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Home , Bruce Alexander (actor), English Touring Theatre, Gareth Armstrong, Hackney Empire, Lisa Harrow, Theatre by the Lake

PROGRAM THE TEMPEST Actors From The Stage

Thursday, February 27, 2020; 7 pm Friday, February 28, 2020; 7 pm Saturday, February 29, 2020; 7 pm

Media Sponsor

The Actors From The London Stage residency at the University of Notre Dame is generously supported by the McMeel Family Endowment for Excellence for Actors From The London Stage, the Paul Eulau Endowment for Excellence for Actors From The London Stage, the Deborah J. Loughrey Endowment for Excellence in Shakespeare Studies, the D & J Smith Endowment for Shakespeare and Performance, and the College of Arts and Letters.

THE AFTLS APPROACH

For most of his working life, was a sharer in the King’s Men, London’s leading theatre company. He knew the actors he was writing for and collaborated with them on seeing the plays into performance.

All theatre is a collaboration, of course, and while actors can no longer collaborate directly with Shakespeare, the Actors From The London Stage (AFTLS) company always aims to work with him, respectfully and creatively, throughout the rehearsal process. Our company’s aim is to make his words exert their magic and their power in performance, but we do this in a vital, and perhaps unconventional, way. We have no massive sets to tower over the performers and no directorial concept to tower over the text of Shakespeare’s play. In fact, AFTLS does not have a director at all; instead, the play has been rehearsed by the actors, working together to create theatre, cooperating with each other in their imaginative engagement with the play’s words.

Now the actors ask you, the audience, to perform that same kind of imaginative engagement that Shakespeare was thinking about when, in the Prologue to Henry V, he instructed his spectators: “Think, when we talk of horses, that you see them, / Printing their proud hoofs i’ the receiving earth / For ’tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings.”Now the actors seek a new collaboration, working with you, the audience, in the way that only live theatre can. It is not a hard job for people to do, even though we are now used to having everything shown us on screen, and even though we usually no longer rely on the powers of the imagination and collaboration to bring a play’s world into being. If you share the Peter Holland fun of collaborating with us, then the excitement of the performance will be richly rewarding for you and McMeel Family Chair in for the actors, for this special act of working together, actors and audience combined, marks the latest Shakespeare Studies stage of that long journey The Tempest has made from Shakespeare’s writing the play with and for the Associate Dean for the Arts, actors he knew so well. So, tonight, watch and listen and “let us... / On your imaginary forces work.” College of Arts and Letters University of Notre Dame THE TEMPEST continued

ABOUT ACTORS FROM THE LONDON STAGE ABOUT SHAKESPEARE AT NOTRE DAME

Actors From The London Stage (consisting of five British Actors From The London Stage is a national outreach program Shakespearean artists from such companies as the Royal of Shakespeare at Notre Dame. Shakespeare at Notre Dame Shakespeare Company, the of Great consists of the McMeel Family Chair in Shakespeare Studies, the Britain, and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, among others) is an Shakespeare in Prisons Network, the Notre Dame Shakespeare educational program developed in 1975 by Homer Swander Festival, Actors From The London Stage, ancillary lectures and at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The theatre events, and library collections. Shakespeare at Notre Dame’s company is now based in London and at the University of mission is to serve as a pre-eminent venue for the study and Notre Dame. The artists devote a large part of their time to performance of the works of Shakespeare, providing Notre lectures, workshops, seminars, and informal meetings with Dame and the wider community with an on-campus culture students. Their stay provides students and faculty with a unique steeped in the works of William Shakespeare — both on the opportunity both to observe extraordinary performances and page and on the stage. to discuss literature and the art of theatre in depth with some of the most talented artists from some of the most important Mary Irene Ryan Family Executive Director . . . Scott Jackson theatre companies in the world. General Manager ...... Debra Gasper Contact us at shakespeare.nd.edu/AFTLS. Audience Development Manager ...... Jason Comerford Ryan Producing Artistic Director for Founder the Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival ...... Grant Mudge Homer Swander THE PLAYERS Academic Director Peter Holland William Donaldson ...... Alonso/Stephano/Juno/Captain David Rubin ...... Prospero/Antonio Founding Directors Molly Vevers ...... Miranda/Ariel/Adrian/Ceres/Boatswain Tony Church Noel White ...... Caliban/Gonzalo/Iris Arthur Wilson ...... Ferdinand/Sebastian/Trinculo Lisa Harrow Bernard Lloyd Sir ABOUT THE PLAYERS

