ARIEL, a Spirit, rises from the audience.

 

ARIEL

Good evening, friends,

I am Ariel, created by the pen of Shakespeare.

You've heard of him? Yes?

 

(Ariel scans the audience.)

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ARIEL

Good!

Then madam you would know who I am. No?

Can you sir tell my story? No? Any One?

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(If an audience member calls out Ariel engages in an impromptu.)

 

ARIEL

Then allow me then to brush up your Shakespeare!

I was once a spirit, free from  time and space, but Sycorax,

a  hideous evil witch envious of my beauty and eternal youth,

imprisoned me in the cleft of a tree.

Sycorax bred Caliban, a half human, half fish 

to rule this island, but there was a glitch for the old witch,

for on these shores was exiled Prospero,

a Duke who stole the witch's magic book

and became a Wizard, and Lord of this island.

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Oh, you may think Prospero freed me from that tree and grateful

I  should be. But not so. Prospero made me his rogue

and 'pleasant' slave. Freed but not free! Ironic you agree?

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ARIEL  (Points)

Prospero landed on that bay with his infant daughter,

the lovely and innocent Miranda, who in time has come of age.

What age you shall know if you bear with me awhile, and mark

upon this stage a tale of love that a father

conjures for his daughter's heart.

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(Ariel crosses upstage.)

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ARIEL  

And pray, turn off your phones, tablets and motley gadgets.

This may not be a church but is an actor’s temple.

 

(Ariel turns back.)

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 ARIEL  

And fear not a storm coming near, 'tis but some magic.

 

Ariel raises her arms. Projections of Lightning and SOUND of thunder.

 

PROSPERO, on top of a cliff, points his staff to the clouds;  

his robe blows from a furious wind while projections of a

roaring ocean engulfs a boat.

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PROSPERO

Blow wind, swell billows, and  tides attack! Ocean rage.

Thunder and lighting flash.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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