Land of the Lost

Forget all those versions of The Tempest you’ve seen that portray protagonist Prospero as a grizzled, bearded old man. In the Great Lakes Theater Festival’s production of Shakespeares’s swan song (which opens tonight at Playhouse Square), director Andrew May goes straight to the source for a slightly younger take on one of the Bard’s most famous creations. “In the play, he’s actually in his 40s, with a 15-year-old daughter,” says May. “This isn’t about an “old wizard Gandalf” sort of character. It’s a story about a middle-aged guy.” @cal body 1:It’s also a tale of a desert island, a shipwreck, and one wrathful dude. And if you think The Tempest holds zero interest for modern audiences, think again, says May. “It’s just like Lost,” he says. “People from different walks of life are thrown together. There’s a beast, romance, and a mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat.”
Thursdays, Fridays, 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 1:30 & 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m. Starts: March 30. Continues through April 20