La Tempestad — The Tempest runs March 27 – April 27, 2025 

Trinity Repertory Company presents La Tempestad — The Tempest, adapted from William Shakespeare’s play by Orlando Hernández, with Tatyana-Marie Carlo and Leandro "Kufa" Castro. Presented in English and Spanish with subtitles for both languages, this production runs March 27 – April 27, 2025. Tickets are available at trinityrep.com/tempestad, by calling (401) 351-4242, or in person at the Ticket Office at 201 Washington St., Providence, RI. 

La Tempestad was originally developed for Teatro en El Verano, Rhode Island Latino Arts and Trinity Rep’s joint bilingual summer theater program. Its premiere at Trinity Rep marks the first time a Teatro en El Verano production transferred to Trinity Rep’s main stage. 

“Shakespeare has been translated into over 100 languages, and the first known staging in another language (German) happened in 1620,” the Laura H. Harris Artistic Director Curt Columbus said. “Trinity Rep's production of La Tempestad stands in that great tradition, but it uses a combination of the original English text and Spanish translation. That combination creates a linguistic and political frame for the play, one that is more relevant today than it was when we first programmed it.” 

ABOUT LA TEMPESTAD — THE TEMPEST 

Shakespeare’s familiar story of magic, betrayal, comedy, and love is told through a compelling mix of The Bard’s classic English, translated Spanish dialogue, and projected subtitles so everyone can understand it all. La Tempestad — The Tempest purposefully weaves two languages to deconstruct the colonialist narratives, all while retaining the shipwreck, romance, magic, and fantasy that make Shakespeare’s final play so beloved. Originally presented in 2018 as a touring Teatro en El Verano production, La Tempestad is the first to transfer to Trinity Rep’s main stage. 

“Our adaptation continues Shakespeare's investigation into language, power, and place, guided by our experience of living in multiple languages, code-switching, and negotiating power and belonging.,” co-adapter and translator Orlando Hernández said. “It also writes against Shakespeare by centering the characters of Ariel and Caliban, celebrating a Caribbean and pan-Latin American perspective.” 

THE CREATIVE TEAM AND CAST 

Orlando Hernández is a performer, choreographer, theater-maker, musician, and writer currently based in New York City. He wrote La Broa’ (Broad Street) for Trinity Rep’s 2023-24 Season, inspired by the oral history project "Latino History of Rhode Island: Nuestras Raíces" by Marta V. Martínez. He also co-translated La Tempestad and Tanta Bulla …Y Pa’ Qué?/Much Ado About Nothing for Teatro en El Verano. At Trinity Rep, he performed in past productions of A Christmas Carol and Like Sheep to Water, or Fuente Ovejuna.  

Tatyana-Marie Carlo is a proud Puerto Rican director from Miami, Florida. She directed the original Teatro en El Verano production of La Tempestad in 2018, as well as 2019’s Tanta Bulla …Y Pa’ Qué?/Much Ado About Nothing. A Trinity Rep resident artistic company member since 2021, she directed past productions of A Christmas Carol, La Broa’ (Broad Street), The Inferior Sex, Sueño, and Fade.  

Leandro “Kufa” Castro is a queer Afro-Dominican artist based in Providence, Rhode Island. He was co-translator for the 2018 production of La Tempestad, lead translator and adapter of Comedy of Errors/Comedia de Errores for Brown/Trinity Rep’s MFA Program in 2019, and lead translator and adapter of Teatro en El Verano’s Tanta Bulla …Y Pa’ Qué?/Much Ado About Nothing. Kufa’s latest work as a playwright was the new play I’ll be There for You for 2ndAct in 2023. 

Director Christie Vela last directed Native Gardens at Trinity Rep in 2018. She serves as the associate artistic director at Theatre Three in Dallas, Texas. She is a founding member of the Brierley Resident Acting Company at The Dallas Theater Center, and she is a company member at Kitchen Dog Theater.  

Christie will work with scenic designer Dahlia Al-Habieli, costume designer Yvonne Miranda, lighting designer Carolina Ortiz Herrera, sound designer John Flores, projection designer Tláloc López-Watermann, fight choreographer Mark Rose, intimacy and movement coordinator Jackie Davis, vocal and dialect coach Cynthia Santos DeCure, and dramaturg Dante Flores. 

The cast features Alexander Crespo-Rosario II as the island spirit Ariel, Gloria Benavides as Caliban, child of a witch, and resident company member Mauro Hantman as the magician Prospero. Rounding out the cast are resident company member Anne Scurria (Gonzalo); Brown/Trinity Rep students Lily Kops (Miranda) and Justin Mitchell (Ferdinand); and guest artists Rudy Cabrera (Sebastian), Marcel Mascaró (Stephano/Boatswain), Bill Mootos (Alonso), Adrian Peguero (Trinculo), and Alison Russo (Antonio). 

SPECIAL EVENTS 

Continuing Trinity Rep’s tradition of offering affordable tickets for all, the theater will hold a Pay What You Wish performance of La Tempestad on Thursday, March 27, 2025, at 7:30 pm. Pay What You Wish tickets go on sale at 2:00 pm the day of the performance and are limited to two per person. 

Returning this season are Neighborhood Nights, where Rhode Island residents can access a 20% discount on Sunday evening performances, based on where they live. Providence County residents are eligible for a Neighborhood Night discount for every Sunday evening performance. The Neighborhood Night performances for Kent County, Washington County, and Bristol & Newport County residents are on April 6, 13, and 20, respectively. Guests may claim this discount by entering their county name in all capital letters at checkout (i.e., PROVIDENCE).  

The Sensory Friendly performance of La Tempestad, designed to meet the needs of guests with sensitivities to light and sound, will be held on Wednesday, April 16 at 7:30 pm. All performances in the final week of the run (April 23– 27) are Open-Captioned. To learn more, visit trinityrep.com/accessibility. 

Through Trinity Rep’s Project Discovery program, schools can arrange for students to experience this live production with tickets to a student matinee performance, a study guide that can be used in the classroom to prepare for the play, and a post-show discussion with the production team. The Project Discovery performance dates for La Tempestad are April 4, 11, 23, and 24 at 10:00 am. Visit trinityrep.com/project-discovery for more information and to book your school. 

Trinity Rep’s 2024-25 Season is sponsored by the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) and the Providence Tourism Council. Southwest Airlines is the official airline of Trinity Rep. 

ABOUT TRINITY REPERTORY COMPANY 

Rhode Island’s Tony Award-winning theater, Trinity Rep has created unparalleled professional theater for and with its community since its founding in 1963. Trinity Rep strives to facilitate human connection and has been a driving force behind the creativity that fuels and defines the region for more than 50 years.  

Trinity Rep is committed to reinventing the public square and inspiring dialogue by creating emotionally stimulating live productions that range from classical to contemporary and innovative education programs for all ages and abilities. Its annual production of A Christmas Carol has brought families together for more than four decades and made memories for nearly two million audience members.  

Trinity Rep’s 2024-25 Season runs through June 2025, and includes productions of POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B, A Christmas Carol, Someone Will Remember Us, La Tempestad – The Tempest, and Blues for an Alabama Sky. Flexible subscriptions are on sale now. For more information, visit Trinity Rep's website at www.trinityrep.com.