April 8, 2019 — OLY ARTS and OLYMPIA HARBOR DAYS announce a new collaboration to bring to the South Sound a new production of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Produced in partnership with Olympia’s Port Plaza, the production will be staged on and around the Port Plaza tower in late August 2019.
The play is produced by South Sound theatre impresario Ned Hayes.
“I’ve wanted to bring The Tempest to life at the Port tower for nearly ten years, and I’m excited that I’ve finally found an amazing professional team who can bring a magical Tempest to life here by the Puget Sound,” said Hayes.
Hayes previously produced “8” at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts and a variety of other theatrical productions for Capital Playhouse and other production houses in Minnesota and Seattle. His most well known Seattle production was an 8-hour staged version of John Milton’s Paradise Lost produced with the Washington Center for the Book and in partnership with Seattle Rep, the Intiman and Seattle Opera. Hayes has served as a board director for the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, Clarion West, the South Sound Reading Foundation and the NOVA School.
The production is sponsored by OLY ARTS, the South Sound’s premiere arts and culture publication, now reaching 25,000 readers with 7 annual print editions, daily updates online at OlyArts.com, mobile apps, podcasts and more. In 2015, Hayes was the original founder of OLY ARTS. Current executive editor and publisher Billy Thomas announced his support. “OLY ARTS wants to do everything we can to bring a spotlight to professional theater in our region,” said Thomas. “We support both Animal Fire Shakespeare in the summer, and this new production as well — we believe the South Sound can be a destination for professional theater that astounds and delights.”
The production is also sponsored by Olympia Harbor Days. The Olympia Kiwanis Club and the Squaxin Island Tribe have united to extend their Olympia Harbor Days sponsorship to this production of The Tempest. “We are excited to make this production part of the live festival and event experience,” said organizer Carol Riley. “The island setting and the mystery and magic of the story are a perfect fit for Olympia Harbor Days.”
Riley is coordinating with the production team to feature tall ships beside the stage during the closing weekend of the staging.
More information about the production, including upcoming audition information and information about production dates can be found at TheTempestOlympia.com
