Many years ago, Prospero was the Duke of Milan – until her wicked brother Antonio teamed up with Alonso, the King of Naples, to steal the title. Then they banished Prospero, and her 3-month old daughter, to live on a far-away island…

PEOPLE OF THE ISLAND: PROSPERO is the former Duke of Milan. She is also a sorcerer. MIRANDA is Prospero’s daughter. She has grown up on the island; her mother is the only other human she has ever seen. ARIEL is a spirit who lives under a spell to serve Prospero. CALIBAN is a beast who is Prospero’s other slave. His mother was a witch who once ruled the island. PEOPLE OF THE SHIP:

ALONSO is the King of Naples.

FERDINAND is Alonso’s SEBASTIAN beloved son. is Alonso’s sister. ANTONIO is Prospero’s brother – and the current Duke of Milan. GONZALO is a kind-hearted member of Alonso’s court. STEPHANO is Alonso’s butler. TRINCULO is Alonso’s jester.

Prospero discovers that her old enemies from Milan are sailing close to the island, and so she magically creates a storm to sink their ship and bring them ashore. Everyone on the ship reaches the island safely. One of them is Ferdinand, the handsome son of King Alonso. He wanders off; and soon meets Miranda, who is enthralled with the young prince. Antonio, Sebastian, King Alonso, and old Gonzalo roam the island searching for Ferdinand. His father Alonso fears that the boy may have drowned in the storm. Meanwhile, Antonio secretly hatches a new plot with Sebastian to murder Alonso and become king – but Ariel finds out and stops them. Elsewhere on the island, two more survivors – Trinculo the jester and his friend Stephano the butler – run into the beast Caliban. After they tame him with a few drinks, Caliban tries to enlist them in a plot to kill Prospero and rule the island himself. But once again Ariel finds out, and reports this to Prospero. In the meantime, Miranda and Ferdinand pledge their love to each other. Prospero approves of their marriage; but she isn’t finished yet with making sport of Antonio and Sebastian. She sends Ariel to punish them with more magic. Finally, the group comes together – and Prospero reveals her true identity as the rightful Duke of Milan. She demands that Antonio restore her throne. She shows Alonso that Ferdinand is alive and well, and in love with Miranda. And she mercifully releases Ariel and Caliban from their servitude at last. And then – having restored everything to order, and regained her title – Prospero pledges to abandon magic forever and live out her days peacefully back in Milan.