Thursday/Saturday Cast
Francisco................................................................................................................ Mahir Mazumder Boatswain .................................................................................................................... Nicole Souza Alonso........................................................................................................................... Joshua Egolf Antonia ............................................................................................................................. Julia Rose Gonzalo........................................................................................................................... Max Moses Sebastian ................................................................................................................... Katie Schuman Miranda..................................................................................................................Romy VanAlmen Prospera .....................................................................................................................Rachel Verbiar Ariel .................................................................................................. Alexa Ressler & Hillary Zager Caliban ......................................................................................................................... Sami Weaver Ferdinand ..................................................................................................................... James Barroa Adrian ........................................................................................................................... Lizzie Walsh Trinculo .......................................................................................................................Alex Hopkins Stefano .................................................................................................................. Macaela Salomon Ship’s Crew and Other Spirits ................................................................ Nina Bao, Mika Dansberg, .............................................................................................................. Avery DuPan, Sasha Zahler
A planet on the edge of the galaxy There will be one five-minute intermission. Concessions are available in your kitchen!
Director .............................................................................................................. Kristina J. Ferencie Production Designer........................................................................................... Joseph M. Ferencie Production Stage Managers .......................................................... Joseph T. Ferencie, Aliza Lieber Scenic Design............................................... Mira Atwah, Nina Bao, Fatman Fesli, Shivani Gopal, .................................................Alex Hopkins, Barry Jones, Aliza Lieber, Hong Bao Tran Nguyen, ........................................................ Noa Rabkin, Macaela Salomon, Ellis Smith, Grant Titlebaum, ..................................................................................... Sammie Weinberg, Allen Wu, Emma Wurst Costume Design & Construction .......... Mira Atwah, Hannah Lewis, Eileen Miozzi, Luke Miozzi,
............................................................. Olivia Makofsky, Alexa Ressler, Julia Rose, Nicole Souza, ...................................................................... Lizzie Walsh, Sami Weaver, Aria Wei, Hillary Zager Deck Crew ........................ Anshika Bhardwaj, Vivien Luce, Grant Titlebaum, Sammie Weinberg Light Board Operator ................................................................................................. Abigail Lieber Video Director ..................................................................................................Jackson DiVincenzo Camera Operators ........................................................................ Dominick Carlozzi, Andrew Hall
Cori Arnopolin, Mira Atwah, Omar Baez Sanchez, Anshika Bhardwaj, Dominic Carlozzi, Abigayle Cronk, Jackson DiVincenzo, Lauren Dunmire, Joshua Egolf, Badr Egzait, Joseph T. Ferencie, Shivani Gopal, Andrew Hall, Alexandra Hopkins, Collin Lewis, Hannah Lewis, Abigail Lieber, Aliza Lieber, Vivien Luce, Olivia Makofsky, Virginia Meyer, Natalie Miller, Eileen Miozzi, Luke Miozzi, Max Moses, Tyler Murray, Michael Nimrick, Noa Rabkin, Alexa Ressler, Julia Rose, Macaela Salomon, Amanda Schwartz, Katie Schuman, Harley Smith, Nicole Souza, Romy VanAlmen, Rachel Verbiar, Kalib Walsh, Lizzie Walsh, Sami Weaver, Aria Wei, Sammie Weinberg, Emma Wurst, Hillary Zager, Sari Zager
Production Logos by Jessica Sonnenberg Program Photography by Doug Wolfe Production T-Shirts by ABL Screen Printing
SPECIAL THANKS
Erin Short Carol Schultz Angela Ulloa Pam Hesketh & Patti Holub The SHS Custodial Staff Gene Roddenberry
Dana Lewis, Denise Maiorana and Katy Miozzi, Chairs Cast and Crew Goodie Bags ..................Dana Lewis, Michelle Miller, Katy Miozzi and Brannon Murray Costumes..................................................... Hope Makofsky, Katy Miozzi, Frank Miozzi, Michelle Shene Lobby Board ........................................................................................................................... Katy Miozzi Publicity ................................................................................................. Denise Maiorana and Katy Miozzi Poster Distribution ................................................................................... Sherry Parker and Stefanie Lader Set Construction............................................................................................................................. Rob Luce T Shirt Sales Coordinator ......................................................................................................... Katy Miozzi
(left to right) Nicole Souza Sasha Zahler Nina Bao Avery Dupan Mika Dansberg
(left to right) Mahir Mazumder Julia Rose Katie Schuman Max Moses Joshua Egolf Lizzie Walsh
(left to right) Alexandra Hopkins Sami Weaver Macaela Salomon
Hillary Zager
Alexa Ressler
James Barroa Romy VanAlman
Rachel Verbiar
FROM THE DIRECTOR We tell stories. That’s how we as a people share our history, how we entertain our children and our neighbors. It’s how we advocate for change, how we make sense of tragedy and loss, and how we celebrate our victories. It’s how we celebrate our shared humanity. There hasn’t been much celebrating these past eight months. And yet, we’re still telling stories as best we can. Our methods of presentation and viewing have certainly changed, but we’re finding ways to share our heartbreaks and triumphs. Theater finds a way.