Associate Directors WILLIAM DONALDSON (Alonso/Stephano/Juno/Captain) David Acton William trained at the London Academy Bruce Alexander of Music and Dramatic Art. He currently Peter Bray teaches at the British American Matthew Davies Drama Academy as an Acting Tutor Caroline Devlin (Shakespeare), and has worked with The Royal National Theatre, The Young Tim Hardy Shakespeare Company, and The Evvy Miller Shakespeare Schools Festival as an actor Richard Neale and workshop facilitator. He has run Shakespeare workshops Paul O’Mahony at institutions across the US, including the University of Michael Palmer Notre Dame, Wellesley College, Howard University, Brandeis University, and American University. He is an artistic associate Eunice Roberts of Tucked In Productions (specialists in young people’s theatre Alison Skilbeck and puppetry), and Beautiful Creatures Theatre Co. (a site- Chris Staines specific theatre company). Career highlights include RuPaul Lucy Tregear Charles in the Edinburgh Festival Award-winning production of Jack Whitam Prom Kween (directed by Humphries); The Diva in the award-winning international production Testosterone (Rhum & Jennifer Winter Clay); Boris in Boris Got Bu**ered (directed by Scott Le Crass); Alinka Wright Friar Lawrence in Romeo & Juliet (Actors from the London Stage, US tour); and The Wicked Queen in Snow White (Old Vic Emeritus Theatre, directed by Kirsty Patrick). Film credits include Captain Gareth Armstrong Webb (Marathon Films, directed by Justin Hardy). David Rintoul Vivien Heilbron

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DAVID RUBIN (Prospero/Antonio) David’s credits include Tamburlaine, (ETT); A Christmas Carol, Measure For Measure, and As You Like , , The Tempest, It (Creation); The Ladykillers, , Richard IV, Antony and Cleopatra, The Winter’s Tale, , and (Northcott, Exeter); Bedroom Julius Caesar (twice), Le Morte D’Arthur, Farce (Torch Theatre); Outside Edge (New Vic, Stoke); Harvest Titus Andronicus, As You Like It, A Mad (); The Dark Side and Great Expectations World My Masters, The Grain Store, (Tours); Romeo & Juliet and (Orange Tree). Television American Trade, and rehearsed readings credits include Holby City, Empathy, Second Sight, Oscar Charlie, of The Castle and Split Second (Royal Other People’s Children, A Viking In My Bed, Hope & Glory, and Shakespeare Company); People, Places Casualty (BBC); Coronation Street, Where The Heart is, Crossroads, & Things, The Threepenny Opera, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Footballer’s Wives, Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married, , As You Like It, Twelfth Night (twice), The Tempest, and The Red Band of Gold, and Anna Lee (ITV), and Hollyoaks (Channel 4). Balloon (National Theatre). In London’s West End, his credits Film credits include Death on the Nile, directed by Sir Kenneth include Woyzeck (); the original West End Company Branagh (20th Century Fox, to be released in 2020), Pilgrim production of Five Guys Named Moe (Lyric); STOMP (Royal Factor, and The Journey. Writing credits include "The Smilin’ Festival Hall); and In The Midnight Hour (). David has State" (/ Hackney Empire). also worked extensively for many UK regional theatres and for Chicken Shed Theatre, for whom he acts, writes and directs. ARTHUR WILSON (Ferdinand/Sebastian/Trinculo) Film and television includes Judy (Calamity Films); Vera (ITV); (BBC); Brooms (Stomp); The Passion (HBO); Sitting Arthur trained at the Royal Scottish Pretty, Dalziel and Pascoe, EastEnders, Holby City, Playdays, Zig- Academy of Music & Drama. Recent Zag, and Walking With Cavemen (BBC); Birds of a Feather (ITV); theatrical highlights include She Ventures Mysteries of July and Good Health (Channel 4); The Block and and He Wins at the Young Vic Theatre; Three Sheets to the Wind (DT Films); The DJ Kat Show (Sky); and the world premiere of Genesis Inc. at the Number 73 (ITV). ; Things I Know to be True with Frantic Assembly; Persuasion at MOLLY VEVERS (Miranda/Ariel/Adrian/Ceres/Boatswain) the Royal Exchange Theatre; Richard II at Shakespeare’s Globe; Man & Superman at the National Theatre; Molly trained at the Royal Conservatoire of The Comedy of Errors, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Taming Scotland. Theatre credits include Othello of the Shrew, and Twelfth Night with Propeller; Hard Times, If I (English Touring Theatre); Nora in A Doll’s Were You and Tom’s Midnight Garden with the Library Theatre; House (Citizens Theatre); Seanmhair (The and Peter Pan with ThreeSixty productions, in London and on Other Room, /Edinburgh Festival); tour in the US. Arthur’s television credits include Sea of Souls Ross & Rachel (, and Call the Midwife (BBC); and Law & Order: UK (ITV and BBC 59e59 Theaters New York, UK Tour); Jumpy America). Arthur is on the faculty of Freelance Practitioners at (Edinburgh Lyceum Theatre); A First World Fourth Monkey Actor Training Company in London, where he Problem (); The Sleeping Beauties (Sherman Cymru); teaches on both the Shakespeare and Contemporary Scenes Kora (Magnetic North/Dundee Rep); Time and the Conways modules. This is Arthur’s first tour with AFTLS. (Edinburgh Lyceum Theatre/Dundee Rep); The Snow Queen (Dundee Rep); and She Town (Dundee Rep). Television and film credits include Doctors (BBC); Doors Open (ITV); Chubby Funny (Free Range Films/AimImage Productions); and Bittersweet (BFI Film Academy). Molly won the Stage Award for Acting Excellence 2015 for her performance in Ross & Rachel.

