Director Q&A

What inspired you to frame The Tempest through the lens of Dungeons & Dragons, and how does that fantasy world enrich Shakespeare's magical island?

It was an idea I had several years ago. D&D and theatre share a lot of common ground, namely, a group of people gather together to have fun and tell a story. I wondered which Shakespeare play would best portray the tropes and feelings of a D&D campaign, and The Tempest made the most sense to me. It lends itself well to a D&D campaign: fantasy setting with magic and monsters, the obligatory gathering of the party into a central location, and it contains most of the different types of people you'd find in a D&D game. Because these are people playing as their characters, there's an added layer of depth to the lines. There are moments where the player and the Shakespeare character blur together, and you're not sure who's actually talking. It's fascinating to watch!

As a D&D fan, what element of the game—world-building, roleplay, dicey surprises—most influenced your vision for this production?

Specifically, using the role-playing elements to explain what happens in the play. Why does everyone fall asleep except Antonio and Sebastian? Oh, because everyone else failed to save against a sleep spell. Why does Ferdinand struggle to lift the logs? Because strength was his dump stat. Finding a D&D justification for why the characters behave the way they do excited me.

This is your first time directing a full production. What has surprised you the most about the shift from actor to director?

I knew there was a lot of preparation needed to direct, but I didn't know just how much. I needed to make a scene breakdown, rehearsal schedules, script cuts, prop list, vision board, and more. I'm surprised at the number of times I reference a spreadsheet on a daily basis.

How has your background as an actor informed your approach to working with the cast and shaping performances?

As an actor, I know that actors sometimes have the answers that directors are looking for. I've opened every day of rehearsals by asking the cast if they've had thoughts or epiphanies about the show or their character, and every single day, we've had someone bring up a thought or idea. A lot of the moments in the show have been created directly by the actors themselves because they felt comfortable speaking their thoughts. I also want to keep the balance of actor interpretation and director vision, and that one doesn't overpower the other. I wanted to leave room for the actors to create and explore their characters and not make every decision for them.

Without giving too much away—what’s one moment in this show where the D&D influence shines most clearly?

One of the major aspects of D&D is its combat. However, The Tempest is a play with zero fight scenes. You'll see a very D&D solution for this!

Directing is its own kind of campaign. What’s been your most unexpected plot twist so far?

The most unexpected part has been how much fun I've been having. The cast is so funny, creative, and collaborative that I'm having a brilliant time at every rehearsal. I've never laughed so much during rehearsals before.

What personal discovery have you made about yourself through directing The Tempest?

I try to not be a very demanding person, but, as a director, being vague about what you want is a major detriment. The cast and crew all need concrete decisions about literally everything about the play. Directing has shown me that it's both okay to be decisive about things and that things can be fixed if what you decide doesn't work. It's better to try and fail than not try at all.

What do you hope audiences—whether they’re Shakespeare fans, D&D die-hards, or total newcomers—walk away with after seeing The Tempest?

If you're a Shakespeare fan, I hope you appreciated how the concept mixed with the original play. If you're a D&D fan, I hope you liked all the references and tropes sprinkled throughout the show. If you're unfamiliar with D&D, I hope this show opened your mind to it and that you'll consider trying it. If you're unfamiliar with both Shakespeare and D&D, I hope you understood both. Regardless of who you are, I hope that this is the most entertaining and memorable version of The Tempest you'll see.