Tempest Tossed

An immersive version of The Tempest with live music and Butoh-inspired movement, that gives Sycorax a powerful new voice.

FEATURING

Anna Bikales
Sycorax, Harp, Electric Bass, Voice
Craig Bacon
Prospero, Voice
Blake Brundy
Caliban, Ferdinand, Voice
Clara Tristan
Miranda, Voice
Jacquie Bonnet
Ariel, Percussion, Voice
Flavio Gaete
Juno, Guitar, Piano, Viola, Voice, Synthesizers

CREATIVE

Janina Picard
Director
Yoshiko Sienkiewicz
Movement
Flavio Gaete
Music Director
Allison Jones
Intimacy Coordinator
Mary Ellen Stebbins & Ethan Feil
Light Design
Kathleen Rembish
Costume Designer
Juan David Castilla
Film

PRODUCTION

Leah Michalos
General Manager

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About the Show

Tempest Tossed is a chamber adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, where the action of the play is exquisitely focused with original music by music director Flavio Gaete as well as a magical Butoh inspired movement lead by Yoshiko Usami. Directed again by Janina Picard, the performance creates an immersive island where Caliban’s mother, the powerful witch Sycorax, is finally given a voice, providing a fresh take in this story of justice, restoration, freedom and forgiveness. The cast of seven performers includes Anna Bikales, Craig Bacon, Jacquie Bonnet, Blake Brundy, Flavio Gaete, and Clara Tristan.

About the Music

This production showcases an entirely original score composed by our music director Flavio Gaete, with a single exception: the overture incorporates an adaptation of the Largo movement from Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony, seamlessly woven into a medley that transitions into Sycorax's opening number. The orchestration blends classical and contemporary elements, featuring harp and viola alongside electric guitar and bass, with the entire ensemble contributing vocally. The incidental music explores evocative sonic textures through harp and guitar effects—conjuring the tempest itself through distortion, echoes, reverberations and atmospheric soundscapes that enhance the dramatic narrative.