The Tempest Preview
Shanna Alley, Staff Writer
The Tempest is be
lieved to be William Shake
speare’s last
play. It is set
on a remote is
land where the
exiled Duke of
Milan, Pros-
pero, plans
to find a way
using illusion
and skillful
manipula
tion to regain
his reign and
restore his .
daughter,
Miranda, to her
rightful place
as heiress to his dukedom.
This story is a tragicomedy,
inspired by the romance
genre. It differs from any oth
er Shakespeare play in mat it
is more strict and organized
in a neoclassical style. The
Mredith College Theatre De
partment will be putting on
this play the last weekend in
September.
Director Steven Ro-
ten has wanted to direct this
production for a number of
years but has been waiting
for the right time to do so.
In his
be out
photo via Marketing
roduction the play will
oors in the Mclver Am
phitheatre, creating
Meredith’s own re
mote “island.” Ro-
ten says the Mclver
Amphitheater offers
a “unique environ
ment to offer a play
in and brings its own
rewards and chal
lenges as well.” Roten
remarks “for
my students
it offers a
new envi
ronment to
practice their
craft.” He
adds that by being out
side the Amphitheater
“offers the actors the
added challenge of vo
cal projection, stamina,
and larger characteriza
tions.”
Dr. Gary Walton,
Dean of Humanities
and a Shakespearean
scholar, has been con
sulting with Roten on the play’s
production. In discussing the
unique staging, he comments
that “a related change for this
daylight performance is that the
magic of this mystical script
cannot be brought to life at
Meredith through the mod
ern technology of lighting or
other visual special effects, as
is often done in modern pro
ductions.” Staging a play out
doors leaves the lighting up
to nature—much like it was in
Shakespearean theater.
Walton also
notes that one main differ
'7n making Prospero
female, Roten shifts
Shakespeare’s intention
from an exploration of
father-daughter rela
tionships to a mother-
daughter focus.. .. This
will, no doubt, garner an
interesting reception at
a women’s college.”
ence in Meredith’s version of
this play is that it will feature
“a female in the leading role
of the exiled Duke Prospero.”
In making Prospero female.
Roten shifts Shakespeare’s
intention from an exploration
of father-daughter relation
ships to a mother-daughter
focus. During Shakespeare’s
time, gender reversal was
common because men played
women’s roles. Here, Roten is
reversing that trend by hav
ing women play mens*^ roles.
This will, no doubt, garner
an interesting reception at a
women’s college.
Another interesting
feature of the production, will
be the accompaniment by the
Meredith Symphionetta and
various dance majors. Wal
ton adds that these talented
and imaginative artists will
be able to compose and cre
ate magic through music and
movement to help tell the
story.
The Tempest will be per
formed at Meredith College
in the Mclver Amphitheater
starting Septepiber 28 at 11
AM. Performance dates are
September 28 and 29 at 11
AM, September 30 and Octo
ber 1 at 6 PM, and October 2
at 3 PM.
A$k Gigi
Deaf Gigi, ^
' /Fm going to ask even though I expect you’ll say, “NO! You cannot date a professor under any circumstances!” I understand why teachers and students
shouldn,’t date, but I really think this is different.
K 23 plus student. This professor teaches in a department I have never, and will never, be involved with. The first time we met was at a local coffee
,^hop. We had only talked for a few minutes when we realized our connection through Meredith. Since then, I’ve seen him a few times on campus, but we
’^aven't had a conversation. I’ve made a few discreet inquiries and discovered that he is single, we have some common interests, and he has a good reputa
tion with students and faculty.
' This may not sound like much, but I think we both felt some sparks. He appears to be a nice, single, educated, employed, and handsome guy. I’d like to
ask him to have coffee uith me before I graduate in 2013. Is this possible? If not, why not?
Signed, •
Iced Latte
Dear Iced Latte,
Confucius (aka Gigi) once said to the learner; One must not go on a date with a professor while she is a student at the school. This potential relationship
is one you cannot afford to pursue as a student. If a relationship like this is discovered by “the powers that be,” your academic career at Meredith College
could be in jeopardy. Your credibility and integrity would be questioned which could hurt your reputation. Also, the professor could likely lose his job
and would have difficulty getting a job at another academic institution. Ask yourself, “Am I prepared to face the responsibility and consequences that may
come my Avay just because I felt some sparks during a chance encounter with this man?” With that said, I am not saying you can never have coffee with
him; it will probably have to be after your graduation in 2013.1 am sorr>^ to melt the ice in your latte. Next time, I recommend getting a Passion Tea; it will
warm vour soul.
May the force always be with you,
Gigi