The Class IV Shakespeare Play Takes Two Forms

Thursday, May 19—Using waving silks for the ocean, and pulling on high-strung ropes to show the ship’s distress in the storm, the annual Class IV Shakespeare play immediately captured attention during the all-school Assembly. 

Performed twice, Class IV showcased two distinct interpretations of The Tempest. A more traditional version with a touch of Tunisian inspiration was performed for the school during Assembly on Thursday, and another version, loosely influenced by Bali, was performed during community time on Friday and featured both shadow puppetry as well as giant puppets. Additionally, students held back-to-back shows for their families on Thursday afternoon. The Tempest tells the story of a shipwreck’s aftermath. Prospera uses magic to conjure a violent storm and later torments the shipwreck survivors, including the Queen of Naples and Prospera’s treacherous sister, Antonia.

A Winsor tradition dating back to 1931, the Class IV Shakespeare play is a culmination of interdisciplinary learning between English, acting, theater, music, and costume courses. In celebration of their hard work and in honor of the Bard of Avon, the cast and crew enjoyed a festive lunch and cast party on Friday.

Brava to the Class IV cast and crew who managed all aspects of the production including, set design, lighting, stage managing, costume creation, and live music. A special thank you to Performing Arts Faculty Felicia Brady-Lopez, Jeremy Johnson, Jessica Pribble, and Andres Puigbo, as well as to Class IV Co-Coordinators Josh Constant and Maren Kelsey, and all the Class IV faculty who helped make this wonderful production possible.