If Labor Day weekend is approaching in New York City, it means three things: the end of summer vacation, the U.S. Open, and a 90-minute block party at the Delacorte Theater from the Public Works arm of the Public Theater. This time, it’s The Tempest, Shakespeare’s island-set romance, with a swinging Caribbean-tinged score by Benjamin Velez, starring an enchanting Renée Elise Goldsberry as the deposed duke and manipulative magician Prospero.
With casts of anywhere from 100 to 200 amateur and professional New Yorkers from all five boroughs, Public Works has featured breezy musical versions of Hercules (from the Disney film), Twelfth Night, and As You Like It; the latter two, with scores by Shaina Taub, returned for encores in subsequent summers. And longtime fans might remember its first-ever Shakespeare adaptation back in 2013: The Tempest, directed by Public Works program founder Lear deBessonet, with music and lyrics by Todd Almond, who also played the all-powerful sprite Ariel opposite Norm Lewis’ Prospero.
Clearly The Tempest lends itself well to this song-and-dance treatment: Considering Prospero’s massive magical repertoire, bolstered by her invisible indentured servant Ariel (Jo Lampert), there are plenty of opportunities for spectacle and pageantry—for instance, “A Thousand Blessings,” in which she conjures a stage full of “spirits” to celebrate the betrothal of her daughter, Miranda (Naomi Pierre), to the Neapolitan prince Ferdinand (Jordan Best). The couple’s meet-cute—after Ferdinand washes ashore thanks to a storm that Prospero stirred up, shipwrecking, among others, her traitorous brother Antonio (Anthony Chatmon II)—also brings in the entire community-based chorus, who groove along with the terrific “Vibin’ On to You.”
That’s probably Velez’s best song, but the audience gets very into “A Fool Can Be a King,” a rousing ditty for conspirators Stephano (Joel Perez), Trinculo (Anthony J. Garcia at my performance), and Caliban (Theo Stockman). Between all the huzzahs, take note of some very smart lyrics: “So let us speak to power and tear the system down/ Cause in a coup, it’s often true/ The king becomes the clown.” One number that falls flat: the ballad “The Isle Is Full of Noises.” Son of a witch Caliban has just finished his “be not afeard, the isle is full of noises” monologue, so there’s no need for him to sing those same sentiments. Is this simply to give Caliban a song?
And even in this pared-down version, the drunken antics of the aforementioned trio grows tiresome—as frequently happens in full productions. When Ariel pops in to mimic Trinculo and cause mischief, those antics—plus the presence of the posse of spirits surrounding Ariel (a nice touch by director Laurie Woolery)—prove far more interesting.
Still, there are enough, well, magical moments in this Tempest—many of which come courtesy of Goldsberry, who’s wonderfully cast as the benevolent, bitter Prospero. As the character entreats in the epilogue: “Now I want spirits to enforce, art to enchant.” It’s Shakespeare’s plea, but could be Public Works’ unofficial motto.
The Tempest opened Aug. 29, 2023, at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park and runs through Sept. 3. Tickets and information: publictheater.org
