This September, more than 100 Hampton Roads artists from all walks of life will assemble on the Wells stage via Public Works Virginia’s initiative to present Shakespeare’s The Tempest adapted by Patrick Mullins with music by Jake Hull. This fully realized production will be an inclusive, audacious work of theatre presented by Virginia Stage Company, the region’s leading professional theatre company, in collaboration with local artists. Community members that have participated in Public Works theatre classes across the region will work with actors, performers, and other professional theatre makers to present a life-changing adaptation of Shakespeare's mystical tale in a one-weekend engagement at the Wells Theatre August 30, August 31, and September 1.

Over the past year, Virginia Stage Company’s Public Works initiative has impacted the lives of hundreds of people through community engagement programs across Hampton Roads, including Dramatically Able with Access Virginia, the Armed Services Arts Partnership, and Act Dance Theatre with Atumpan Edutainment and the Kroc Center. Through our partnerships, professional theatre artists engage and enrich the lives of youth, senior citizens, the formerly incarcerated, those who are blind or have low-vision, as well as the deaf and hard of hearing - in a symbiotic exchange in which participants share with artists the knowledge of their community, and artists share the skills and secrets of making theatre.

Virginia Stage is seeking local actors and performers of all backgrounds and practices to collaborate in a pageantry style performance of The Tempest including music by Jake Hull and puppets by Paperhand Puppet Intervention. Virginia Stage encourages all actors, singers, puppeteers, and first time performers to work with the rest of our professional team in bringing the play to life. Auditions for principal roles are June 29th. Check out vastage.org/auditions for more information on June 14th.

Interviews can be arranged with members of the Virginia Stage Company staff.

Public Works Virginia is a major initiative of Virginia Stage Company that seeks to engage the people of Hampton Roads by making them creators of theater rather than spectators. Working with community partner organizations across the seven cities, Public Works Virginia invites community members to attend classes, attend productions, and join in the creation of ambitious works of participatory theater. Led by Director of Public Works Patrick Mullins.

Virginia Stage Company is Southeastern Virginia’s leading theatre destination, serving an audience of over 70,000 annually, both at the Wells Theatre and throughout the community. Virginia Stage Company’s mission is to “enrich, educate, and entertain the region by creating and producing theatrical art of the highest quality.”