We have learned a lot while rehearsing this show. Producing theater for cameras has forced us out of our comfort zone, and we’re excited to share the new skills we’ve acquired. Producing theater during a pandemic has forced us to change how we interact with and care for each other, and we’ve developed a greater appreciation for the fellowship created within a cast. In the discussions of how modern theatre is currently suffering, we’ve heard much about Mr. Shakespeare’s challenges with the Black Plague. According to Stephen Greenblatt of The New Yorker, “theatre historian J. Leeds Barroll III, who carefully sifted through the surviving records, concluded that in the years between 1606 and 1610—the period in which Shakespeare wrote and produced some of his greatest plays, from Macbeth and Antony and Cleopatra to The Winter’s Tale and The Tempest—the London playhouses were not likely to have been open for more than a total of nine months.” With Broadway theaters closed through at least May 2021, we’re proud of our efforts to bring live theater back to our audiences – even if, for now, we’re separated by miles instead of rows of seats. The Tempest tells the story of Prospero, who longs for revenge against those who have wronged him. A nonhuman spirit, an outside observer (an “alien,” if you will) convinces Prospero to reconsider his destructive plans and choose forgiveness. Is it any wonder we gravitated (pun intended) to a science fiction setting for our production of this show? I mean, besides the fact that I have been a Star Trek fan since I was born…and besides that fact that the outer space setting creates a different context for our necessary face coverings. This production is a love-letter to the great science fiction movies and television shows that have, in so many ways, shaped my world view and my hopes for the future of humankind. As the circumstances of our plot resolve, Miranda marvels at the brave new world suddenly revealed to her. 2020 has forced us to face a new world and demanded we be brave. We know the list of COVID recommendations and restrictions by heart, and long for a return to what used to be. But even in this science fiction world we’ve created on stage, time moves only in one direction. We will move forward through these challenging times, and instead of returning to what was, we will shape a new reality. Streaming theatre is here to stay, and we welcome the opportunity to reach a broader audience and share our work with family and friends who cannot be with us in person. But we also look forward to the day we can reopen our doors and welcome our audiences back to celebrate our stories. Kristina J. Ferencie Director
A spaceship encounters a sudden tempest and crashes on an alien planet. In addition to the Master of the ship, the Boatswain, and the crew of Mariners, the ship is bearing a royal party: Alonso, the King of Naples; his sister, Sebastian; Alonso's son, Ferdinand; Antonia, the current Duke of Milan; and Gonzalo, a counselor of Naples. Miranda, who has watched the ship crash, implores her mother, Prospera, to cease the storm and save the ship. Prospera assures her no harm has been done. Prospero is a sorcerer, and she now tells Miranda their life story. She was the Duke of Milan who ended up spending more time studying her magic books than ruling. Her sister, Antonia, usurped her, in part by selling out Milan to Naples (Alonso was confederate in the scheme). Prospera and her then 6-year-old daughter were escorted out of Milan and put on a spaceship so dilapidated, even the rats had quit it. Set adrift in space, the two landed on this deserted planet with its single inhabitant: Caliban, the son of a witch named Sycorax who had been banished from Algiers and died on the planet. Prospera and Miranda have been marooned on the planet for 12 years. Now, fortune has brought Prospera's enemies in proximity of the planet, so she conjured up the storm and shipwreck in order to carry out