Heart of America Shakespeare Festival: The Tempest

Heart of America Shakespeare Festival will celebrate its 31st Season in Southmoreland Park with the Shakespeare classic, The Tempest. The Tempest will run from June 13-July 2, Tuesdays through Sundays, with no performances on Mondays. Shakespeare in the Park is a Kansas City tradition offering professional theatre for FREE in an unforgettable outdoor setting complete with local food trucks, live music, and so much more!

In The Tempest, Prospero, a banished nobleman cast away on a remote island and learned sorcerer, uses magic to conjure a storm and torment the survivors of a shipwreck, including the King of Naples and Prospero’s treacherous brother, Antonio. Prospero’s creature-servant Caliban plots to rid himself of his ruler, but is thwarted by Prospero’s spirit-servant Ariel. The King of Naples believes his son Ferdinand was drowned in the shipwreck, but instead he survives and falls in love with Prospero’s daughter Miranda. Their celebrations are cut short when Prospero confronts his brother and reveals his identity as the usurped Duke of Milan. Instead of revenge, Prospero chooses forgiveness and the families are reunited with all conflict resolved. Prospero grants Ariel’s freedom and all plan to leave the island. Love and redemption bring a happy resolution.