Dramaturg Note

The Tempest has sparked controversy and encouraged adaptation since it was written for the Blackfriars Theatre in 1611. The inherent theatricality in its abundance of music, magic, and mystique have piqued artistic adaptation in every medium, while its unabashedly contentious material seems almost intended to provoke response.

Exploring themes was one of the crucial steps the Camp Company took in order to clarify their script cutting process. Major ideas the Company chose to highlight are cycles of revenge, power structures and struggles, and isolation vs. society. Sub-themes that have stood out in rehearsal include the power of magic, the importance of human connection vs. the concept of solitary “paradise,” and the literal isolation of characters from one another. The power of magic has proven particularly relevant in the Company’s double-casting of Prospero. Isolation, human connection, and solitary “paradise” have rung especially true in the midst of an ongoing pandemic.

The Company’s discussion of colonialism is necessary to unpack in order to contextualize their production. Early Modern audiences, particularly the educated audiences that frequented the Blackfriars, would have recognized the colonialist underscoring written into the text. Caliban may textually be described as a fish monster, but allusions to indigenous people in the Americas and sub-Saharan Africans clearly exist within the purposeful othering of the character. Travel narratives brought skewed and often ugly stories back to England which influenced creators and consumers alike. After many discussions, the Company chose to focus the characterization and othering of the character in the otherworldly monstrousness inherent in the text; they chose to take their majority white ensemble in a thoughtful rather than performative direction. The same way Early modern audiences would have recognized the subtext, so will modern audiences.

The Camp Company has grappled with difficult and highly topical subject matter and emerged with ownership of their text and play—they have responded with alacrity to the entrusted agency. “What’s past is prologue,” and the Camp Company is ready to show you what comes next.

– by Mia Randers-Pehrson

analise toone

She/her

Birmingham, Alabama

Analise is a recent graduate of Spain Park High School. When not fulfilling her duty as local shark enthusiast at ASCTC, she is a designer, director, and dramaturg. Her previous credits include Boy (ASCTC 2021 Henry V), Casca (Shxcamp 2020 Julius Caesar), as well as director of Spark Theatre’s Macbeth. She would like to thank her best friend and rabbit, Bandit for being so good while she was gone.

Andrew Poma

he/him

Penn Laird, Virginia

Andrew Poma is a rising freshman at Ithaca College. He’s attended ASCTC for three years twice previously in 2018 and 2019. When he’s not nerding over Shakespeare you can find him playing video games, throwing axes, reading, or enjoying the company of his cat Bella. He would like to thank anyone who has led him through this journey with special thanks to his best friend Mariana who set him onto this, Lia for teaching him more than he could ever need, Justine Mackey for guiding him through this, and finally a big thanks to his family for just being there.

Ella Gardner

she/her

Westchester, New York

Ella is so grateful to the staff and campers of the ASCTC for making her last year at camp so enjoyable and rewarding. She would like to thank her family for supporting her during her last four years at camp. She would also like to thank Lia and Aubrey for creating this incredible camp and giving her the experience of a lifetime.

Fenrir Palmer

They/Them*

Harrisonburg, VA

Fenrir had fun at camp. It was a lovely learning experience.

Gabriel Laurent

(He/Him)

Richmond, Virginia

This had been one of Gabe’s favorite memories and could not ask to be in a room with better people and is excited to share memories with all of them.

Hannah “Alex” Feig

They/She

Potomac, Maryland

Having performed in Hamlet Q1, Gallathea, and Julius Caesar (SHXCamp), this summer marks Alex’s fourth and final year at ASCTC, and they couldn’t be happier to be back at camp in-person. When not nerding out over Shakespeare, Alex can be found drawing, singing, playing guitar, or watching/talking about Star Trek (which series? All of them).

Alex would like to thank their parents, siblings, and Nana, who have supported them in their love of performance since they were a 3-year-old running around singing “I Have Confidence in Sunshine,” as well as Judy and Deborah Feigenson for introducing them to Shakespeare in the first place.

Isabella Pizzitola

She/Her

Houston, Texas

Isabella would like to thank everyone who helped the campers get here, she loves y’all and hopes you enjoy the show.

Lee Adams

They/Them

Fredericksburg, Virginia

Lee has had a great time at their second year of camp. Working with old friends and making new ones was a joy like no other. They’d like to thank their parents for sending them to camp and Lia Wallace for accepting them back so last minute. They’d also like to thank the wonderful RDA’s and interns for all their help and great attitudes when the campers got out of hand.