her grand scheme. She puts Miranda to sleep and calls forth a spirit named Ariel, who carried out the special effects of the storm and shipwreck. Ariel assures Prospera that the ship is safe in a harbor, its crew asleep under the hatches, Ferdinand landed on one part of the planet, and the other lords landed in another area. Prospera instructs Ariel that they have two hours of work to do, prompting Ariel to complain that Prospera had promised them freedom. Prospero reminds Ariel of how she found the spirit when she landed on the island, imprisoned in a tree by Sycorax. Ariel resumes their obedient ways and flies off. Prospera awakes Miranda and calls forth Caliban, who enters cursing both mother and daughter. He claims Prospera stole his island and imprisoned him; Prospera counters that she and Miranda taught Caliban language and culture, and instead of gratitude he tried to rape Miranda. Caliban owns up to the assault, expresses appreciation that they taught him how to curse, and goes off to fetch firewood lest he suffer cramps caused by Prospera's magic. Ariel, invisible, leads Ferdinand in. The prince believes his father has drowned. Then he spots Miranda and figures she must be the goddess of the island. He's immediately smitten with her and she with him. This is what Prospera had hoped for, but she doesn't want to make the prize of her daughter too light by easy winning, so she intervenes, accuses Ferdinand of being a traitor and, using her magic powers, disarms the prince and orders him into servitude. The king’s officers are now wandering over the planet, looking for Ferdinand, though Alonso and some of the others are convinced he's dead. We also learn that the king's fleet was returning from Tunis after the wedding of Alonso's daughter, Claribel, to the King of Tunis. Gonzalo tries to convince the king to have hope. In an attempt to shore up Alonso's spirits (while avoiding the insults lobbed at him from Sebastian and Antonia), Gonzalo describes a utopian ideal for this wondrous planet. Ariel, who is invisible, enters playing music, and Gonzalo, Alonso, and the attendants fall asleep, leaving only Sebastian and Antonia to stand guard. Antonio, with much prodding, convinces Sebastian that with Claribel so far away from Naples and Ferdinand surely dead, Sebastian would be king if Alonso encountered some mischance (using her own usurpation of Prospero 12 years before as example). They decide to assassinate the sleeping king and Gonzalo and are finally getting down to it when Ariel enters and awakens Gonzalo, who sees Sebastian and Antonia with weapons drawn and yells to awake the rest. The two conspirators explain they heard a noise, Gonzalo confirms he heard a noise, too, and so they all troop off to continue the search for Ferdinand, but on careful guard now.
Caliban is carrying wood, complaining about Prospera and the spirits under her command. He sees Trinculo, a court jester also marooned from the shipwreck, and figures she must be one of the spirits, so he hides under his gaberdine. Trinculo comes across what she thinks is a dead alien and takes him for either a fish or a monster, so strange is Caliban’s appearance. When she hears another storm coming, Trinculo looks for a place to take shelter and decides her best choice is under Caliban's gaberdine. Stefano, the king's butler, enters. She found a butt of wine in the shipwreck, and she's been drinking of it ever since, carrying a bottle now. She comes across what she thinks is a four-legged, two-headed monster, which is crying out in anguish. She determines to give the anguished head (Caliban) drink, and meantime Trinculo recognizes Stefano's voice. As butler and jester reunite and recount their adventures after the shipwreck, Caliban, besotted with the drink, considers Stefano a god and begins worshipping her. Thinking this god mightier than Prospera, Caliban announces his freedom and leads the other two off to explore the riches of the planet.
