum of island mystery with the steady swell of hand drums and sweet melodies. Dancing and movement add to the beauty of Shakespeare’s poetry as we bring this classic island story to life.

The production will be presented on February 13th and 14th at 7:00 p.m. at the Madawaska Valley District High School in Barry’s Bay, Ontario, and on February 21st at 7:00 p.m. at Festival Hall in Pembroke, Ontario. Tickets are $10.00 in advance or $12.00 at the door (Children 16 and under are $8.00 in advance or $10 at the door), and can be reserved by calling 613.756.3082 or through Lorraine’s Pharmasave in Barry’s Bay. Pembroke tickets are available through the Festival Hall box office at 613.735.2613.