Lucy Shea

She/Her

Springfield, PA

Lucy is so excited to be returning to camp this summer! It has been a joy to work with so many incredible people on The Tempest and learn from the wonderful actors around her for these past few weeks. She’d like to thank her mom, dad, sister, and all of her family and friends for supporting her (and surviving a whole month without her at home), as well as Lia, Aubrey, and our RDAs and interns for making this summer magical.

Maddie Johns

She/Her/hers

Mount Gretna, PA

Maddie is so sad to be graduating from camp after four summers at ASCTC, but in the wise words of a not so wise man, “What’s past is prologue,” and we’ll be back! Her favorite roles she’s played at camp have been Cambridge, Katherine in last year’s . Special thanks to Lia and Aubrey for being her mentors, Daniel and Delvin for being Dr Mom and Mr Wellness and her parents and best friends, Analise (and her mom), and family for sending her away every summer.

Molly Livesay

She/her

San Antonio, Texas

This is Molly’s second and final year at camp. Her first summer she played Pistol in Henry V, and this summer she is very excited to be back. She was especially challenged this summer by not playing her usual typecast of a clown. Playing a man is definitely not new to her, but playing a romantic is. She eagerly accepted the challenge. She thanks her parents for sending her to this camp and for their continuous support. She thanks Lia and Aubrey for all that they have done. She greatly appreciates them and will miss them very much. But who knows? Maybe she’ll be back on this stage one day…

Pax Skaggs

He/they

Waynesboro, VA

This is Pax’s first time at ASCTC. They miss their pets.

Sakura Rosenthal

She/they

Boston, Massachusetts

Sakura is very happy to be returning to camp for her fourth year. She’d like to thank her family and friends along with her fellow campers for their endless support and the staff at ASCTC for creating a great camp environment. Whether it was singing songs with her fellow Music Committee members or dancing at Masquerade with her friends, Sakura is very grateful for memories she has made here and will cherish them greatly.

Daniel Skinner

(he/him/his)

Team Captain RDA

Daniel is an actor based out of NYC, and could not be happier to return to ASCTC for his second year as an RDA! Recent Credits include: Shloyme (God of Vengeance), Pony (My Emperor’s New Clothes), Hamlet (Hamlet), Valentine Coverly (Arcadia), Director (The Elephant Man). Elon University Acting BFA ’20. Much love to Catherine, Mom, Dad, Isla, and Cameron.

Devlin Ford

(She/Her)

RDA Team Captain

Devlin is an actor and teaching artist from Salt Lake City, Utah. She has worked with camps and classrooms across the county teaching theatre to all ages. She is currently a graduate student in Mary Baldwin’s Shakespeare and Performance program. She could not be more proud of these campers and the work they have created.

Mary Rosalind Valentine

(she/her/hers)

Production Intern

Mary Rose Valentine (or Mars, as most of Camp calls her) is a rising senior at Penn State University, where she double majors in Theatre Studies and Comparative Literature, with a minor in French. She has been performing Shakespeare since age 13, was a camper in 2018 and 2019, and an intern for the digital SHXCamp in 2020. In 2022 Session 1, she obtained props and costumes for The Winter’s Tale and helped the campers learn the show’s music and choreography. This session, she served as Stage Manager for the first time! Mary Rose spends her school years studying, being  vice president and co-Artistic Director of Penn State’s Shakespeare club Statespeare, and writing tabletop roleplaying games professionally. In her free time (of which she has very little), she pets her cat, bakes, dances, and reads “brain candy” romance novels. She would like to remind audiences that what they’re seeing today is the future of theatre, of art, and of our world.

Mia Randers-Pehrson

(she/her)

Production Intern

Mia Randers-Pehrson is a junior at Sarah Lawrence College studying theatre and literature. She was a camper from 2017-2019 when she was in Titus Andronicus (Lavinia), Volpone (Corbaccio), and Gallathea (Gallathea). Outside of theatre she does more theatre—she spends most of her spare time acting with SLC’s Half-Naked Shakespeare and producing for Melancholy Players (most recently Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice).

Lia Wallace

(she/hers)

Lia was born and raised in Philadelphia. She earned her Master of Letters and Master of Fine Arts degrees in Shakespeare & Performance from Mary Baldwin University and a BA in Shakespeare and Education from NYU Gallatin. Lia began as an ASC Education intern in January of 2012 before becoming a part time Education Artist and Playhouse Tour Guide. She joined ASC staff full-time as the College Prep Programs Manager and Camp Director in April of 2016. As the Performance Studies Manager, she now oversees a range of educational programming focusing on Shakespeare’s text and technology, with a focus on students at the undergraduate level and below. This is her seventh summer running the ASC Theatre Camp.