‘The Tempest’ at Stone Bridge High School

By Josie Binkley of Independence High School – A Cappies review

Tradition blends with the Wild West in The Tempest at Stone Bridge High School for a fast-paced night of fun. With breathtaking costumes, energetic acting, and an awe-worthy set, this show is one you wouldn’t want to miss.

The Tempest is one of Shakespeare’s best-known works. This comedy, about a major act of betrayal, ill treatment, the development of magic arts, and a plot of revenge, is given new life on the screen by the talented cast and crew of Stone Bridge High School, who took the classic and added a twist by setting it in the Wild West.

Not only was the work displayed on the stage perfection, but the work offstage was also spectacular. The innovative set and lighting combined with student-created music to add layers of complexity and further suspend the audience’s disbelief.

On stage, Diana Altenhof (Ariel) shined with her charisma and energy. Andrew Burton (Prospero) was captivating from start to finish. Emma Noble (Caliban) and Ava Bueno (Miranda) both had excellent physicality that matched their characters, while Bella LoBue (Stephano) and Grace Paskey (Trinculo) drew eyes through their wonderful energy.

While everyone in this show was great, the ensemble of smaller characters added an additional dimension to the show and improved its overall quality. They all had wonderful physicality, pantomiming reins or “Wild West” tasks. Another standout part of the show was the narrators (Katie Reif, Victoria Rabinowitch, Cori Teel, and Avani Sirota), who instilled excitement and energy into every word they spoke and moved the story along.

On top of the excellent performance on stage, the work done offstage is also worth noting. The costumes made each character sparkle (Ava Bueno). The stage production was brought to the screen flawlessly by the talented film directors (Ava Bueno, Emma Paskey, and TJ Santoro) and the wonderful editors (Ava Bueno, Emma Paskey, Katie Reif, and TJ Santoro).

The lights were innovative and beautifully executed (Riley Seppings, Alexander Mccoy, Fletcher Loyer, Ki Smith, Josh Douglass, and Emily Lough). Another unique part of the show was the music, composed and recorded by Evan Harris and Arman Moshafi. In addition to the lighting and music, the set was an integral part of the execution of this show (Maia Ocampo, Diana Altenhof, Rachel Leary, Manoela Mishima, Sophia Liebermann, Trey Conner, Alex Reif, Alexa Alomia, and Alex Merkt).

This show was classic and exciting. With excellent performances, innovative designs, and creative touches left and right, The Tempest at Stone Bridge High School is a spectacular way to spend the night. Just like Shakespeare’s original work, this production of The Tempest is sure to stand the test of time with its classical sense, fastpaced story, and breathtaking execution. To view this show, go to :  https://youtube.com/watch?v=Vc58OUxTZ0c.