Meet the Cast of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest

Paul Wann as Prospero

Paul began working outdoors as a children’s theatre actor in the late 1960’s. He is grateful to the directors he has worked with whose kindness and art have helped him learn the craft: in Minneapolis, Moses Goldberg & George Muchamp; in Gloucester, Mary John Boylan, Paula Plum & Robert Walsh; in Newburyport, Theresa Linnehan, Stephan Haley, Bonniejean Wilbur & Greg Moss. He knows the trees of Maudslay love live theatre, especially Shakespeare and that birds and powerboats steal scenes.

Hannah Beebe as Miranda

Hannah Beebe is a recent graduate of Boston University with a BFA in Acting. Some of her past credits include Yvonne in A Mouthful of Birds and Rosalind in As You Like It, but you didn’t see those so you’ll just have to take her word for it. Hannah is very excited to be performing in The Tempest with Theater in the Open and hopes you all remembered to apply bug spray because she probably didn’t. Enjoy the show!

Peter Walsh as Ferdinand

Peter is an actor and improviser who recently graduated from Boston University, receiving his BFA in acting from BU’s School of Theatre. He has also studied in London where he received a certificate in Classical Acting from LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art). While at BU, Peter performed in multiple plays, including Much Ado About Nothing, Our Town, and My Fair Lady. In addition to performance, Peter is an environmental activist. He advocates for a sustainable and just future, campaigning for the preservation of the world’s natural beauty. Peter is thrilled to be a part of The Tempest, and hopes you enjoy the show!

Olivia Z. Cote as Ariel

Olivia Z. Cote is thrilled to work with Theater in the Open for the first time this summer! Recent performance credits include The Wolves (The Lyric Stage Company of Boston), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Apollinaire Theatre Company), Gooney Bird Greene and Her True Life Adventures (Wheelock Family Theatre), and Gay Shorts 3 (Open Theatre Project). As a playwright, Olivia’s original work has been produced by Acadiana Repertory Theatre, Brunch Theatre, and the Boston Center for American Performance (BTM XIX). She holds a B.F.A. (Theatre Arts) from Boston University. www.oliviazcote.com

Francis Hellums as Ariel

Frances Hellums is proud to be making her Theater in the Open debut in The Tempest! Originally from Houston, Texas, Frances is currently pursuing her BFA at Boston University's School of Theatre with concentrations in Musical Theatre and Applied Developmental Psychology. Favorite credits include; InMotion Theatre's Sunlight Interior (Melody/The Usher/The Dancer), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Narrator), and Mainstreet Theater's staged reading of Kilgore! (Mykelti). Check her out at franceshellums.com

James Lindberg as Trinculo

Born in late 1996, James has remained full of potential. He has light brown hair that turns blondish in the summer, so every evening he is on stage, from a hair color perspective, is a unique experience. He is 5 foot 11 and ¾ inches tall, but usually just says he is 6 feet. His eyes are blue. He is writing this biography in the third person and is finding that beyond what has been established, he is unclear if anything else is relevant for the actor biography. He hopes it doesn't rain in this current circumstance, but sometimes likes the rain.

This is James’s Theater in the Open debut.

MORgan rose ford as stephano

Morgan Rose Ford is a Boston-based reader, writer, and performer. Recent local credits include Boston Theater Company's touring productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream (Helena), Romeo and Juliet (Mercutio), and Hamlet (Claudius). Morgan spent the summers of her youth performing outdoors with the Rebel Shakespeare Company in Salem, MA, before studying anthropology and film at Boston University. She is a founding company member of the Unbridled Child Theatre Collective, where you can find her performing queer and feminist devised work. Morgan is the recipient of a 2019 Mass Cultural Council Fellowship in Dramatic Writing.

Edward F. SPeck as Caliban

Teddy Speck has served as the Artistic Director of Theater in the Open since 2009. He has been seen in TITO shows for the past 25 years, including the Tempest, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Medea, and Much Ado About Nothing. He is a proud member of Exit Dance Theatre.

Sierra Gitlin as Alonso

Sierra has been working with Theater in the Open as an actor since 2017, performing in Antigone as part of the chorus. She has appeared as Medea and in several pantos since. Sierra serves on the Board of Directors of Theater in the Open

BonnieJean Wilbur as gonzalo

Bonniejean Wilbur is a perennial TITO favorite, having directed and acted in Theater in the Open shows for years. Recent credits include directing Much Ado About Nothing (2018), and performing in Twelfth Night, King Lear, As You Like It, and Antigone, among others. Bonniejean has also performed at the Firehouse Center for the Arts, including The Importance of Being Earnest.

Miguel velasquez as antonio

Born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, and raised in Salem Massachusetts, Miguel has played roles in
student and feature films, and most recently, a YouTube web series, in which he stars as
Giovanni Dulcio as part of Season 3 of “Unconditional Love Series” which focuses on love
stories in the LGBTQ community and people of color. You can soon see his latest film role in
“Urbanx” in which he plays a self titled role, as the leader of a gang in the inner city.

When he’s away from set or the stage, Miguel enjoys spending time at the beach with his dogs,
bonding with his family and friends, or sharpening his dancing technique at the Boston Ballet or
the Arthur Murray Dance Studios where he enjoys ballroom dancing.

Michael Blunt as sebastian

Michael Blunt is thrilled to be spending the summer with Theater in the Open, having performed in A Peter Pan Panto as Starky, The Gentlemanly Pirate, with the company in early June. Other past credits include Hamlet (Creative Collective), Love! Valour! Compassion! (Zeitgeist Stage Company), A Midsummer Nights Dream (Waterbury Symphony Orchestra), Romeo and Juliet (Shakesperience Productions, Inc). As a signed model (Model Club Inc), Michael participates in various film and photography projects throughout the Northeast. He graduated from Salem State University with a B.F.A in Theatre Performance.

Willow Lautenberg as iris/master/adrian

Willow is excited to make her Theater in the Open debut in The Tempest. Willow is a recent graduate of Emerson College's B.F.A Theatre & Performance program with a writing minor. She is also a trained vocalist. This past year, Willow has switched off between touring with New Rep's Classic Rep Company in Animal Farm (Clover) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Puck/Philostrate) and traveling throughout Europe. Selected regional credits include: Cardboard Piano (US Chris/solo vocalist); Shrek, The Musical (Shoemaker's Elf). This coming fall, you can see her perform her one-woman show What It Means to Be Free at United Solo Theatre Festival, in NYC. @willowlau

Allegra larson as player

Allegra Larson is thrilled to be returning to the TITO stage after what feels like an eternity. She graduated from The Theatre School at DePaul University in 2017 with a BFA in Theatre Arts. Favorite past roles include Titania (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Jenna (Hallmark Doesn’t Make Cards For Us), Katya (Flesh & Bone), and Jeannie (Hair!). When she’s not acting, Allegra loves singing, playing music, and writing original songs. Much love to all the friends, family, lovers, teachers, pets, and strangers who’ve supported her along the way.

kate ventimiglia as player

Kate Ventimiglia is a local actor and teacher. Select credits include Crippled Inside at the Actor's Studio in Newburyport, Death of a Salesman with the Marblehead Little Theater, Almost Maine at the Firehouse Center for the Arts, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest with the Wellesley Players. She has dabbled in acting for film and directing. One of her greatest achievements directing was Rhinoceros for Commonwealth School in Boston, MA. Kate loves nature and "understands the world through movement", so she can't think of a better way to spend her weekends this summer than by sharing this journey with Theater in the Open.