We kick off the season with the beloved annual Washington tradition, Free For All, bringing back STC favorite Ethan McSweeny with The Tempest. In McSweeny’s glittering production, Prospero’s magical island explodes with life, hosting sprites, goddesses and fools that hold court and delight all ages.
Prospero, the deposed Duke of Milan and now a powerful magician, raises a great storm to wreck the vessel bearing his betrayers onto the shores of the mysterious island he has made his home. There, attended upon by his daughter, a magical sprite and a villainous prisoner, Prospero leads them through a mysterious dream on the course from vengeance to reconciliation. Trickery and magic, romance and revenge set the stage for Shakespeare’s crowning masterpiece.