A Brave New World: Rise on Broadway’s Young Director Series Presents The Tempest

Like all of Shakespeare’s comedies, The Tempest ends with the promise of joy and opportunity for its young protagonists: Miranda and Ferdinand thwart shipwrecks and murderous schemes, leaving the stage hand in hand and to embrace their future of wedded bliss and royal status. How fitting, then, that the Columbus Theater’s resident company, Rise on Broadway, will stage the Bard’s final play as the first installment of its Young Director Series.

Laura Westfall, Rise on Broadway board member and producer of this production, describes the Young Director Series as the company’s way of fostering new dramatic talent, giving back to the community, and offering a comprehensive educational experience for young people who want to learn the nuts-and-bolts of the art and business of theater. She plainly states that it is a lot of work, but that The Tempest’s director, sixteen-year-old Cameron Marcotte, has proved himself to be up to the task of directing: in only six weeks, he has helmed a professional, two-hour-long Shakespearean production.

Cameron is a junior at Providence’s Met School. Before taking on The Tempest, he worked as an assistant director on three plays and, most recently, directed a series of one-act plays at the Met with his own theater company, High Frequency Theater. Cameron has been involved with several Rise on Broadway productions, including playing the role of Bottom in its staging of A Midsummer Night’s Dream last summer. Following the success of that production, Rise on Broadway’s board expressed interest in doing another Shakespeare play this summer. Cameron wrote a proposal, the board accepted it, and the Young Director Series was born.

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The Manton Avenue Project

The Manton Avenue Project has some free shows coming up at the end of the month featuring original theater written by children and performed by professional actors and actresses. The Project coaches children in the playwriting process and the results are reported to be astounding. This season’s shows are at Brown. See the Project’s website for more information.

Black Maria Sneak Peak

On the eve of December 14 the Arts & Business Council of RI has organized an arts-socials that looks well worth attending. While mixing and mingling at the Black Rep, we’ll be treated to a sneak peek of Black Maria, an original play which is “at once cinematic, poetic, and musical, hard boiled and romantic, intellectual and pulp”. Artistic Director, Donald King, will also lead a behind-the-scenes tour of the Black Rep’s beautiful new facilities. This month’s event is presented in conjunction with Connect Providence and is a great opportunity to meet new people, make business connections, and see innovative theatre in the works, so don’t miss it!

Space is limited, so register as soon as possible! Pay $8 now or $10 at the door.

Trutheatertheater

I just returned from a WBNA meeting where I learned about Trutheatertheater(pronounced tru-theater-theater not truth-eater-theater), a group of performance artists who have put together a show called As The Land Turns. As The Land Turns has been described as a good-for-all-ages, humor-filled show. The show will be performed in various parks around Providence:

• Monday October 10 Roger Williams Park Temple to Music
• Saturday October 15 Franciscan Park (Broadway & Bell Street, near Route 10)
• Sunday October 16 Merino Park (Heath St. off Hartford Avenue, near Route 6)

The shows start at 7:00pm, but arrive at 6:30pm and bring blankets and snacks. The shows are free with donations accepted and last about 80 minutes with intermission. For more information, contact Jason McGill at 401.261.3261.

The Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council helped to make these performances possible.

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