Ferdinand is now bearing logs, part of his trial at the hands of Prospera. Miranda enters to try to help him out, though she has been commanded by her mother not to interact with Ferdinand. But Prospera is not far behind her, watching as the two youngsters express their love for each other and determine to marry. As Miranda and Ferdinand go their separate ways, Prospera announces her pleasure at their intended nuptial, but she has other business to attend to in the meantime. Caliban, Stefano, and Trinculo enter, all reeling drunk. Caliban is still worshipping Stefano, but he doesn't like the mocking Trinculo. Caliban exhorts the mighty Stefano to kill Prospera, and as he goes into his tale, Ariel throws their voice to make it appear Trinculo doubts Caliban’s story. Stefano agrees to undertake the task of killing Prospera. Mysterious music begins to play, to Caliban's delight, but it frightens Stefano and Trinculo. Caliban assures them they need not be afraid, that the music and other such sounds are the island's greatest treasure. The king’s party is still wandering about the island. Antonia and Sebastian reassure each other that they will carry out their conspiracy first chance they get. Suddenly, a table full of food appears to the wanderers. But as the king, his sister, and the Duke of Milan approach the table, Arial appears like a harpy in a thunderclap and condemns the three for their abuse of Prospero. The king runs off in a fit of madness followed by the equally frantic Sebastian and Antonia. Gonzalo and the other attendants chase after. Prospera, now much friendlier to Ferdinand, gives him her blessing to marry Miranda, and then has Ariel create a magical pageant for the couple, and they sit and watch a show of spirits playing Iris, Ceres, and Juno. The spirits perform a graceful dance, but Prospera suddenly remembers that Caliban and his confederates are planning to kill her, and she dissipates the magical pageant. She is in such a consternation that it worries both Miranda and Ferdinand, but Prospera assures them that her vexation is something they need not be concerned with. Prospera sends the two lovers off while she gets the latest intelligence from Ariel, who describes how they have led the drunk Caliban, Stefano, and Trinculo through thorn bushes and into a swamp. Prospera and Ariel set up a line of some of Prospera's finest clothes, and when the three conspirators enter near Prospera's cell, the two Neapolitans become totally distracted by the rich clothes. Caliban's warnings go unheeded, at which point spirits enter and chase the three conspirators away.
Prospera now gets intelligence from Ariel on the status of the king's company. As Ariel describes their various states of mind, including the despondent Gonzalo, the spirit admits a yearning to pity them, though Ariel has no such human quality. This strikes Prospera deeply. She has been planning some form of revenge for her sister and the rest, but Ariel has taught her that forgiveness is the greater virtue. After sending Ariel off to lead in Alonso and his company, Prospera decides that, once her goal is accomplished, she'll break her staff and bury it in the earth and drown her magic book in the sea. When Ariel leads in the king’s company, they are in an hypnotic trance. Prospera awakens the lords and presents herself to them: she greets Alonso, warmly embraces Gonzalo, warns Sebastian and Antonia that she knows of their treasonous plans, then retakes her dukedom from Antonia and forgives her. When Alonso tells Prospera that his son was lost in the shipwreck, Prospera says her daughter, too, was lost in the recent tempest. Alonso wishes they could have lived to marry, whereupon Prospera reveals the two young people playing chess in her cell. Ferdinand reunites with his father, and Miranda gazes in wonder at this brave new world. Ariel leads in the Boatswain who reports that the ship is whole and ready to take off and all the crew are safe. Next, Ariel herds in Caliban, Stefano, and Trinculo. The three conspirators are sent to their duties by their respective masters, and Prospera invites the company to hear her story before they all set a course for home. As the others exit, Prospera stays behind to set Ariel free. Adapted from www.shakespeareances.com/
Rachel Verbiar (President), Julia Rose (Treasurer), Sami Weaver (Vice President), Hillary Zager (Secretary), Olivia Makofsky (Historian)
Solon Board of Education
Julie Glavin, John Heckman, Leanne Jones, Kevin Patton, Marilyn Thomas Tim Pickana, Treasurer
Solon City Schools Administration
Fred E. Bolden, II, Superintendent Deborah V. Siegel, Assistant Superintendent/Curriculum Michael Acomb, Director of Business & Personnel
Solon High School Administration Erin A. Short, Principal Joshua A. Frazier, Assistant Principal Erica S. Kosiorek, Assistant Principal Carla R. Rodenbucher, Assistant Principal
Drama Club Officers 2020 – 21 Rachel Verbiar, President Samantha Weaver, Vice President Hillary Zager, Secretary Julia Rose, Treasurer Olivia Makofsky, Historian
Solon High School Performing Arts Personnel Kristina J. Ferencie, Drama Club Advisor Joseph M. Ferencie, Drama Club Technical Director Gary Lewis, Vocal Music Director Mark Mauldin, Band Director/Assistant Orchestra Director Gerald MacDougall, Orchestra Director Robert Luce, Assistant Band Director
Solon City Schools Mission Statement Solon City Schools, a diverse collaborative learning community of families, staff, and community members, will ensure all students attain the knowledge and skills to succeed and become contributing, ethical citizens in a global society, through our unwavering commitment to inspire every student to achieve personal excellence.