NOEL WHITE (Caliban/Gonzalo/Iris)

Noel trained at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama (Gold MedalWinner). This is Noel’s second AFTLS tour, having previously appeared in in 2012. Other theatre includes Towards Zero, The Unexpected Guest, Spider’s Web, and The Hollow, all directed by Brian Blessed (The Mill at Sonning); Romeo & Juliet, The Legend of King Arthur, Julius Caesar, King Lear, , and Hamlet (Guildford Shakespeare Company); Robin Hood, Merlin, The Gift & The Glory, Of Mice & Men, and Jason & The Argonauts (The Dukes, Lancaster); Grimm Tales Photo of Noel White by Jason Comerford (Theatre By The Lake, Keswick); Far From The Madding Crowd

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THE STORY Prospero has Ariel create a magical banquet for Alonso and Antonio that vanishes when they try to eat. He also sends Ariel Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan and an expert in the arts in the guise of a harpy to hound them for their crimes against of magic, lives on an island with his daughter, Miranda. Twelve Prospero and make Antonio, Sebastian and Alonso insane. years earlier, his brother, Antonio, and Alonso, the King of Later, at a masque to celebrate the betrothal of Miranda and Naples, conspired to usurp his throne. They set Prospero and Ferdinand, Prospero remembers Caliban’s plot and abruptly Miranda adrift in a boat, and they eventually found themselves calls the revels to a halt. He sends Ariel to punish them as well; marooned on the island. Prospero is served on his island by the spirit does so by first luring them with some fancy clothes, Ariel, a spirit whom he freed from the tree where Ariel had been then setting other island spirits upon them in the shape of imprisoned by the witch Sycorax, and by Caliban, Sycorax’s son. hunting dogs that chase them around the island. As the play begins, Prospero has learned that a ship bearing his old enemies is sailing near the island and has instructed Ariel to Finally, Prospero confronts his brother and Alonso, revealing create a storm. As Prospero wishes, Airel ensures that the his true identity as the rightful Duke of Milan. He demands survivors of the apparent shipwreck make it to shore in that Antonio restore his throne; he also rebukes Sebastian scattered groups. One survivor is Ferdinand, the son of Alonso. for plotting against his own brother. To Alonso, he reveals He is lured to Prospero’s abode by the singing of Ariel; there he Ferdinand alive and well, playing chess with Miranda. As a meets Miranda, who is enthralled with the young prince. final act, Prospero abandons his magic and releases Ariel and Caliban from their servitude. From Ariel, Prospero asks Meanwhile, Antonio, Alonso, Alonso’s brother Sebastian, and for one last boon: calm seas and favorable winds for their trip Gonzalo, an honest councillor, wander the island in search back to Naples. of Ferdinand. Antonio now plots with Sebastian to murder Alonso, but this plot is thwarted by Ariel. Elsewhere on the island, Stephano, Alonso’s butler, and Trinculo, his jester, Peter Holland encounter Caliban. After sharing a few drinks, Caliban enlists McMeel Family Chair in Shakespeare Studies, the two in a plot to kill Prospero and rule the island. He even University of Notre Dame. promises Miranda to Stephano. Ariel, however, reports all these goings-on to Prospero. In the meantime, Miranda and Ferdinand pledge their troth to each other.

Photo of David Rubin by Jason Comerford

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