BELL THEATRE AUDITIONS

The Tempest

Audition Dates

Monday 18th & Tuesday 19th August (To be Confirmed)

Performance Dates

Tuesday 2nd - Saturday 6th December

PROSPERO, the rightful Duke of Milan, is ousted by Antonio, his schemingyounger brother, and turned adrift at sea with his three-year-old daughter, Miranda. Eventually they cast ashore on an island, the sole mortalinhabitant of which is Caliban, the son of Scyorax a North African witchwho had been banished to the island years earlier, but who had died before Prospero's arrival. The island is also inhabited by spirits, whom Prosperocommands with his magic, the chief of whom is Ariel.

The play begins twelve years after Prospero's exile. A ship carrying Antonio, Alonso, the King of Naples, together with Alonso's brother and son, Sebastian and Ferdinand, sails past Prospero's island on its way from Tunis in North Africa to Naples. Prospero raises a storm the tempest of the title - and wrecks their ship. The passengers are all saved, but Ferdin and is washed ashore in a different part of the island from his companions, and so believes himself to be the sole survivor, while they in turn believe him to be dead...

Widely held to be Shakespeare's final play, The Tempest is a magical tale of love, betrayal, and redemption. Although fantastically funny in places, the play has a dark core, investigating the power structures between man an?^OBJYBFiOBJaples. When Prospero's brother Antonio, usurped Prospero's dukedom, it was Alonso who recognised Prospero's brother, sealing Prospero's fate of living in exile.

Ferdinand: The much-loved son of the King of Naples. Shiprecked, but alive, Ferdinand falls instantly in love with Miranda, when he first sees her on Prospero's island.
Sebastian: The brother of Alonso, the King of Naples. He plots to kill his king and take his title with the scheming Antonio. The scenes between himself and Antonio are particularly humorous.
Antonio: The brother of Prospero, he took Prospero's title from him when Prospero trusted him to manage his affairs. Having replaced his brother, he now encourages Sebastian to do the same to his brother, Alonso.
Gonzalo: An honest old counsellor. When Prospero was to have starved to death when exiled by boat, it was Gonzalo who provided food, clothing and books to comfort Prospero and the then three year old Miranda.
Stephano: A drunken butler, he attempts to kill Prospero and take the island for his own. Trinculo and Caliban whom he fools into believing he is a god help him.
Trinculo: A vaudeville artist, who tries unsuccessfully to kill Prospero. The scenes between Trinculo, Stephano and Caliban are amongst the funniest ever penned by the bard.
Master of a ship, Boatswains, Mariners: Sailors who fight Prospero's storm but are ultimately shipwrecked on his island.

This is not a play about a storm. It's a play about human relationships, as they battle to discover themselves and one another in a 'brave new world.' Although you can expect fabulous multi-level staging (a cross between a shipwreck and a Big Top!), and incredible lighting effects, I'm looking for real passion and real emotion. The production values, whilst impressive, will not detract from what is essentially a very intimate and human play.

I'm not particularly bothered by age - the only stipulation is that the actor playing Prospero should be able to play 20 years Miranda's senior. I'm also looking for a dance chorus of nymphs, reapers and spirits. I don't ask for much, do I. See you at the auditions.

Stuart Draper, director

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